Common Northerner dictionary

Clarets4me · Post by **Clarets4me** » Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:47 pm

I'm 53, born near Hemel Hempsted, and before I was 11, had lived in Dublin, Nottingham, Tunbridge Wells & finally Clitheroe. 3 years at University in Reading, before coming back to East Lancs, married a Burnley girl nearly 28 years ago, & lived here ever since....

When I first met my late Father in Law, ( born and died in the same house on Owen Street, Rosegrove ), he thought I spoke like " Someone off the telly ", whereas I almost needed sub-titles. I soon learnt that " the Jazzers ", meant the stairs, " Are you goin' on th'end? " translated as " Are you planning on patronising the local Convenience Store shortly? ", as well as " oined ", " agate " , " bait " ( packed lunch ) and, my personal favorite, " crammed ", as in " Our lass is reet crammed today ", translated as " My wife is not in the best of moods this morning " !!

Over the years, my wife's been told numerous times that " Your husband's very well spoken ", and I've been asked to speak at family funerals several times. Our son's accent is certainly Northern, but you'd struggle to place it as Burnley...

chipbutty · Post by **chipbutty** » Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:39 pm

welsbyswife wrote:"You going on't turf today"? "Aye".

Don't think that conversation would translate if we played at the Emirates Arena.

Used to make me laugh when big Sean used to say "on turf", minus the 't'. Failed attempt at the local lingo. Think someone must have had a word because he doesn't seem to try it these days!

A proper Burnley fan on match day would just say "Are you going on?"

welsbyswife · Post by **welsbyswife** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 12:30 am

Clarets4me wrote:I'm 53, born near Hemel Hempsted, and before I was 11, had lived in Dublin, Nottingham, Tunbridge Wells & finally Clitheroe. 3 years at University in Reading, before coming back to East Lancs, married a Burnley girl nearly 28 years ago, & lived here ever since....

When I first met my late Father in Law, ( born and died in the same house on Owen Street, Rosegrove ), he thought I spoke like " Someone off the telly ", whereas I almost needed sub-titles. I soon learnt that " the Jazzers ", meant the stairs, " Are you goin' on th'end? " translated as " Are you planning on patronising the local Convenience Store shortly? ", as well as " oined ", " agate " , " bait " ( packed lunch ) and, my personal favorite, " crammed ", as in " Our lass is reet crammed today ", translated as " My wife is not in the best of moods this morning " !!

Over the years, my wife's been told numerous times that " Your husband's very well spoken ", and I've been asked to speak at family funerals several times. Our son's accent is certainly Northern, but you'd struggle to place it as Burnley...

Crammed. Brilliant word. My late mum used to say that to me a lot " oh, just ignore him, he's well crammed today". Not heard that in a while. Happy memories.

RocketLawnChair · Post by **RocketLawnChair** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:20 am

Cock on / Bob on = made to measure or perfect.

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:58 am

I think the whole 'going on the football is a Burnley thing. Everyone else says going to the football.

ClaretCliff · Post by **ClaretCliff** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:02 am

Two I remember from Hassy but I suspect they reached Burnley, perhaps someone will confirm.

"Selling out shop" meaning off-licence.

"stood there like cheese at four pence" when someone had been left waiting. (Cheese costing four pence was the dearest stuff and was left on the shelf)

Grimsdale · Post by **Grimsdale** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:18 am

I thought it was "selling owt shop" as in a newsagents or corner shop where you could get milk, bread etc.

Also slutch meaning mud, as in "get yer shoes off, I don't want you traipsing slutch all over the place"

ClaretEngineer · Post by **ClaretEngineer** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:19 am

chipbutty wrote:A proper Burnley fan on match day would just say "Are you going on?"

Absolutely correct.

Southerners will try to correct you ("to" the football) if you use that phrase outside of Burnley / Lancashire.

ExistentialWanderer · Post by **ExistentialWanderer** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:36 am

Crikey! Many a phrase or word here my Dad used to use. Both my parents were from Padiham. We moved around a lot as kids and I have as an adult so forgot about these over time. Having only spent a few hours at a time around Burnley fans. I forgot about most of these.
I do remember moving to Padiham as a 16 year old and our neighbour was from down t'pit up at the top of Hapton back in the day. He had a very strong Padiham/Burnley accent. I'd never heard a proper old school Padiham/Burnley accent like that before. My Dad was happily laughing and joking with him. I couldn't understand a word the old fella said and still couldn't four years later.

ShakyLee · Post by **ShakyLee** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:45 pm

Skenning = looking or staring. As in "what you skenning at?"

Goalposts · Post by **Goalposts** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:53 pm

My mum used to say to my dad. If he came home drunk he could expect to "spend a night on the Coits"

Which were the big flagstones in the yard usually atop the outside loo or coal scuttle shed

Vino blanco · Post by **Vino blanco** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:55 pm

If someone had a wandering eye,i.e. not focusing straight ahead, my mum used to say 'He skens like a basket of welks'.

Goalposts · Post by **Goalposts** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:56 pm

I'm having an attack of the " abdabs "

bpgburn · Post by **bpgburn** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:01 pm

Agate was rife in 70's at school in Briefield, almost like a competition how may agates you could get in to a conversation "he was agate this, she was agate that, i agate, they agate". Chep (cheap) was another popular one back in the day.

Sneck for nose, Neb as well for nose or being nosey "what you nebbing at" " keep your sneck out" "stop sticking neb in"

Chippy was always the chip 'ole pronounced chip oyle.

Shame, being embarrassed, going red "had to stand up in front of everyone, I shamed"

As was said earlier, benches were forms "I'll see you at the forms outside library"

criminalclaret · Post by **criminalclaret** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:46 pm

Forms.

Flags.

Scriking.

Oining.

Daft or Daft-apoth

Ama-thon (amadán, think this was more an Irish thing than a Burnley/East Lancs one)

UpTheBeehole · Post by **UpTheBeehole** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:50 pm

We avvin tater par for tea toneyt?

Hazzyclaret1955 · Post by **Hazzyclaret1955** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 3:59 pm

Goalposts wrote:My mum used to say to my dad. If he came home drunk he could expect to "spend a night on the Coits"

Which were the big flagstones in the yard usually atop the outside loo or coal scuttle shed

A coit is the Lancashire way of saying a cote, ie a pigeon coit, but it can refer to and shed. My granddad would say "get thi coit wap thi bonnet on we're goin' fo' a tata. A tata was a walk.

Cornwallclaret · Post by **Cornwallclaret** » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:38 pm

Choddy.....chewing gum,only ever heard it called that in Burnley

Cabbage · Post by **Cabbage** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:25 am

https://youtu.be/jzAD2GLfaNU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:08 am

Bin Ont Turf wrote:Tha'd eat two taties more n' a pig.

right up your street this thread, the sites resident old style dialect bore. Blubbery and irrelevant, crack on Bin, get thisen dah'n chippy and impress the uneducated curious southerners with your northern charm.Dickhead x ten.

Wile E Coyote · Post by **Wile E Coyote** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 2:10 am

and before anyone complains, please check on this sloths iterfering jibes at my innocuous posts, the bloke is in need of help.

BFCmaj · Post by **BFCmaj** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 7:36 am

My Nan from my Dad's side is originally from Stacksteads and is 95 so she comes out with some belters. Some of the more common phrases she tends to use are,
"You shape wooden" meaning "You're not very good at that".
She also calls 'things' 'doings'. "Where did I put me doings?".
My Grandad on my mum's side was from Hindley and used to use the word 'molly' which meant 'give you a good hiding'. "If you carry on being cheeky, I'll molly you!".

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:11 am

Mala591 wrote: Fair to middlin

in the Rossy valley that was bastardised into "fare to Middleton"

Marney&Mee · Post by **Marney&Mee** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:19 am

Are we goin for bihteat?

bartons baggage · Post by **bartons baggage** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 11:34 am

I remember when i was a child and my Granddad gave me some cabbage water and said "thall shite through th'eye of a needle.

Bin Ont Turf · Post by **Bin Ont Turf** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 12:32 pm

Wile E Coyote wrote:right up your street this thread, the sites resident old style dialect bore. Blubbery and irrelevant, crack on Bin, get thisen dah'n chippy and impress the uneducated curious southerners with your northern charm.Dickhead x ten.

Nice act.

The cross between a ranting p1sshead in a town centre street and a hysterical 12 year old girl. is coming along really well

Weirdo.

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:14 pm

I'm off tu si t'Lancashire Hotpots tuneet at t'mechanics. Should be quite a bit of Lancy twang knocking
abart I would imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXABinRCxWE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

COBBLE · Post by **COBBLE** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:17 pm

50 shades of Grey wrote:'ya oreyt ?'
'ye am reyt, wat ya doin ?'
'goin on'turf, obviously'
'me too, fancy a pint?'
'fookin too rety, ged 'em in then ya tiet git'
'aye oh reight then, ee yar luv, two pintsa Moorhouses wen ya ready, am gaggin'.

beautiful prose, arresting plot, surprising ending! Is there a sequel?

piston broke · Post by **piston broke** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:41 pm

spitting feathers.

this had a thread of it's own a while back but going down the co-op on a Saturday morning for half a dozen oven bottoms.

Funkydrummer · Post by **Funkydrummer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 4:15 pm

Going for a walk along t'cut.

Silkyskills1 · Post by **Silkyskills1** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:08 pm

Grimsdale wrote:I thought it was "selling owt shop" as in a newsagents or corner shop where you could get milk, bread etc.

Also slutch meaning mud, as in "get yer shoes off, I don't want you traipsing slutch all over the place"

Selling out/owt shop in Haslingden on Pleasant St. That brings back memories.

Gerry Hattrick · Post by **Gerry Hattrick** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 8:59 pm

Regulars when ah werra lad but not now:-

Oozes thisses?
Tha mornt.
Laftavva ...........
Nobbet just a do

Flatline · Post by **Flatline** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:30 pm

Know a bloke from Lumb,over the hill from Burnley who says "arte" as in "how are thee.Reply-Aye oreyt".Some from Healey Wood in Burnley are "nolt" and "olt" as in "nothing" and "anything",excellent sayings.

califclaret · Post by **califclaret** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 9:32 pm

Dad I erd bell ringin on ice crem cart, Dad. Shame wen the bell rings
it meens theres nowt left

ClaretEngineer · Post by **ClaretEngineer** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 10:28 pm

califclaret wrote:Dad I erd bell ringin on ice crem cart, Dad. Shame wen the bell rings
it meens theres nowt left

This is actually a thing

told my lad when he was younger this, and thought I was reyt clever

There's nowt new under't Sun!

HatfieldClaret · Post by **HatfieldClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:32 am

Goalposts wrote:I'm having an attack of the " abdabs "

My parents used to talk of the 'screaming abdabs'... never realised it was a Burnley thing.

My favourite has always been, "who would have thunk it", brilliant.

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:51 am

Vino blanco wrote:If someone had a wandering eye,i.e. not focusing straight ahead, my mum used to say 'He skens like a basket of welks'.

Shore claret · Post by **Shore claret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:14 am

Cornwallclaret wrote:Choddy.....chewing gum,only ever heard it called that in Burnley

In Rochdale we called it spoggy, also what about cruckled turning your ankle.

Longsider · Post by **Longsider** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:27 am

Dry as a wood binders clog = thirsty. " come on get em in am as dry as a wood binders clog.

The Enclosure · Post by **The Enclosure** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:38 am

When i was naughty as a boy my Dad used to say "get up them dancers" meaning get up stairs to bed. Have no idea where the saying came from.

HatfieldClaret · Post by **HatfieldClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:19 am

The Enclosure wrote:When i was naughty as a boy my Dad used to say "get up them dancers" meaning get up stairs to bed. Have no idea where the saying came from.

Fred Astaire ?

Lancashire rhyming slang......

Cryssys · Post by **Cryssys** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:36 am

Ginnel (alley) is one I've never heard outside of Burnley.

My grandad used to tell me he'd "jump on mi chest" if I didn't behave.

ClaretCliff · Post by **ClaretCliff** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:40 am

Silkyskills1 wrote:Selling out/owt shop in Haslingden on Pleasant St. That brings back memories.

That's the one I was thinking of when I posted earlier. I lived in Dale St, so I was a regular shopper in Pleasant Street. did you live anywhere near me, Silky?

ClaretCliff · Post by **ClaretCliff** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:41 am

Cryssys wrote:Ginnel (alley) is one I've never heard outside of Burnley.

My grandad used to tell me he'd "jump on mi chest" if I didn't behave.

Don't know how far ginnel spread, but we certainly used it in Hassy.
Also choddy for chewing gum, mentioned above - but we pronounced it chuddy.

Good thread this.

CleggHall · Post by **CleggHall** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 1:34 pm

Ginnel = snicket = cut.
My wife used these terms when we lived in Kent, unsurprisingly no-one knew what she was on about.

ElectroClaret · Post by **ElectroClaret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:42 pm

Think ginnels used widely in Lancs and maybe further afield.

ontario claret · Post by **ontario claret** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:21 pm

The most common Canadian euphemism is the addition of the word "eh" at the end of a sentence. What it really is is the invitation to respond to what the speaker just said, so it's really quite a useful device to open conversation, eh?

Mala591 · Post by **Mala591** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 7:35 pm

CleggHall wrote:Ginnel = snicket = cut.
My wife used these terms when we lived in Kent, unsurprisingly no-one knew what she was on about.

What you on about?

What are you talking about?

groove · Post by **groove** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:01 pm

HatfieldClaret wrote:My parents used to talk of the 'screaming abdabs'... never realised it was a Burnley thing.

My favourite has always been, "who would have thunk it", brilliant.

The Screaming Abdabs was the original name of Pink Floyd.

The Enclosure · Post by **The Enclosure** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 8:04 pm

Well chuffed...happy
Fettle...repair