Lingo Differnces

[shaggystu]

I lived in Swansea for a little while and loved the wenglish that I heard down there, it's such a wonderfully ambiguous language "I'll be there now in a minute", and/or "just leave it b'there"....make a decision already! is it now or in a minute? do you want me to leave it there or next to there? lots of time spent winding up the locals with a massive smile on my face, happy days

This was always my favourite bit of wenglish nonsense though:

"Who's coat is that jacket, 'anging up b'there on the floor?"......

Although, "I came out of the shop, and there was my bike, leaning against the wall, gone!", comes a very close second.

Cheers,

Stuart

 

[Ivan...]

I spent a lot of time in Crosshands, and my three favourites are

1 b'there.

2 who's coat is this jacket?

3 don't look know, look who's coming.

Ivan...

 

[ged]

... "I came out of the shop, and there was my bike, leaning against the wall, gone!", comes a very close second.

Swansea can't hold a candle to Derbyshire.

When I asked one of our office girls to make sure to write the date and time on the telephone message pad she said

"I always do, usually."

 

[shaggystu]

...."I always do, usually."

I had no idea that Gemma was working for you these days Ged, that's her kind of nonsense right there

 

[drewdunnrespect]

another good one to get people confused is

can i ave as bosh like

or in other can i have a go please

 

[bearbait]

While I'm on, and before the yan, tan tetherers start. Sheep counting is done in pairs and goes oneerum, twoerum, cockerum, shuerum, ****herum, shatherum, wineberry, wagtail, tarrydiddle, den. Which gets you to twenty and is all I can remember.

In Wales we count up the number of legs and divide by four to get the number of sheep.

 

[resnikov]

When I was in Australia one that always made me laugh was watching the news and the host was taking about a leaked memo, but at she pronounced it like nemo.

 

[Harvestman]

Genuine conversation that I had with my brother

Me: Where is it? (If I was a true Wenglish speaker I'd have said "Where to is it?")
Brother: B'there <points vaguely>
Me: Sorry, can't see it. Where?
Brother: B'THERE! <points again>
Me: Where?
Brother: B'there B'THERE (meaning "right in front of you, you idiot!")
Me: Oh.


My other favourite bit of Wenglish is based on the fact that in Wenglish, 'a couple' means 'a few', or any number from 2 to 5. So...

Woman: "Them apples look tidy. I'll 'ave a couple o' them, ta"
Grocer: "Righto luv, ow many d'ew want?"

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

Krabs, carabiners are called crabs coz they pinch

 

[santaman2000]

I find that those who have studied English as a second language often speak more accurate English than many native speakers who often retain errors picked up at their mothers' knee.

In a thread that both Toddy and Ahnjo contributed to some time ago, the embarrassing inaccuracies of Native English speakers was pointed out. I was in total agreement with them and wonder if our education system, to which I contributed for most of my working life, is at fault. Teachers, school inspectors and even the BBC seem unable to use good English these days.

It isn't just a matter of accent. I've also noticed that those who learn English from Americans speak with an genuine American accent......

Which American accent? There are well over 30 separate ones (though they tend to mingle with the ones from adjacent areas)

 

[Laurentius]

Here in Coventry we have an accent all of our own (unless you come from Earlsdon that is) It may not be as well known as Scouse or Geordie or Brummie, but it changes even if you go across the M6 to Bed'orth, they are different folk up there. Gawd only knows what they speak in Bulkington?

 

[rlh2]

I have enjoyed reading all these responses. I love your rich history (which I guess is my own in a way) and the fact that we all can be so different, yet the same. I pray that we can all keep our own dialect and accents over time. The world would certainly be a bore otherwise.

 

[galopede]

Used to work with a Cornishman and they have their own version of Wenglish's Now in a minute. Short and straight to the point - I'll do that Dreckly! It seldom got done.

Also remember asking directions in Newport - Down the road 'til you get by yer, turn left, half a mile 'til you get by yer and so on!

Gareth

 

[squishy]

okay then try translating this and telliing me where its from mary

Hey up cock how u diddling chuck

drew

haha.. that is the exact same phrase that came to mind when I started reading this thread and it means hello, how are you? It reminds me of a friend of mine back in Doncaster... 'Hey up cock' is her favourite saying.. 'Going for a biscuit' is another that comes to mind, meaning going to the toilet

I was brought up with lots of different accents, having a dad from Doncaster and mum from Salisbury and having been born in Weymouth, moved to Germany, then to Cambridge, then to Doncaster and two years ago here which is between Huddersfield and Leeds. My sister and I used to have endless fun laughing at how my mum pronounced words like 'grass' and 'bath' after we had moved up to Doncaster (she has a 'posh southern' accent according to yorkshire folk ).

It amazes me how words change meaning from place to place.. I went from living in Doncaster (South Yorkshire) where teacakes have fruit in and are toasted and bread buns were rolls.. to moving here (West Yorkshire) where teacakes are just plain rolls and I have no idea what fruit ones are called, and Mark 'takes the p**s' out of me, for saying don't 'take the mess' which means the same thing

Rachael x


Oh - and woodlice are housekeepers

 

[ForgeCorvus]

Yorkshire Pudding

Or

Pancake batter cooked in the oven.... Yanks do have pancakes don't they?

When I was a kid a mate asked me what an Oggie was..... I'd thought everyone knew that

Woodlice are called 'Pillbugs' around here


Words to confuse Americans with:
Tights
Pavement
Plimsols
Crisps
Tabs
Chips
Fags

 

[brambles]

One that amuses me is the way in which British foorball fans get all hot under the collar about Americans calling it soccer, apparently entirely ignorant of the fact that soccer was the original British term - rugger being rugby football and soccer , association football. Just goes to show things come full circle!

 

[PDA1]

One of the more interesting variations in use of language was made apparent many years ago (in my youth) when the UK was replacing railway manned level crossing gates with automatic barriers. The original Department of Transport signs for the new installations included the instruction "Wait while the red lights flash." Fine for most of England, but not in the NE,where "wait while" means what the rest of the UK would say "wait until". The consequences of that not being spotted early would have been interesting!!

 

[Harvestman]

What is it about woodlice? They seem to have so many regional names. In the Rhondda valley I heard them called Granny greys, but that apparently was unique to that valley. Pillbugs, pillgigs, slaters, shelleys, etc...

 

[boatman]

One that amuses me is the way in which British foorball fans get all hot under the collar about Americans calling it soccer, apparently entirely ignorant of the fact that soccer was the original British term - rugger being rugby football and soccer , association football. Just goes to show things come full circle!

Football was the name, it was football always being banned as taking away people from archery practice. Rugby football was codified at Rugby school in the 19th century and only became rugger through public school's habitual treatment of words, reinforced also because it rhymed with b..ger. It looks as though Soccer was an Oxford mangling of Association (football). It appears that for association football Australia and New Zealand have reverted to Football rather than Soccer. Sorry to spoil your amusement.

 

[brambles]

Oh , don't be sorry because you have'nt! You've just said the same thing as me .... soccer was a British term