Pit Talk/ Lingo

[Jojo]

Mother & father both born at Netherton and father worked down the pit as did just about everyone else did back then; uncle, cousins etc.  I was brought up on what's known as "Pit talk", certain vocabulary I still weave into conversation to this day, but is usually met with confusion.  For example - "You gave me a gliff before" = You gave me a fright earlier.  Does anyone still use these terms today or have they died out?  Another one; "Mind, that gully's sharp" = watch as that knife is sharp.  "I walked into the bliddy cheble" = I've walked into that bloody table.

Silly daft geordie twang I guess, but localised in certain pit villages.  I couldn't imagine anyone saying the same stuff in Consett, for example.  Anyway, paying homage to the old school on how your Grandad might have talked about Lonnens, Sculleries, Clarts and Nyuks.

[Canny lass]

Jojo, there's nothing silly or daft about the geordie twang - or North Eastern dialect, as it's called in linguistic parlance. I was also born at Netherton and grew up with it. I've had to modify it on my travels in order to be understood, as no country teaches it as a second language. Only the Queens English (received pronunciation, RP, to give it its full handle) is good enough för for that purpose. This does not imply that RP is better or more superior in any way. It is simply because it is the accepted standard worldwide thus aiding communication the world over. Imagine a meeting of the European parliament where every country chooses to use one of its many dialects instead of its standard version! It's standard English and a gigantic, well oiled machinery of simultaneous interpretators and translators that make it possible for any communication to take place. It's difficult but it would be impossible if everybody spoke in dialects. As I said earlier, dialects are not taught in schools.

On the contrary, I'm old enough to remember 'articulation' lessons in school, during the 50's, when moves were afoot nationally to eradicate some dialects, usually working class dialects and Geordie was top of the list! However, it held it's ground and achieved almost cult status in the late 80's, turning up on TV, radio and even in films where it started to be used by characters with social, educational or professional standing rather than by portrayed thugs and layabouts. 

Gliff, gully and cheble I remember well but no longer use, and the first words my husband (not British) learned from me were "by hinny this cheble's claggy" - picked up over a pint in a pub probably known to most people here.  Claggy and clarty are, however, two words that have stayed with me even after 30 odd years living abroad. Even the occasional 'mebbies' instead of 'maybe' has been known to escape my lips.

Dialects are being diluted because we move about much more freely than we've ever done. We aid communication in one of three ways: we modify our own dialect, we adopt the dialect of the other speakers or we revert to Queen's English as best we can - at risk of being accused of 'tring to be posh' or of 'putting on airs and graces'. So words and phrases are disappearing. There are a few stalwarts, including this site's very own HPW (High pit Wilma) who carry on the tradition - if you want to read some of his wonderful posts. Sadly, in reality, the dialects have no written form. We all write our own version which makes the content available to very few people - that's to say, those who are familiar with the spoken version. Even more sad is that within a half century or so, all information in the texts will be lost as only a handful of academics specializing in the North Eastern dialect will be able to read them.

Gaan canny!

 

Edited November 8, 2020 by Canny lass

[Vic Patterson]

I'm from Blyth and my wife from Bedlington, we still find many words we use differently. I used to work around the area and found I could easily recognize where people were from especially Blyth (port) Bedlington (pits) Morpeth (farming) Ashington ( pits) and later to all the country regions, localized dialects probably developed because most people didn't travel far from home or work.

Yes we do adapt our way of talking in public more than we think, you have too or go hungry! our town is very multi cultural but heads turn when my wife meets up with her sister-in-law (also from Hollymoont) its not a conscious change but it definitely happens.

You can not get rid of all your accent, you can usually pick up a trace in some words, an example was recently in the Trump impeachment farce, a key witness was from the N.E. The other night on a TV interview from a Nova Scotia University they talked to the Head, he sounded just like he had come from the match at the toon! 

Little ditties! how they are dying out, I can always find one to fit the occasion, has the kids laughing a lot,  two four six eight...., round and the garden...! 

I hope we see HPW pop up soon.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

3 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

I hope we see HPW pop up soon. Iv'e messaged him (he's now on Facebook) and told him about the topic

A couple of my favourites are - Plodging in the clarts and said in the Bedlington twang - aroond the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran.

Born and raised in Bedlington I never really knew that my accent was different. Leaving schoolmy first job, age 16, was at Blyth Shipyard - no problems with the accent. Then the DHSS, Longbenton and the first group of lads I teamed up with were from Seghill, Consett and Stanley. They could understand me no problem but I do remember even the lad, born and bred in Seghill, did say my accent was pitmatic.

The first time I actually encountered a problem was when I went to work in London in 1969. No matter how many times I asked the way to where I was going I got stared at puzzled looks. Someone even did the slow speaking bit and said - ARE YOU GERMAN.

My accent had to change whilst working with the cockneys but each time I came home it took less than 5 mins in the Percy Arms to get back to the home twang.

Edited November 8, 2020 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Waatcheor Bonny Lad,[JoJo],aal slap ya chops if a heor ye caal wor twang ..."Silly Daft Twang"! 

Ye waana mind o' thi fact that if it waasn't fo' Pitmen,gett'n Coal oot fo' Industry at thi start of thi Idustreeal Revolushin, ye wadn't be clartin on heor wi ya fancy bliddy new-fangled thingy's..!!

Is aal them fowks doon thonder posha thin wat we are heor like?...it's US that taak proppa man,aal them foriners frae owa thi waata taak a bit glaaky.!

Noo,Jo-jo,a expect, wi YOR browtin's -up,that ye'll knaa when wi say Foriners,wa not been Raysshhill or owt  stupit,wi mean any bugga from owa the waata...meanin' the Tyne!!  

Did ye knaa thi Smith family,or the Bell's hoo had thi Ranch,owa aside thi Lonnen? ..when thi pulled thi pit hooses doon,in thi late 1940's,a lot o' Netherton fowks moovd doon ti Hollymoont Squaor aside my Fowks,so a knew a lot of thim,a med new mates,canny fowks they were,a ended up menny yeors lator,worrkin doon thi pit alang wi sum o' thim as Marra's.[Jimmy Burke and Stan Taylor cum ti mind stryght awa...]

Them wa thi days wen wi had clarty back streets,like at Choppintin,wi play'd aside thi Barnt'n Born,whoer it was aal slecky.

Ootside Netties,nae posh lavvy papor in them days,an' yi had callises on ya hint-end...!!..wi'll keep thi entortaunmint leet eh?!!

A hevn't been redd aroond lang, and aav just gett'n the tcheble cleored n thi dishis aal weshed...[nen brokken thi neet! ....buggad-up hands are nae gud for weshin' dishes wi!!]

It's great ti see ye on the forum Jo Jo,hope wi heor a lot mair frae yi.. an a just waant fowks ti knaa a hevn't desartid wa great site heor,its' just that aav hooked up wi a few lang-lost Marra's from thi '60s ...an' otha kind fowks,it's hard ti split me time up,an' a get carried awa once a start.....![....eh?...they say...nivvor in thi world....wi nivvor knew...!!]

Aal thi best ti aal me Marra's on heor!!

 

 

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

..an aftathowt...me Son went ti live an' wark in London 30 yeors ago,so he had ti larn ti taak glaaky doon theor ,so thi buggaas wud unnerstand 'im.

Noo ,as yeors went by,he had an Album ti record an' Engineer,owa in Denmark,by a Band caaled "EFTACLANG"..they were a top Band at thi time,like the Beatles war heor,mevvis not exactly thi syem,but enywheh,he was suprised by thi amoont of words n' phrases they hae owa theor,wat are like wors.."Gaan Yem"...etc...[suppose them buggaas browt thi twang owa heor in thi forst place eh?!!]...a knew Kirk was aad ,but a didn't think ee wuz that aad...!!Heh heh!

Thi forst time he foened back yem,efta he had been in Londin for a while,he was taakin' aal bay windae,[a bit like wor Big Jack...R,I,P, Jack.]...but mekkin' a hint-end o' hesel' ivry utha worrd!!...[like them buggaas ye see on thi telly in thi Soaps,wat wor lass waatchis...thi sing wen tha taakin']..if us buggaas taaked like that doon thi big black hole,we'd be crucified by thi wit of the ones who were a wee bit "Intoxicated by the Exuberance of their own Verbosity...!"...[so ti speek!]..heh heh!!

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Bobby Pattinson,famous Geordie Comedian...." Big Geordie  waaks inti thi Lifeboat Stayshun at Tynemooth...he says ...Hae yi got eny jobs Mista..?...Fella says ti him ....Hoo taal are yi?...Geordie says ..Aam six foot twelve ....Fella says ...Can ye swim?..he says ner,but a can plodge a lang way oot"!!

Priceless!!

His DVD Performance is worth every penny ti a Geordie Twang lover!!

[Jojo]

4 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Waatcheor Bonny Lad,[JoJo],aal slap ya chops if a heor ye caal wor twang ..."Silly Daft Twang"! 

Ye waana mind o' thi fact that if it waasn't fo' Pitmen,gett'n Coal oot fo' Industry at thi start of thi Idustreeal Revolushin, ye wadn't be clartin on heor wi ya fancy bliddy new-fangled thingy's..!!

Is aal them fowks doon thonder posha thin wat we are heor like?...it's US that taak proppa man,aal them foriners frae owa thi waata taak a bit glaaky.!

Noo,Jo-jo,a expect, wi YOR browtin's -up,that ye'll knaa when wi say Foriners,wa not been Raysshhill or owt  stupit,wi mean any bugga from owa the waata...meanin' the Tyne!!  

Did ye knaa thi Smith family,or the Bell's hoo had thi Ranch,owa aside thi Lonnen? ..when thi pulled thi pit hooses doon,in thi late 1940's,a lot o' Netherton fowks moovd doon ti Hollymoont Squaor aside my Fowks,so a knew a lot of thim,a med new mates,canny fowks they were,a ended up menny yeors lator,worrkin doon thi pit alang wi sum o' thim as Marra's.[Jimmy Burke and Stan Taylor cum ti mind stryght awa...]

Them wa thi days wen wi had clarty back streets,like at Choppintin,wi play'd aside thi Barnt'n Born,whoer it was aal slecky.

Ootside Netties,nae posh lavvy papor in them days,an' yi had callises on ya hint-end...!!..wi'll keep thi entortaunmint leet eh?!!

A hevn't been redd aroond lang, and aav just gett'n the tcheble cleored n thi dishis aal weshed...[nen brokken thi neet! ....buggad-up hands are nae gud for weshin' dishes wi!!]

It's great ti see ye on the forum Jo Jo,hope wi heor a lot mair frae yi.. an a just waant fowks ti knaa a hevn't desartid wa great site heor,its' just that aav hooked up wi a few lang-lost Marra's from thi '60s ...an' otha kind fowks,it's hard ti split me time up,an' a get carried awa once a start.....![....eh?...they say...nivvor in thi world....wi nivvor knew...!!]

Aal thi best ti aal me Marra's on heor!!

 

 

Neh botha owa here how. Canny ti read it all through wi neh botha at all. Divvint let the crack diy oot neh matter how many puzzled fyeces luck on.

[Jojo]

3 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

Bobby Pattinson,famous Geordie Comedian...." Big Geordie  waaks inti thi Lifeboat Stayshun at Tynemooth...he says ...Hae yi got eny jobs Mista..?...Fella says ti him ....Hoo taal are yi?...Geordie says ..Aam six foot twelve ....Fella says ...Can ye swim?..he says ner,but a can plodge a lang way oot"!!

Priceless!!

His DVD Performance is worth every penny ti a Geordie Twang lover!!

Aye, I remember him going on about spiders in the netty. 

[Jojo]

4 hours ago, HIGH PIT WILMA said:

..an aftathowt...me Son went ti live an' wark in London 30 yeors ago,so he had ti larn ti taak glaaky doon theor ,so thi buggaas wud unnerstand 'im.

Noo ,as yeors went by,he had an Album ti record an' Engineer,owa in Denmark,by a Band caaled "EFTACLANG"..they were a top Band at thi time,like the Beatles war heor,mevvis not exactly thi syem,but enywheh,he was suprised by thi amoont of words n' phrases they hae owa theor,wat are like wors.."Gaan Yem"...etc...[suppose them buggaas browt thi twang owa heor in thi forst place eh?!!]...a knew Kirk was aad ,but a didn't think ee wuz that aad...!!Heh heh!

Thi forst time he foened back yem,efta he had been in Londin for a while,he was taakin' aal bay windae,[a bit like wor Big Jack...R,I,P, Jack.]...but mekkin' a hint-end o' hesel' ivry utha worrd!!...[like them buggaas ye see on thi telly in thi Soaps,wat wor lass waatchis...thi sing wen tha taakin']..if us buggaas taaked like that doon thi big black hole,we'd be crucified by thi wit of the ones who were a wee bit "Intoxicated by the Exuberance of their own Verbosity...!"...[so ti speek!]..heh heh!!

That's worth a toot of the Netherton tankie. Top posting.

[Canny lass]

17 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

 I used to work around the area and found I could easily recognize where people were from especially Blyth (port) Bedlington (pits) Morpeth (farming) Ashington ( pits) and later to all the country regions, localized dialects probably developed because most people didn't travel far from home or work.

That's certainly true, Vic. People only knew the sounds that they heard on daily basis, among the people they rubbed shoulders with, so there was no need for any adaptation in order to be understood. It's the ability to move about the country and the world that waters down our lovely dialects (and the dialects of all other western countries). 

I agree with you that there are differences even locally, particularly in the vocabulary of the areas - some more pronounced than others. I managed Blyth and Ashington no bother but had difficulties with Morpeth. I remember a Morpeth friend saying to me at a staff party, as she nodded in the direction of the bar: "Deek i thi mort carey wi the bary colga". I thought she was asking if she should get a round in so I just nodded in agreement but when she made no effort to move I realised that I must have been mistaken. I think the only bit I'd ever heard before was 'bar'. Turned out she was pointing out a young lad with a bonny jacket (who became her husband a few years later)