scouse (noun) - a stew made from potatoes, carrots, onions, and meat
I have always known this meal as "hotpot" or "tater 'ash" (potato hash). The original dish comes from Norway, as does the name (lapskaus), which not only describes the food, but also came to describe the Liverpool dialect and Liverpudlians themselves.
An interesting variation of this is "blind scouse", which is the same stew but made without meat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouse_(food)
neiwty(?) (adjective) - bad tempered, angry
The question mark in parentheses denotes an unsure spelling because I simply am not sure how to spell this word! I have heard it all my life, but never had to write it down, (which may be the sign of a true dialect word).
I do not know the etymology of the word, and really I am asking for help. Does anyone know anything about the origins of this word?
Here is an example of its use in the hope that it helps:
Example:
"John's in a foul mood today."
"Nothin' special there. He's always been a neiwty(?) bugger:"
nesh (adjective) - to be sensitive to the cold
To me, this word only means what it is defined as, sensitive to the cold. What does it mean to you?
Example:
"Why are you wrapped up so much? Are you that nesh?"
However, it seems there are other definitions around. Wikipedia has some interesting information on this rather peculiar word:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nesh
mard (noun/adjective) - a cry baby, easily upset
This is often used of children when they cry over something very slight, such as a small scratch or bump. It can also be used to describe someone who is often and easily upset (and is often combined with arse).
Example:
1. "Don't be mard, it's only a scratch."
2. "That Sarah's a right mard arse, always skriking about something."
The OED has a slightly different definition in its online version:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/mardy
to chunner (on) (verb) - to complain about something
This is defined in various places as to complain or grumble, but I think it needs a little more specific definition. To me chunnering is indeed complaining but it is more specifically ongoing complaining that is often to oneself. A kind of non-directional complaining.
I could not find any good sources for chunner, but did find one for chunter, which seems that it could easily be related:
http://english.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/chunter
rum (adjective) - mischievous, risqué
This is a tricky one. It is a perfect example of a word that you know exactly what it means, but is surprisingly difficult to define.
It has two separate but related meanings:
- a person who is mischievous and full of life, but in no way malicious
- a person or event with sexual connotations in a flirtatious and adventurous manner
1. "Gary's always up to something, he's a rum bugger."
2. "That bedroom scene was a bit rum!"
The following OED (Oxford English Dictionary) definition reflects the most common definitions of "rum". I was unable to find a common definition that matches exactly the sense in which it is used in the dialect.
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rum--2?rskey=XISGzo&result=3
rammy (adjective) - very dirty, filthy, disgusting
I have heard this used of places, usually in the house, that are very untidy or dirty.
Example: "Clean your bedroom, it's bloody rammy!"
http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/157846?rskey=TdeVrO&result=2&isAdvanced=false#eid
barm cake (noun) - a large, soft floury bread bun.
The soft texture is achieved by adding a leavening agent that causes a foaming action in the dough which results in a lighter consistency.
Some on-line research reveals that barm cakes originate from Lancashire, and therefore the word is part of the Lancashire dialect. Warrington was part of Lancashire until 1974 and despite the change of county, the word persists.
to skrike (verb) - is defined by various on-line dictionaries as to shriek or to cry out.
Personally, to me it means to cry loudly and for quite a long time, and therefore refers more to children who can't (or don't want) to stop.
Example: "What's Billy skrikin' about?"
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/skrike
A word very familiar to members of the older generation I would imagine. I don't tend to hear it much nowadays which I suppose makes this one of those words you are looking for. I remember that it seemed to be used when a parent was running out of patience with the offender and therefore it seemed to contain a hint of agression.
ReplyDeleteAfter making my first comment on this blog, I am beginning to realise that one of the difficulties we face is trying to recognise would could be a Warrington dialect word or phrase. As Robert points out the word Barm cake belongs to Lancashire, but how many of us would know that it is a dialect word peculiar to this area. I suppose it is only when we use these types of word outside our own locality, and someone says they don't understand, we realise that we are talking dialect.
ReplyDeleteAnother problem I would have is seperating a Nick name from a dialect word, or does a Nick name become a dialect word after becoming established in the locality? Hopefully as this blogsite grows some of these problems will be resolved and we will all be a little wiser about the everyday language we use.
Yes I think chunnering was an ongoing muttering to yourself(even if nobody else could hear it properly or were even listening!)My brother was a chunnerer.
ReplyDelete@Gaynor
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Chunnering is not dependent on someone listening or even caring :-)
I have a question, Gaynor. In an earlier comment, you referred to your mother as "Mam". I am interested to know at what point "Mam" became "Mum". For example, my Dad (born 1937) always referred to his mother as "Mam", whereas I (born 1974) have always referred to my mother as "Mum". I think there is a definite age-group distinction here. Do you have similar experiences?
Yes. I was born in 1951,my older relatives say Mam. My niece born in 1960 has never called her Mum Mam. Whats interesting is I find myself saying Mum when I am talking to her about our respective Mothers. Im not the only one who does this,other older people do it when refering to a younger member of the family,s Mother. A bit complicated to explain!
ReplyDeleteHi Gaynor.
ReplyDeleteI understand exactly what you are trying to say, and it is fascinating, but also quite a common phenomenon. In linguistics it is called "register" and it is simply that people unconsciously alter their manner of speaking to suit the audience. For example, you would speak in one way to your husband, and in another to your children, and yet another to the Queen. You don't consciously decide to speak differently, rather you just know what is the appropriate way to speak and you do so accordingly. It's kind of like "telephone manner", but without the telephone :-)
What I am interested in is the point at which "Mam" started to go out of use, and "Mum" started to come into use. My older brother and sister (born 1961 and 1964 respectively) say "Mum", which would coincide with your niece who is roughly the same age. From our very small sample, it appears that "Mam" was still being used in the 50s, but must have been on the way out as "Mum" was already being used in the early 60s. Of course, both "Mam" and "Mum" were being used at the same time (as they still are today), it is not the case that one day everyone stopped using one and started using the other, rather that there was a slow drift from one to the another. This is usually the case with language change, but it is normally very difficult to pinpoint the time-frame when this kind of shift occurs. There are other examples of this kind of shift in the Warrington dialect, and I will post some stuff about them later.
I've always used "nesh" to mean that someone is feeling cold when others around them aren't feeling the cold, ie you're saying that they're a bit soft; but more recently I've heared it used to describe chilly weather,eg " it's a bit nesh tonight".
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Tim. Interesting to hear that nesh is now being used to describe abstract concepts like the weather.
ReplyDeleteCould it have a connection with naughty? Naught/Neiwt.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same. Naught and Neiwt seem to be almost certainly related. Naught meaning the decimal "0" and equally "nothing". Naught seems to have developed from the much older Old English word "nawiht" or "nōwiht", which in turn is a contraction of "ne-ō-wiht", which means "not a thing. It is easy to see the connection between "neiwt" and "nawiht". This often happens in dialects; a word becomes popular for an arbitrary reason and then sticks despite concurrent developments in the standard language. It seems "nawiht" and its various pronunciations has been around since the Old English period (400 - 1100AD). So it's possible that this dialect word (and indeed many others) that we use on a daily basis are 1500 - 1000 years old :-)
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if it carried on being used.
ReplyDeleteGood news about your Dad.
ReplyDeleteA recipe for Tater ash has been passed down for generations in our family.When my sister gave some to her son in law he commented that it was just like scouse(hes a scouser). Its interesting (or maybe not!) that to us a Hot Pot was a similar stew but always cooked in the oven and finished with a layer of sliced spuds. A posh Tater Ash.
Have just logged on again after a considerable absence, mainly prompted by Gaynor's letter to the Guardian. Lots of interesting comments and English language lessons to catch up with.
ReplyDeleteHowever, reading one of my earlier comments reminded me of the question "nickname or dialect", which doesn't yet seem to have been resolved. So are the following the former or the latter?
Stinker The name kids always used for the Sankey Brook
Yankee Camp US Air Force base Burtonwood
Pivi The Pavilion Cinema, Sankey Green
This is a very small selection from words that were in common use by kids at least 60 years ago, and raises the question, can children create their own form of dialect in a specific local area.
Yorick
Hiya Anon.
DeleteIts ages since Ive heard Stinker. We used to call it the Stinking Brook. We saw (and smelled it!)running behind what is now Beamont High Sch.
Another nickname,although that was what we knew them as really,was the Bricker,now The Brickfield Park on Orford Lane. I remember adults useing these names as well. As children we used to sing game Rhymes which I suppose were passed down from generations.They were probably common all over Lancashire,but I bet they sounded different say in Wigan than they did in Woolyback. heres one:
Sam Sam the dirty man,
Washed 'is face in a fryin pan,
Combed 'is 'air with a Donkeys tail,
Scratched 'is belly with 'is big toe nail.
I am a Warringtonian and linguist born in 1972. I have often ruminated over Warrington's dialect and have to say I think you've exhausted the pool of words already. I recognise all of these words as being specific to Warrington (for example, 'newty' rather than the more common 'nowty') but can't think of any more.
ReplyDeleteThough I'm happy to be corrected and hope people can continue to add to the collection!
Hiya Anon. There are a lot of old fashioned words shown(old fashioned but still used in a lot of cases)but surely there must be some recent Wollyback words and sayings in use.It would be interesting to see some of them that are used by younger people.Rammy is a good one Ive never heard of that before.
DeleteHiya Wirelector. I know its a long time since Barm Cake was word of the week but this story might show that it is a real Lancashire word. We were visiting Yorkshire recently.I called in a sandwhich shop and ordered two large ham rolls as advertyised on their board,expecting two baguette style soft rolls. I got two barm cakes as big as my face!
ReplyDeleteMore Barm,
DeleteIn Warrington a barm cake is a round flat bread roll, not a bun which has currants in and is sticky on top.
Barm
Yeasty liquid residue left over from brewing and was used in wire drawing (copper coated wire)
Barmpot
Some one who is regarded as not being a full shilling, a daft person.
Barmy
As above
Chipbarm
Tasty!
I went to one of those mobile things where you have steamy tea and bacon butties. After asking for a bacon buttie, the girl asked me "Do you want it on a barm or bread"???
As Barm is a Lancashire word (as previously stated) and Warrington is still Lancy north of the river,let all those would-be Cheshire folk get to Stockton Heath, talk posh and ask for bread rolls & baguettes,but we'r avin ar barm caakes mucker