Dialects

Dialects and local phrases from Wrexham, Flintshire, and Denbighshire, particularly around Buckley, Flint, and Mold and elsewhere in NE Wales.

your comments

Keith (Melbourne)
I am originally from Liverpool, but now live in Australia, reading all the letters refaring to the local accent, I think it is probably all northern talk as a lot of the sayings are common in Wigan, Runcorn and Liverpool. Makes me feel really homesick.
Mon Oct 6 13:43:39 2008

To Will McCracken
'Good on you' means 'Well done' or 'Nice one' or something similar.
Fri Oct 3 14:02:46 2008

Phil
I'm a Llay lad (not far from Wrexham). My wife is from Llay born and bred. Whilst on holiday in Greece we were approached by an English lady. She said we had lovely accents and asked us what part of Wales we were from. I think the people of Wrexham and her village have an accent that borders on a valleys accent, although Wrexham is close to the English border the accent is so much different from the Scouse influance of Chester and Deeside.
As for the Wrexham accent being called an 'English one', well, I beg to differ...
Mon Aug 18 11:39:04 2008

Will McCracken (nee Watkins)
This afternoon on American National Public Radio I heard an attorney from New South Wales make the statement "Good on you". It seemed so much a saying of our People and I don't really know what it means. Please advise. Diolch yn fawr. (I'm just learning)
Mon Jun 16 08:29:47 2008

Bryn Williams, Denbigh
I still regard Coedpoeth as home, and my theory is that a lot of the local words were in fact a form of Wenglish! I'm surprised that there are so few contributions from Rhosites; Jackos have their own version of both English and Welsh! I can usually tell with a degree of accuracy which part of the Wrexham area people are from. Tanyfron, "the" Cefn (Mawr), Chirk, Llay to name but a few have their own distinctive accents; all part of life's rich tapestry. Even when people have lost their local accent or developed a "neutral" one, they still have a tendency to lapse when they get excited! A few Rhosisms crept into Coedpoeth via the Coedpoeth colliers who worked in Bersham colliery. "Ffwl" (fool) was a lovely term of endearment, and many houses had a "sbensh," which was the cubby-hole under the stairs. One of the Coedpoeth words was "gom" used in both Welsh and English alike. A gom in English was a rumour or story, whilst in Welsh "mynd am gom" was going for a chat.
Mon Feb 18 10:48:45 2008

Lisa, originally from Denbigh
My family are originally from Denbigh, some still live there. Does anyone know if the word 'cwtch' is used anywhere else in the world? I know Elizabeth Taylor used it in the 1960s talking about Richard Burton, but he was from South Wales isn't it?
Mon Feb 11 09:48:28 2008

Geoff Jones, Witney, Oxford
Born and bred in Mold, Bromfield Park. Mother's family (Messham) from Buckley. Although I have not lived in Mold for 41 years I was still able to understand most of the sayings and the words. When I come up to visit my brothers (Jack and Daryl) we still use some of the words/sayings, my wife and sons ask for a translation.
Thu Nov 1 12:42:54 2007

Susan Walker
My grandmother was called 'gin' by her sister, husband and her mother (my great g. mother) and I would dearly love to find out if my suspisions are correct! I do not believe it is Welsh for grandmother but I think it could be spelled 'gyhnn or gwhnn'. I think it is a 'term of endearment' or pet name for an extremely close relative or friend - can you help?
Fri Oct 5 10:05:52 2007

Mike from Wrexham
Re Ponch Mipe. The correct spelling is Ponsch meip and should be made with cream and pepper, so I am told. However, my mum made it the same way as Jean Holmes' mum did with bacon fat over the top. I still enjoy a plate of Ponsh meip but with liver and onions; lovely!
Mon Sep 24 09:30:00 2007

Jean Holmes, Truro, South Australia
I have just come across this site with all of those wonderful Buckley sayings which I remember so well from my early childhood growing up in Buckley. I was lucky to have obtained a copy of Dennis Griffith's wonderful book "Talk of My Town" many years ago. Ponch Mipe (spelling?) was a favourite school dinner at St Matthews Primary School. It was served with a rasher of bacon on the top with the fat running over the "mipe" mound - great stuff. Lob Scouse was another favourite and semolina with a blob of red jam in the middle of the bowl. Such cullinary delights along with spotted dick, toad in the hole and rice pudding.
Thu Sep 13 08:40:37 2007

Phil Ifor Phillips
I emigrated from Rhos about 25 years ago and settled in south Wrexham. Naturally I still have my papers for the Rhos and my language. I had not realised until some time ago that Wrexham had an unique vocabulary and I should like to compile a glossary/guide to the language. Some of the words I have gathered are as follows;
buzz-bus
boilt ham-boiled ham
pelanty-penalty
neckles-nettles
menkal- mental
I wonder if any of our contributors could help with some more words or phrases?
Wed Aug 29 08:10:53 2007

Howell, Bulwick, Northamptonshire
Recently browsing the Web I found 'A Very Rough Guide To the Main DNA Sources of the Counties of the British Isles' (http://www.isogg.org/britishcodnasources.htm). Denbighshire and Flintshire have mostly Ancient Briton DNA but the coast of Flintshire also shows Norwegian DNA. In Denbigh vernacular, sentences and phrases are punctuated with the term "nye," which is the equivalent of the English "you know". To the best of my knowledge the origins of "nye" have never been explained. I have listened to the lilt of the Norwegian spoken at the fish market in Bergen and to that of the English spoken in the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire. There is an amazing similarity to the lilt that I remember hearing as a child in Denbigh on market days. Both the Ridings mentioned show Norwegian DNA. The Norwegian word for "No" is "Nei" and in both Swedish and Danish it is "Nej". Pronunciation is around the Denbigh "Nye" and the Northern English "Nay". Apparently the River Clwyd was ! navigable for vessels with a short draught as far as Llewenni. When I was at school in Denbigh, I was told that Llewenni was built of Dutch Brick that was ferried upstream from the harbour at Rhuddlan. We know that Norsemen/Vikings penetrated inland on the expeditions, using their shallow-draught longboats on navigable rivers. In the 1970s excavations near Llewenni showed that area inhabited during the Bronze Age and the fact that the Denbigh Parish church of St Marcella is nearby, indicates the significance of the location in the history of the area. The Salisbury family, who settled in Llewenni were originally Austrians from Salzburg (von Salzburg) who came to England as mercenaries for William the Conqueror. They were granted lands in Wiltshire and it is from that family that the City of Salisbury gets its name. The Lion Rampant is borne on the Coat of Arms of the City of Salzburg, on that of the Salisbury family and on the Denbigh Borough Seal. Denbigh was once known as Caledfryn yn Rhos. Caledfryn probably means hard or rocky hill. The suffix "by", in all three Scandinavian languages, means a settlement. In Danish and Swedish "Stenby" means a stone settlement. In modern Norwegian it would be "Steinby". Coincidence or food for thought?
Wed Aug 15 15:06:52 2007

Mystery swiller, Flint
I can't believe youse all talk like this. I'm off Flint and say nowt daft like all you, ni? I was going to read them all but got a bit moidered. Do you know what I mean, shill? Innit. Laaaa...
Wed Jul 11 09:06:35 2007

Jackie, Buckley
Was good to read all the comments.
'Ow u doin', owden? As thou got a drink o weter for me? Got some tatas for tea, thou'd better get a wesh before tea. We're avin' ponch mipe and bacon.'
Ha ha, the good old days. Put your teeth in Sarah!
Wed Apr 4 08:08:47 2007

Scott, Sheffield
Formely of Pentre Halkyn. It seems that people are missing 'Paned' - Welsh for cup of tea but used frequently by non Welsh speakers in the Flintshire area. I have been away from home now for over three years and certainly have no intention of losing my proud Halkyn Mountain accent. "Sore rai dat nai, what dya reckon like"
Wed Feb 21 10:27:34 2007

Mark from Wrexham
I've never thought we had a distinctive accent, but apparently we have dialect words. Moider is a common one (as in "don't moider/pester me"), and is heesht one? (as in "heesht you", meaning "shh/quiet you" - used a lot around here but not sure how to spell it!). I don't pronounce "whole" as "hool", but my grandmother does, alongside calling "cook" "cooke", "book" "booke" and so on, while my other grandmother calls a combe a "coombe". "Foot" is often substituted instead of "feet" (as in "he was six foot tall), and tooth is often "tuth". Half of my family is from the North Wales coast (ie Gronnant, Rhosesmor), while the rest are more South-Wrexham (as in Penycae, Rhos way). Some people I know pronounce words such as "you" as "yoe" or "ya", and "floor" as "flo-er", "door" as "do-er" etc. I am a teenager and I don't use any words like "la" and "ked" - its just social status and nothing to do with the local area, and is not that common.
Mon Feb 12 12:36:36 2007

S. Roberts, Wrexham
I was born and raised in Wrexham, leaving in 1981 to live in Stoke on Trent, where my daughter was born. We visited Wrexham quite a number of times before returning to live in Wrexham after 17 years, but with my daughter's Potteries dialect, Wrexham people could not understand her but now resident in Wrexham, with a Welsh/Wrexham dialect, when we visit Stoke, our friends there, have difficulty understanding her.
Mon Jan 29 09:19:31 2007

goughy la frm queenz parc wrexham
In sunny wxm we says la/kid which means mate, coin meaning money, skint meaning broke. Eg. alrite la av ya got any coin kid am skint innit
Fri Jan 26 10:38:48 2007

John Turner from W Sussex
Grew up in Wrexham. If I asked my Dad for money he'd say it would be 'Like giving a donkey strawberries'. My wife's favourite saying (she's from London) "You're enough to give my a*** an 'edache".
Thu Dec 28 12:04:40 2006

Gwyneth Roberts. Buckley
Jeanette Roberts is my daughter, and Sophie my grandaughter tells me her mum tells her to oush wench, (be quiet) as I did when her mum was small. Being dirty is grewed in muck. Thick porridge was storah, water was weeter. Ow doo, how are you. The spence was used for coal. Up the wooden hills, go upstairs to bed. Thou meggin, you fool. Slarring was sliding. Wench is girl. Bobby horses, were fairground rides, jangling was gossiping.
Mon Nov 20 09:56:40 2006

Pam, Buckley
I grew up in Fron/Trevor, but my mother was from Cefn Mawr and one of her favorite sayings was "You munner say dunner, it inna polite, and you munner say canna cos that inna right" . My dad always said he was "clemmed" when he was hungry and he always referred to the canal as "the cut". Someone who was a bit slow was said to be "dy newydd". I've no idea where that comes from.
Mon Nov 13 08:09:35 2006

Dylan, Wrexham
As somebody has already mentioned, for some reason all across north east Wales whole tends to be pronounced 'whoole'. Tooth in Wrexham is pronounced 'tuth' - as in "me tuth's 'urtin da'". Don't know if this is just a Wrexham thing, but when somebody is "blagging" you (annoying you) they are called a "blagarse" - "leave me alone you bloody blagarse". I also like the fact that a lot of older fellas in Wrexham still call lager 'Wrexham', even though they are drinking Carlsberg/Heineken etc. - as in "two pints of bitter and a pint of wrexham please me love". I also heard recently an old chap, talking about the nightlife, who said "aye, you get young'uns from all over, not just the locals, you get the bloody Salops (Shropshire) and the bloody Romans (Chester) coming too"! Must have a very long memory!
Fri Nov 10 16:24:37 2006

mary from buckley
I laughed and cried to read some of the sayings my dad used to say, 'slithering and slathing all over the opper' meaning slipping and sliding all over the place. If our bedroom was a mess dad would say it like jim brannys back yard, your rodney idle, meaning your a lazy person, it was nice to hear about ponch mipe i thought me dad made it up, and if you couldnt keep still as a child you would be asked if you had 'st vituses dance'. what wonderful memories of those who are no longer with us.
Thu Oct 5 08:18:01 2006

Vince Clayton, Buckley born and bred
ows thou doin owd duck, thee misses got the dinner on and its tayters and gravy thou nose. hope you understand it. thou nose, was one of my favorite sayings meaning do you know, I can remember many an old friend saying words like this. Keep those memories where ever you be, they will never die
Fri Sep 29 08:42:37 2006

Charles NUNN from the Wirral.
Having been born in South Wales many of the dialect words are familiar to me. "Cwtch", to cuddle or in the case of our family dog "Go cwtch" meant to go into his basket. "Snap" being the meal taken underground by colliers. "Scrub the back bailey" i.e. the flagstoned yard. "The snobs" i.e. the cobbler. "The pobi" the flat bake stone on which Mam made Welsh cakes. "Your neck is gungy (dirty). You need a good golching(wash, from golchi the welsh to wash) "If you don't eat your scran (food) I'll give it to the ci (dog)
Mon Sep 25 08:36:12 2006

Karen Roberts(AZ.originally Ruthin/Denbigh)
"cwtch" ..as in "cwtch up here" (snuggle up /move closer(to sit next to)... Parents came from Ruthin and Treuddyn Nr Mold ..respectively..LOl) any more words that can ring a bell for me ....love this subject ...
Fri Sep 22 07:49:21 2006

Jane Owens from Leeswood
Dear Graham of Amersham, The word sniving is alive and well in Leeswood at least. Moider, nesh, kit, clack, snappin, ponsh meip are all in everyday use. Dear Georgina of Wrexham, I think your neighbour was just mad!
Mon Sep 18 10:16:19 2006

Steve G, Bagillt
From Rod of Brymbo's comment, Snappin was a common term that referred to the "air tight box", their butties were kept in the lid Snapped into place and kept the butties free of coal dust. Moider is to Mither someone. Not only used in Buckley but all over the North West.
Mon Sep 11 09:05:21 2006

Emma from Wrexham
Like Nia, I remember with great fondness, from schooldays, the phrase "spied me bum" or arse. "I saw / seen / spied me arse / bum" was commonly used to denote an embarrassing incident. It was so well known in Wrexham that if you saw someone embarrass themselves, and wished to draw attention to the fact, all you needed to shout was "Spy!" or, indeed, simply put your fingers round your eyes to indicate a pair of "spy" glasses. However, more recently I've often heard it used to denote anger - e.g. "I seen me arse with her" (I was angry with her). Is this a case of language change or are both usages still acceptable?
Thu Aug 31 07:45:17 2006

Lisa from Buckley
I originally come from Stoke-on-Trent and my husband is from Buckley. When we met he told me about the old Buckley dialect and listed various words. This then led to a light hearted debate as I told him that the words were Stokey words and the Buckley people had stolen them. I came across in a second hand shop window, a book which my husband had mentioned called 'Talk of my Town' so I purchased it. This is written by a man from Buckley to describe the local dialect. It again led to a comparison of the two dialects. They are very similar. I understand that a lot of people moved from Stoke to Buckley to follow the work from Pottery making to bricks.
Mon Aug 21 10:13:10 2006

Matt from Abergele
I worked in a factory in Wrexham - for years I thought Wrexham people sounded English. In fact I thought I was working in south Wales... they also sound Welsh in Mostyn surprisingly. I think it might be something to do with the coal industry in the area. Obviously you're bound to have scouseish accents in a border country, ie Connah's Quay. But scouse is a mix of Welsh and Irish after all.
Fri Aug 11 13:59:24 2006

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Thous spot on Nick me owd chonker, he's wun growler of a landlord as well. Snappered me trewtling arm in three places. Wunce by the bar an the other two times in the toilet.
Wed Aug 9 07:40:10 2006

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Scuttering McScut, thee wuss down thus Pied Bullock trewtling thus arrus int' board when arru three whipperd off t'wire and got landlord int' nose. Thous had to pack in the arrus now till me arm mends and casts off.
Nick, Web Team replies: Paul, let us have a translation, please. As a Potteries lad, I can see some similarities with the Buckley dialect. I reckon you are saying a stray dart - presumably aimed at a pub's dartboard - bounced off the wire and ended up in the nose of the landlord. You've had to quit playing until your arm mends and a cast has been removed. I assume the landlord retaliated! - but I'm prepared to be corrected. Cheers, Nick.
Tue Aug 8 08:43:01 2006

Jeanette Roberts, Connah's Quay
My mum says 'oist your noise' and I say it to my daughter, 'oist your noise wentch'. She is only 10, looks at me daft. Every day in work I say to a Buckley mug how are you me owd duck.
Thu Aug 3 15:12:15 2006

Jeanette Roberts, C'Quay formely Buckley
Made me laugh I have forgotten a lot of the old sayings.
Thu Aug 3 10:03:09 2006

Ray Jones - Australia, ex Denbigh
I'm Welsh not Scouse. Like most people I never considered that I had an accent at all. However, when I enlisted into the army I was often asked where in Liverpool I was from, and the longer I served it seemed that my 'accents' changed to Cheshire, Northampton, and eventually Wiltshire. When I visit Wales I am told that I have an Australian accent, but here in Australia the so called 'Pommie accent' is detected, not a Welsh one but a Pommie one.
Tue Aug 1 09:29:38 2006

Nia Vernon, formerly Coedpoeth
'Saw your bum' or 'spied your bum' was a much used phrase when I was in school. From what I remember it is used when someone has made a foolish mistake or embarrassed him or herself. ‘Ah ha! You well spied your bum’ when taunting someone or ‘I proper saw my bum over that one’ when describing an embarrassing situation.
Mon Jul 31 10:09:40 2006

Deb from Buckley
We eat ponch maip a lot (I thought it came from the Welsh word for turnip - maip and the fact that you ponch it up with potatoes!). When I was at college a lad from Stoke called it chonnin - never heard that before. My nan used to call the cupboard under the stairs the spence - my husband comes from Southport and has never heard the term (he thinks some of these terms are mad!). Also what about lozzerkin about (dossing around). Talking about "ballys" when playing tip (as we used to call in the 1970s), my daughter tells me they now say "baileys" and it's called tag - my husband said he called it tic. In our school British bulldogs was called Coronation - until it got banned!
Mon Jul 10 09:34:58 2006

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Thou's packed up rabbitin for now, since Humphries wellered that fat fezza on us. Thou's teeken up darts for hobby now and wus finding am pretty snazzerin at lobbing the arrus.
Wed Jun 14 08:46:09 2006

John Roberts, Totnes
I believe the term 'nai' or 'nye' is a shortened form of the phrases 'Haven't I', 'Didn't I' and 'Aren't I' hence the use: Q. Have you been to Rhyl? A. Well aye, nye. I also believe the word 'shill' to be a shortened form of the phrase 'shilling pie', which is a term of endearment. I used to live in Mostyn but have lived in Devon for 30 years. It is good to visit the site and see some of the old dialect words again!
Mon Apr 24 14:23:51 2006

Joan Thomas from Buckley
Buckley had a language of its own but sadly it has almost diminished. I lived in Flint and went to school in Holywell. I am fascinated that 'whole' is pronounced 'hool' and the word 'paint' is 'pairnt'in Holywell and Bagillt. My brother in America is fascinated that so many people around here say 'yeah' after each sentence. Where on earth does that originate from?
Mon Apr 10 16:38:28 2006

Cath Rowlands, C/Quay
My grandad was from the potteries but his family moved to C/Quay when he was 6 and the words he used remind me so much of the Buckley sayings. Me owd Duck etc. He told me it was the brickworks connection and that a lot of people from the Potteries had migrated to North Wales.
Mon Apr 10 08:44:21 2006

Vince, Buckley
Anyone heard the saying or similar "its ok now duck you can stop thee scriking now, the feether will be awom soon" meaning its all right now mate you can stop crying now your farther will be home soon? Proper Buckley twang eh ould duck
Mon Mar 27 18:27:41 2006

Olwen Griffiths from Gloucester
I grew up on the Wirral + have family roots in Flintshire. My grandmother used to say 'don't moider me' (don't bother me). Also the word 'grooted' was used to mean deep dirt (usually around the neck). Another saying when children asked 'what is that' was 'layos for meddlers and crutches for lame ducks'. I believe this last one to have also been used around Manchester.
Thu Mar 16 16:15:35 2006

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Chunkin McChonk! Thou got mesel a new fezza, and the rostlin furry tworkler gan an got its fat bally chunked in t'burra. Thou had to dig t'wuzzling thing out owa shuvel. That Humphries has got a lowa face I tell thee, scupperin thee with a fezza that canna get int' burra. Thou'll have to go to chip oil again toneet instead o rabbit stew.
Sat Mar 11 13:38:30 2006

Graham Griffiths, Amersham ex Flint

My father was born and bred in the Brymbo area and often used the word "spence" meaning a cupboard under the stairs. It's a very old word. The OED defines spence as: 1. A room or separate place in which victuals and liquor are kept; a buttery or pantry; a cupboard. Now dial. or arch.

The earliest reference, the OED gives is: 1386 Chaucer Fat as a whale, and walking as a swan; Al vinolent as Botel in the spence. I imagine Chaucer had in mind a large, fat guy, staggering along full, of wine but I could be wrong.

My mother who was born and bred in Flint had two local words which I still use (as I haven't found anything to beat them), namely "moider" and "sniving". My mother's saying was "he/she would moider a nest of crows" which I think, with a little family loyalty, has an edge on "moider a nest of rats" mentioned by other correspondents as it conveys a distracting, noisy person (usually a small child!).

The OED defines moider (moither being a variant) as: To confuse, perplex, bewilder; to worry, bother, fatigue amongst other quotes it gives: 1880 R. Broughton, Moidering his brain with temperance meetings,..temperance papers, and such trash. With regard to "sniving" my mother would say, for example, that a field "was sniving with rabbits" The OED defines "snive" as; snive, variant of sny (to swarm). Anyother Flintonians still using "snive"?

Mon Feb 27 10:30:48 2006

Adrian Cropper from Mansfield, Notts
I lived in Buckley until I went to University and all my birth family still live there. My dad's uncle wrote 'Buckley and District' some time in the 1920s. It was always difficult for people to work out my accent other than it was 'northern.' As I return once or twice a year, the very pronounced liverpudlian/Wrexham bias in the accent becomes more and more evident. I cannot remember any particular phrases other than the way words were pronounced. However, 'anyroad' is certainly used for 'anyway' in Buckley. I remember that the anglicised pronunciation of the welsh 'Mynydd Isa' was always 'Munnerisa'.
Sat Feb 25 22:02:59 2006

Sean Connolly from Holywell
John, you'll here 'nai' in the North of Ireland as well apparently.
Wed Feb 22 15:46:29 2006

Ray from Buckley
Yes Dave, I've heard of GRUDED. I would come home covered in mud after playing out on the Fay Hills (by the Trap) which I always thought were called the FEE Hills. My mother used to say 'that dirt's gruded into you' i.e difficult to remove.
Tue Feb 21 10:10:41 2006

John from Bromborough
My own recollection of of old Buckley dialect was of a pretty indiscriminate mix of Welsh and English! Some of the words mentioned below were much more widely spread. "Spence" for the cupboard under the stairs, and "bonk" (or rather Boncyn) for a small hill.
Mon Feb 20 20:49:19 2006

Colin born in Prestatyn
Like others I didn't know I had an accent until I left for university when I was asked 'Do you come from Stoke on Trent?' Now living in South Yorkshire, lots of the words are similar to this dialect. I think mining is a common factor, mentioned by others here. We always asked 'Y' wo?' for you what - i.e. 'what did you say?'
Tue Feb 7 21:22:12 2006

Ray Jones, Australia
I was born in Denbigh too long ago to even mention. I am putting together a sort of dictionary of words that I recall being used in a general conversation. I seem to remember my Aunts using the word "Cwtch" if that is the correct spelling. Can anyone tell me what this meant, or even if it's still in use? I have paid several visits back to Denbigh in the last two years or so. I think the jury is still out on the "improvements" to the Old Town and the surrounding districts.
Thu Feb 2 09:46:29 2006

James Anyon from Neston
When I worked in Shotton steelworks I noticed that the Buckley accent and lots of their old sayings were very similar to those of old Nestonians. Any reasons for that?
Tue Jan 31 18:16:58 2006

Dave
When i was small my grandmother would check our ears and neck after we had a wash for bed. if i had not done a proper job she would say go back you're still GRUDED. i take this word to mean dirty or filthy but if i ask other people if they have heard this word they look at me daft. Has anyone else out there heard this word GRUDED?
Fri Jan 27 20:28:35 2006

Nick
But moither can be found in the dictionary and i think it's the word you are after.
Wed Jan 11 09:42:35 2006

g davies saltney ferry chester
The word 'mither' or 'mithering' meaning to annoy or annoying is in common use but does not appear in the OED. Any reason why?
Mon Jan 9 22:43:11 2006

mel from Buckley
as i toud thee afore dont thee bring no moud wenches awome here with thee thats what my ould fella toud me years ago i have lived jn Buckley over sixty years
Sun Jan 8 00:50:11 2006

Colin Bilsland, Aberdeen
when i lived in london, most people would notice a welsh/scouse accent, now i live in Scotland all they can hear is a english accent,funny !! odd thing is when i meet up with others from other areas of wales they say the same thing....what part of england you from.. liverpool
Sun Jan 8 00:00:27 2006

Chas from Wrexham
I had to laugh at Vernon Roberts's version of his daughter's accent after living in London. It is a known fact that regional accent does take over after a while. When I used to take my family on holiday in Boston - Linclonshire - many years ago, my daughter would pick up the lingo as quick as a flash and her school friends used to say "Don't you speak funny". Well I have lived in Wrexham now for 45 years and still have the Lincolnshire accent although sometimes I pull my grandson's leg by imitating the Welsh dialect which I can do quite well. I don't see any point in changing it now though, it makes not a scrap of difference how you speak, it is what is in your heart that matters.
Thu Dec 29 08:08:12 2005

Davey Bristol
Gid me owd tayters, wen did thas learn to use owd keyboard. The auld chonker Wyn ses thas still strugglin with light switches. Wos it u or T'Wyn to be first to see Color TV, Thas gessin' itwer the Humphries Mon, being the auld git that he is (grey n'all).
Tue Dec 27 21:00:31 2005

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Chunkin eck Wyn, thou's seen thee out down The Goody with that whipper. Fast as a racehoss is that wun. Thee ferret must be a quick un to keep up wi'it. If thees owa o'er crimbo I'll chonk a bally full'o'mild with thee down thus Pied Bullock. Thinkin about thees dripping butties is mekin me clend so maky sure thee savs us wun. Good to see owd Daveys still gunnelling about in Bristols.
Fri Dec 16 22:38:36 2005

WYN HUMPHRIES
well how's it goin me owd tatters, the owd bucklee town is a sparklin at the mo wiv thee spangley crimbo lights, looks dam smashin. goin doon owd ale house later wiv me ferret and whippet, gonna doon a couple of gallon of mild n eat me drippin butties, that should sort me owd chutney ferret out for a bit, tatty by for now an keep up the chunnerins
Wed Dec 14 17:51:22 2005

Davey from Bristol
Buckly Mon born & brod. Ow do owd dun a phrase which gets me some funny looks down in the West Country, where they take the word dialect and give it a whole new meaning.
Sat Dec 10 19:14:18 2005

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Chonkin 'eck me owd tayters. All this Bucklees chunnerins is meekin me hod spin. Thees gonna be shimmy shammying down thus Pied Bull laters, chommerin the brown o'er bitters down thas thrat, toppin off neet with batter bits'n'pickled peg from awd Humphs chip oil.
Fri Dec 2 23:11:46 2005

Susan Evans now Barker from Northop Hall
My uncle was William Evans (the coal) he always used to say 'de tha knows' instead of 'do you know'. He was a real character delivering the coal round the village and his son John after him - he speaks exactly the same I think it comes from the pottery people from Staffordshire. I lived in Macclesfield for a long time and its got a definite link. Those were the days!!
Wed Nov 30 12:45:48 2005

Jon from London
I moved from Holywell to London for university about two and a half years ago. Until recently I was unaware of a north Wales accent. My family are originally scouse and we moved over to Holywell about 15 years ago. I had always just assumed that my accent was a cross between scouse and Welsh. It was only when I happened to bump into someone in London from Prestatyn and they instantly knew that I was from north Wales from the way I spoke. I think the word 'nai' as 'isn't it' is borne from Holywell, I can't recall ever hearing it anywhere else, possibly Flint. I love living in London, but I miss the north Wales area dearly.
Sun Nov 20 16:28:12 2005

Huw Waters from Abergele
So many of the words mentioned here cross-over between Welsh-English. In the Welsh language school in Mold, Ysgol Glan 'Rafon, 'amser snapyn' is used as break time. Many of these words make up the unique Welsh dialect in Rhosllannerchrugog near Wrexham. Words such as ponsh maip, clemio, sbenj.
Fri Nov 18 00:58:11 2005

Monkey Boy (John D's Bessy mate)
Alreet Mons, Ais been slarrying with our kid daan the boozer, for a swift half a brown mix and our kid had a snowball, we were both ' spittin feathers' after a morning nettling down the common, thas knows thas thirsty when it dinny touch tha sides of thas thrott
Fri Nov 11 20:02:16 2005

Trudie Thomas (nee Jones) Texas USA
I was born in Cheshire, schooled in Rhos & Ruabon, moved to Hawarden & now live in Texas, USA. My mother's family was from the Oldham area. I only recall a few of the words I am reading about ever turning up in the Rhos/Ruabon area - 'nai', Ponciau bonks I remember, but most of the other dialect" words, I remember my Nanna using in what I affectionately refer to as "eebagum" land. Having gone to the different North Wales towns in my teens & early twenties to frequent the street markets, I can't recall most of these other sayings. I think that Wales & the UK have developed a lot of each other's sayings inadvertantly, now that people are able to move around the country more freely, due to better transportation and job prospects, than they had in the past. Maybe next time I'm fixin' to cross the pond, I should have a crash course in the old tongue, wherever it be from, before I can understand ya'll.
Thu Nov 10 19:47:23 2005

Paul Gillam (Buckley)
Thees not a real mon till thou's bin stawd on top'o Deesy Hill in thou's shimmy shorts, weetin for number 2 bus t'tak thee ta schawl. The wind blorking off Mul Famma a'whipping at yer pegs. All thus could see in distance wus smug belching owa chimbleys from Top Brick. Thas when thees a real mon, I'll tell thee.
Thu Oct 27 01:31:53 2005

Lionel Fell Boughton Chester
Chonkin Mons is more like Cheshire speak than rural Buckley surely, I say 'Alreet mon' when I address my friends. So please use your own dialect and not pinch ours, or there will be a 'reet gud fisticuffs, I tells thee'.
Mon Oct 24 10:23:22 2005

Bostonian
Just giggle or two. Is it just for Holywell, if not here this. Lincolnshire sayings. Shimshams for meddlers - busy person's answer to a child's:'What is that?' Daft as a handcart - Silly. Very silly are 'Daft as a brush: Extreme cases'Daft as a oiled Owl' Cross-oppled - Confused, especially in an argument. A person may 'Get thiersens cross-oppled' if experiencing difficulty with solo task. And so forth.
Thu Oct 20 11:35:33 2005

Johnny Doyle Buckley Reet-mon
Nice one Wyn me auld chonker, hows it hangin? Its great the speeky we talk in Buckley, I have colourful characters as friend. Monkey boy, Roopster,and Wacca my dog, people must look at us strange when were ' chewin the marra' talkin in our own version of English. Keep up the postings its great reading these as me and Wacca sit down for our Ponch mipe with Daddies sauce. Tara Buckleys reet mons, I'll see yous later on.
Tue Oct 18 10:24:37 2005

Wyn Humphries
How's thou doin oud ducks, this is typical Buckley talk which can be heard every day around the ale houses of Buckley. Been a Buckley lad all me life. I know some masters of the Buckley talk, most of whom are getting on a bit. There's me dad Eggs, The Rolt, Bud and Candy and his son Gobbit (the nicknames are great) both of whom shine in the outstanding field of Buckley talk intermingled with remarkable swearing which really has to be heard to be believed. What a great town - let's keep the traditions up Buckley mons.
Sun Oct 16 09:35:07 2005

Lynne Fyles originally from Chester
I too have been looking for the origin of the word spence meaning cupboard under the stairs, used by my mother and family for as long as I can remember.Any clues?
Sun Oct 2 13:08:14 2005

John Doye, Buckley
Alreet me chonkin Mons, hows it reet gannin I think Buckley Mon talk is a mixture of Welsh, Irish and canny Geordie.
Tue Sep 20 06:54:42 2005

Darryl, London
My friend Janet and I both grew up in Wrexham. When she went off to drama school she had some lessons on how to mimic regional accents during the course of one of which she demonstrated a Wrexham accent for her accent coach. This lady refused to beleive that such an accent existed a) because she was something of an expert and had never heard it before and b) because she thought it so horrible. We secretly had to tape a member of one of our families (who shall remain nameless) to prove it existed!
Fri Sep 2 16:29:39 2005

Heather, Hitchin/Wirral
It's great to hear all these words & phrases again - too long away! My parents & grandparents are/were from Mold & Denbigh, so it's great to hear things like moider/moither, nesh & ponch mipe. I'd forgotten shill & nai, but helping out in nain & taid's shop, there'd be all this going on when people came in for a chat. I'll be back for more!
Sat Aug 27 19:47:27 2005

Joy Edwards, Wolverhampton (orig. Wrecsam)
Naggy; nacky; moider; ponsh maip; bally. It's so good to see these words and be reminded of them. I think I'd better make sure I pass them on to my children. Being in Wolverhampton I'm surrounded by the Black Country accents and words.
Fri Aug 26 12:05:43 2005

Keith Mitchell from Rhyl
I have just been advised by Alys from BBC North East Wales that you may be interested in 'tucks' as in 'had the audience in tucks', (rolling in the aisles so to speak!). She advises me that the phrase today is 'stitches' (had the audience in stitches). I don't know where 'tucks' came from but obviously it was much used in the late 30s early 40s just after I was born.
Wed Aug 24 13:42:36 2005

Andrew , Wrexham
Slaring...sliding down a bonk...bank, rhosddu bonk the coal waste bank in rhosddu, I'm pots for rags, my mother always said this...don't know what I'm doing. Bally was a place of safety while playing tick. Clack I was always liable to get one if I was cheeky. Naggy, kit, you have just reminded me of them, moider it just goes on. Thanks for the reminders.
Wed Aug 24 07:43:58 2005

Iz Forbes, Mancot
My gran used to use the word 'spence' for the cupboard under the stairs. My mum remembers sitting in the spence during the war when they couldn't get to the air raid shelter. I can't find any information about the origin of the word 'spence' in this context. Is anyone out there familiar with it?
Mon Aug 8 09:40:11 2005

John from Wirral
Regarding the similarities in the north Wales and Northumbrian accents. I was led to believe that, during the industrial revolution, when the need for coal became of great importance, miners moved, en masse, from Wales to the newly discovered coal deposits in the north-east, taking their dialects and sayings with them and for a greater part, where they have remained.
Thu Aug 4 18:12:39 2005

GB, Flint
When I was younger and my parents wanted to hurry us kids up, they used to tell us to 'pull our fingers out'. Most mornings began with this saying followed by 'and get your beds in line'. It is interesting that someone from Holywell uses the term jobbins for mashed carrot and swede, where I have always used the term for swede and potato. Another saying that I sometimes find myself saying is 'mynding', W/English for the verb to go. 'Are we mynding?' meaning 'Are we going?'.
Mon Aug 1 00:18:08 2005

Georgina, Wrexham
Whilst coming home from work, I happened to say in passing to a neighbour that I had to do a pile of ironing but would do it later due to the recent hot spell. She said that she didn't blame me and to 'throw salt on it'. This totally baffled me since I'm originally from Runcorn but have lived in Wrexham for nearly 20 years. This is the first time I heard of throwing salt on ironing and I've never heard it said in Runcorn. Still you learn something new every day.
Wed Jul 13 16:16:54 2005

Rosalind nee Jones Sydney Aust formerly Buckley
Its great to hear some of the old sayings again. I remember back in the late 50s or early 60s Denis Griffiths appearing on a TV current affair show.Once a week they had a panel of so called dialect experts try to guess where a persons accent was from and Denis with his broard Buckley accent, had them stumped. They didn't have a clue. I am also pleased to hear the word 'moider' as none of my English or Aussie friends have a clue what I mean . Another word I heard a lot in Buckley was to flit, meaning to move house but I don't know if it is unique to Buckley. Then Dad often said 'ay' instead of yes.
Thu Jun 30 11:22:56 2005

Graham Rawlinson from Manchester
Born and bred in Wrexham, some of these words and phrases have passed into common usage amongst my non-Wrexham friends (even abroad!!). They prove eternally popular, and never fail to raise laughs. For example: 'Pots for Rags' - something/someone a bit mad e.g. "that Bjork's totally pots for rags!" "Drefn/pontettle" - an unkempt mess e.g."Have you seen the bloody drefn on the floor in his bedroom?" "Moider a nest of rats" - for someone who can't shutup, or is constantly pestering you. e.g "Gosh! She'd moider a nest of rats!!" "Naggy" - in a bit of a mood/unsettled or a personality trait e.g "Oh the baby (pronounced bah-bee) can't sleep and is behaving a bit naggy!" "Dead Naggy" - in one hell of a strop/one BAD character e.g. "I'm dreading double Maths - the teacher is dead naggy!!!" "Clemmed" - Starving and can also mean cold e.g "God, I'm absolutely clemmed and could kill a bag of chips!" "Clack" - to hit someone e.g "Carry on! You're heading for a clack!!!" "Chopsing" - to talk incessantly e.g."She's been chopsing on that phone all afternoon!" "Kit" - a shed/outdoor building e.g "Your Dad's busy mending something in his kit!" Love them all, and long may they live!!!!
Tue Jun 28 15:19:55 2005

Georgina Langford, Wrexham
I must admit that I have had a most interesting read of the different terms for things. When I was at home in Runcorn if there was an argument going on my mum used to say 'If you don't shut up I'll jow your heads together!', meaning if we didn't shut up she would knock our heads together.
Thu Jun 23 14:13:23 2005

David, Wrexham
Until I moved to Wrexham 18 years ago, 'whereby' was an old-ish word meaning the means by which something is made to happen. It's very commonly used around here when asking where something is. 'You know the sports shop on Hope Street?' 'Er.. whereby do you mean?'
Thu Jun 16 16:55:59 2005

Gerry from Blandford
The contributions on what people remember about the Buckley dialect have brought back memories. Here are some I remember that my Dad (Ken Lamb, who comes from a long line of old Buckleyites) often comes out with: 'Scratt' - mean person, eg: 'Who's an owld scratt?''Who got all her chairs a whome' (got all your chairs at home) - crafty or devious person. 'Taloc' - tart!. 'Ess hole' - dad used this one to refer to the chimney smoke hole. 'Mither' - pester or annoy, eg: 'Eeh oisht lad thee meidderin! Tha'd meidder a nest a rats gooin on, oisht up!'
Thu Jun 16 16:55:26 2005

Simon from Coedpoeth
While playing tick as a child in Coedpoeth, we used to use the term bally. Bally would be items such as a wall, a lamppost or a small area of land, which, whilst in contact with, would make you immune from being ticked. If you were immune, you were said to be on bally. Clemmed I always understood to mean thirsty (although I might be wrong), and nesh was used to describe somebody who felt the cold rather too easily. The word kit has always been used by the families of both my parents (one from Coedpoeth, one from Hightown) to describe an outdoor storage area, either a wooden shed-like building or one set into the back of the house. In addition to the noted confusion between lend and borrow, there is also the misuse of the words never (No, I never is used instead of No, I didn't) and seen (I seen a film last night rather than I saw a film last night).
Thu Jun 16 16:54:10 2005

Emyr Jones from Bagillt
In Bagillt and Holywell and surrounding areas, many folk still say 'nai' at the end of a sentence. I don't know the origin, but it's like saying 'isn't it' at the end of a sentence. Very peculiar, but fantastic!
Thu Jun 16 16:52:50 2005

Claire from Wrexham
My dad always says 'they'll come to his cake and milk'. I think it means that if you behave badly then you will eventually get your comeuppance! I don't hear it from anyone else though.
Thu Jun 16 16:51:35 2005

Karen from Denbigh
We call people 'lyle' in Denbigh, as in 'alright, lyle' (pronounced like the lyle in Tate and Lyle).
Thu Jun 16 16:50:59 2005

Rod, formerly of Brymbo
The words 'clemmed' and 'snappin' were very common in Brymbo. My dad worked in the steelworks and had a snappin tin to take with him every day, also we used to say 'yo' rather than 'you'. Two unusual words I remember were 'pontettle' which referred to a messy place, and 'anteloot'. My mum used to say 'stop behaving like an anteloot' if we were rowdy. I never found out what this meant but I discovered eventually that a 'pontettle' comes from a pawn tettler, who would be someone who runs a pawn shop.
Thu Jun 16 16:50:32 2005

Richard from Southport
'Thou're a norry owd werrit.'
You are a bad tempered fault finder. The saying was used in Connah's Quay, but probably came from Buckley. Another phrase in use was 'he's got it for fetching' - meaning he's a lovable rogue.
Thu Jun 16 16:49:39 2005

Robert, Wrexham
I've got a saying that is used in Summer Hill and Gwersyllt area. They always greet a friend by saying 'alright there la' (la being abbreviated from lad).
Thu Jun 16 16:48:52 2005

Kate from Pontblyddyn, formerly Buckley
The one Buckley saying that stays in my mind above all others was in winter time when we would go 'slarring down the bonk' or sliding in the snow down the nearby disused tip spoil heaps.
Thu Jun 16 16:47:56 2005

David Lewis, Buckley
Dokey Meggan: mostly aimed at youths and meant to suggest that they were acting like silly girls. I suppose a similar phrase would be 'You're a big girl's blouse'.
Thu Jun 16 16:47:01 2005

Mike, from Mold but Wrexham-bred
Several correspondents have referred to 'pontettle'. My late grandmother (born in 1890 - lived all her life in the Wrexham area) used this word to describe an event/incident/area that was noisy, rowdy. rough e.g. 'It's like pontettle in here - I can't hear myself think'. Her description of the origin of the word linked it to the corruption of the Welsh language name for an area of Wrexham - Pont Uchel. This became corrupted to Pont Tuttle and later to Tuttle Street (situated between Madeira Hill and Mount Sreet). Apparently the area was often the scene of drunken fighting in days past, thus giving rise to the expression.
Thu Jun 16 16:46:19 2005

Mike, Gwernymynydd
In Caergwrle gossiping was called 'jangling'. We used to have a hill called the Bonky and we used to 'bonk' school!
Thu Jun 16 16:45:37 2005

Vaughan Jones, Wrexham
The village of Rhos is often preceded, by them wot lives there, with the definite article as in 'the Rhos' (wonder why?), and small boys from the Rhos (and some small girls!) might threaten each other with 'clack yo' la !'.
Thu Jun 16 16:44:42 2005

Janice Hamilton
I grew up in Rhos and Rhostyllen, near Wrexham. The origin of the term 'ponch mipe' comes from the Welsh word 'maip' meaning swedes or turnips and 'ponsh', which means to mess, i.e. mash.
Thu Jun 16 16:43:36 2005

Tim Jones, Flint
My Mam is from Holywell -Ann Jones (nee Boyes) - and she (together with my Nain) always referred to someone who was a bit daft as a 'smonach' - this could have been a form of pidgen Welsh! And anyone who got in the way was a 'ned y gegin' (no man was welcome in the kitchen!). Also, everyone ending virtually every sentence with 'Nai' - which was/is a sort of 'Do you know what I mean' or 'innit'! Pork cracklin' was known as Donan. As it was a large family (9 kids!), the youngest was known as the 'tyn y nith' - the end of the pack!
Thu Jun 16 16:42:08 2005

Emma Ramskill (nee Wilkinson), York
Born in Wrexham and brought up in Caergwrle. These local sayings have made me chuckle! Though no-one has mentioned COB - 'He's cob, you know', meaning funny
Thu Jun 16 16:41:17 2005

Jude and Chezza, Buckley
Things have changed! we have never heard any of these phrases. Most people from Buckley use colloquial terms like Scousers. Sound La!
Mon Jun 13 11:41:10 2005

Karen Williams, Colwyn
Deaf people also have regional signs, these are the same as hearing people's regional accents. Very interesting.
Sun Jun 5 15:30:03 2005

Eluned - Ynys Mon
When meeting a stranger with a Welsh accent you can usually tell whether that English accent is from a Welsh speaker and change to Welsh conversation. It must be in the accent - this applies to all regions of Wales and not the broad Welsh accents in some parts of Wales that are the usual give-away. Even accents on Anglesey can give away which village you were raised in, whether only miles apart. Less so nowadays it seems. Referring to the comments from Leicester -they tended to think that the north Walian accent was either scouse or Geordie! Perhaps they were right! ;)
Sun Apr 24 19:56:56 2005

Dave. Flint.
Thank you Norman Hadland for your reply. Please accept my apologies for the incorrect reference to 'Geordies'. Its interesting to hear that the mining phrases are identical both in Buckley and Northumberland. Id like to know what the connection is (if any) and how two totally different parts of Britain (not even in the same country) ended up having such similar dialects.
Wed Apr 13 01:15:02 2005

john foulkes from mold
Just as people from the holywell area used to say 'ynnai' at the end of a statement we used to say 'isn't it' which mutated to 'init' which then lost the 't' to become 'ini'
Mon Apr 4 20:04:21 2005

Nicky from London
Some Wrexham sayings I remember, I'm sure there are more. "Proper" Wrexham accents are really quite harsh and a mixture of Welsh and Scouse. I've lived in London for twelve years and people down here still think I'm Welsher than Gladys Pugh, but when I come home people think I'm a Cockney! Naggy - annoyed Snatched/Nesh - to be cold Clack - To smack Drefn - A mess Pots for rags - Mad Clemming/clemmed - Hungry Nochdy - Naughty Jacko - someone from "the" Rhos
Wed Mar 30 15:17:24 2005

joan strode liverpool
in holywell people say are you alright shill.they use this as a expression of endearment like we in liverpool say are you alright love
Sun Mar 27 17:14:37 2005

georgina langford wrexham
i'm orignally from runcorn cheshire and i learned that snappin means exactly the same as the runcorn saying baggin - taking of food to work. although i dont know the welsh saying for "thructing" which is the runcorn saying for fidgeting. also the saying "moither a nest of rats" is a common phrase.
Fri Mar 18 11:47:27 2005

Norman Hadland, Northumberland
Re. the message from Dave, Flint. I live in Northumberland now and I have noticed the similarity between the Buckley and Northumbrian dialects. The mining sayings are identical. By the way strictly speaking a Geordie is a Tynesider as opposed to a Northumbrian. Hwyl fawr
Thu Mar 17 18:09:12 2005

Chas
As I originate from Lincolnshire and now living in Wrexham the word "bost yer sen" meant work until you drop with fatigue. Nowt so queer as folk I say.
Thu Mar 17 11:39:30 2005

Dafydd Roberts, from Brynteg originally
A magazine is a book in WXM, moider - get on somebody's nerves, similarly moidersome, snappin - packed lunch, soft joe - as in the phrase 'he's got more...than soft joe', pots - dishes as in 'washing the pots', dokey - half soaked, forgetful, ponsh maip - a mixture of potatoes and swede, chuk - a loved one, scratchins - what's left in the bottom of the chip pan, sloppy peas - mushy peas, nacky - a handy object or good idea, you go for a 'run' in the car in WXM, a mixture of lager and bitter is a 'donald duck' - lots more to come.
Sat Mar 12 11:50:26 2005

Ade from Buckley
A few more Buckley expressions :- Hows tha goin on 'owd duck - how are you Eef and half - Not so bad Donna werrit - don't worry I'll stand up and sithee - I'm going
Wed Mar 9 18:27:20 2005

lyn, leics
yeah i agree with lisa dafydd. i've recently moved from north wales, after being born and raised there, to leicester and most people don't believe i'm welsh due to the north-east walian accent.
Tue Mar 8 16:05:55 2005

Dave .Flint
Having read through the Buckley dialects page, does anyone else agree that the sayings sound distinctly Geordie? Was the town settled with people from the North East 500 years ago?
Sat Mar 5 13:10:24 2005

Gari Tomos (Abermorddu)
Allright mete,owd lad.
Tue Feb 22 20:02:38 2005

Lisa Dafydd, Denbigh
No one in England seems to know that the north walian accent exists! If i go to england, and i say i'm welsh, i get the same response every time, "you don't sound welsh!"
Wed Feb 16 17:06:06 2005

Silas from Denbigh
The term Haner Coron was used all the time when I was at school by both Welsh and English speakers. The term is an insult which refers to people who do not have much money or dress in a certain way like much like chavs. I think it derives from the Welsh for Half (haner) a Crown (Coron), often shortened to you haner!
Thu Feb 3 15:53:47 2005

Vic Tyler-Jones, Llai Local History Society
I used to have a pub in Pembrokeshire although I'm from Llai. A lovely old couple Jane and Jim fom Sardis, near Milford, used to visit on a Saturday evening. Our pub was the last cottage pub in Wales at the time and Jane and Jim used to sit facing each other across a very small room. In her lovely Milford accent Jane would tell tales of Jim's hard life as bosun of a Milford trawler. She would often end the story with 'Oh, he was tampin!' meaning very angry.
Fri Jan 21 06:49:27 2005

Creweman, Crewe
About these "Buckley" local dialect sayings. They were all used "iveryday" in my childhood in Crewe from 1950 onward!
Thu Jan 20 12:01:42 2005

Julia Ellis from Denbigh
As well as saying "yn nai" at the end of a sentence or as a question, Denbighites use a term of endearment when speaking to a friend or family which is "rair" or "raur" or "lail" which I believe is meant to be "Yr aur" or golden one/beloved. I was also asked if I was a "gossag" when I first moved here! is that the same as "gogog"?
Tue Jan 18 17:45:06 2005

Mike Rogers, Denbigh
I was born in Liverpool - an expression we used was 'put wood inth hole' meaning 'shut the door'.
Mon Jan 17 17:05:28 2005

Paul from Kinmel Bay
My Dad ( a Rhyl lad ) used to say to my sister and I if we were arguing 'stop ponchin', similar to ponshyn but meaning stop messing about. Turnips, or swede if my Mum was cooking, (Old Colwyn posh) and mash was called 'jobbins' in our house although my wife who is a Conwy girl calls it 'stwnch'. Another word my wife uses is 'tamping', which she uses when someone or something annoys her e.g "I was Tamping". Has anyone else ever come across this?
Sun Jan 16 22:24:57 2005

Mike Williams from Stockport
I was born bred and grew up in Denbigh. We always say 'ny' at the end of each sentence. 'ponshe meipe' is mashed potato and 'turnip moidering' is annoying, 'bonking' is hill, 'slerring' is when we used to slide along wearing hobnail boots as kids
Sun Jan 16 14:53:06 2005

Sandra Roberts, Wrexham
For nearly 20 years, I lived in Stoke on Trent (The Potteries) and they have almost a language all of their own. Bo means ball, wo = wall and wom = home. If it rains heavily, it's said to 'slat it down', cannot becomes 'cannuh', hill becomes a bank. The Potteries dialect is descended straight from the Anglo Saxons and there is word for woman, only 'Lady' and the local Sentinel Newspaper, ran a regular strip cartoon named 'Mae an ma lady' equalling 'me and my wife'. The fun I had, when I came home on occasions as my Wrexham family had the same trouble understanding my adopted Potteries dialect as my friends still in the Potteries, now have difficulty understanding my Welsh dialect/accent and that of my Potteries-born daughter, Sian.
Wed Jan 12 16:22:37 2005

Julie Williams, Ruthin
We also used 'ynau' like the French say n'est ce pas? or even just 'nau. My favourite was the one where my mam would talk in hushed tones about who was 'ponshyn' with who, meaning who was having sex 'on the sly'. 'Ponsh meip' was used for potatoes mashed together with turnip - there's that word again.
Wed Jan 12 16:22:23 2005

Tim Jones, Fflint
'Moidered' is a very common expression as other people have mentioned. A common phrase I still hear today is 'You'd moider a nest of rats!' meaning 'You'd be annoying even to a nest of rats'! I currently live in Manchester which has a very large Irish contingent and they say this word as well. The word 'Spench' is used in Fflint, 'Dokey' meaning stupid and countless other phrases and words I can't recall....yet!
Wed Jan 12 16:22:09 2005

Vaughan Jones from Wrexham
The village of Rhos is often preceded, by them wot lives there, with the definite article as in 'the Rhos' (wonder why?), and small boys from the Rhos (and some small girls!) might threaten each other with 'clack yo' la !'.
Wed Jan 12 16:21:52 2005

Richard from Southport
'Thou're a norry owd werrit.' You are a bad tempered fault finder. The saying was used in Connah's Quay, but probably came from Buckley. Another phrase in use was 'he's got it for fetching' - meaning he's a lovable rogue.
Wed Jan 12 16:21:34 2005

David Lewis from Buckley
Dokey Meggan: mostly aimed at youths and meant to suggest that they were acting like silly girls. I suppose a similar phrase would be 'You're a big girl's blouse'.
Wed Jan 12 16:21:08 2005

Kate from Pontblyddyn, formerly Buckley
The one Buckley saying that stays in my mind above all others was in winter time when we would go 'slarring down the bonk' or sliding in the snow down the nearby disused tip spoil heaps.
Wed Jan 12 16:20:49 2005

Phil from Westbury
I grew up in Holywell, and the local expression which used to cause most reaction when used outside of the area was the use of 'ny' at the end of sentences, as in 'I went down town, ny'. I think this came from the Welsh, y nyfer. Also snappin, and clemmed were in common usage, as was doughy (dokey) and 'hanes' for gossip, 'jobbins' for mashed carrot and potato, 'bonk' for a slope or hill, like the big bonk at the Grange, Holway.
Wed Jan 12 16:20:30 2005

This debate is now closed

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