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We have now been given Nelson Dunn’s “Collection of Words and Sayings” and we have posted it here in sections:
Words beginning with A, B, C, D and E follow the introduction.
Hit the links below for:
Introduction:
The Scots and Welsh have been successful in keeping alive their languages. It is now taught in schools and in many areas it is actually, the population’s first language. The people of Cornwall are now promoting their ancient language and good luck to them. With the standardisation of language at schools and places of further education and the influence of TV and other forms of media outlets, there has been a dilution of many local dialects, a reduction in the use of certain words and expressions. For some of us, this is quite sad – one of the unique facets of our local identity may well be lost in time.
Britain has a rich diversity of dialects. The accents of the North East are clearly discernible from those of southern England, the Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire. Once you get over the River Tees, you are in the land of, “Haway Man”! We in south west County Durham are not Geordies, as is often mistaken and we speak totally differently. There are many accents of the North Eastern counties of Durham and Northumberland and ours is but one. Our accent is influenced by the county to our immediate south, Yorkshire, quite simply because we live near there and there are many cultural links through work, education and so on. Many people moved into the area during the 19th century to seek work in the pits, moving from the lead mining areas of Teesdale and the North Yorkshire Dales. Therefore, our local dialect has evolved taking influences from the south. Our accent is much different from someone living on Tyneside. There seems to be a dividing line. Those north of Tow Law and Durham City tend to have a more “Geordie” accent and those living to the south less so.
Some words come from a coal mining background, usually called, “Pitmatic”. Bill Griffiths has studied this and published, “Pitmatic: The Talk of the North East Coalfield” 2007. Kathleen Teward published work on upper Teesdale, “Teisdal’ en how twas spok’n” 2003. Words and expressions from both areas will have found their way into our dialect but many are disappearing.
Barbara Laurie, in her booklet, “A Lifetime in Schools 1910-1966” said of her father, Bill Johnson, when he was Headmaster of Evenwood School:
“They wanted him to introduce French but he objected on the grounds that, “they all spoke two languages already”.
In that, he meant that the pupils were taught English, as a subject in school and could attempt to speak it when required but their first language, was what they spoke at home, in the schoolyard and then, later, at work. This language was what their parents, friends and relations spoke, their local dialect.
Such was the strong use of dialect that some teachers at Staindrop Secondary Modern School attempted to re-educate the pupils. The letters R D T would be written, large, on the white board – things had progressed from the blackboards of our day! The teacher would then announce that “R D T: I do too.” You have to say, “I do too!” Whether this had any influence on how they spoke in future, who knows?
I used to love going into the Travellers and listening to Peggy and Alf Fuller and the old fellers having a bit crack. Anyone from south of the River Tees or maybe Darlington, wouldn’t have a clue what was going on. Nelson Dunn, from Newholme Crescent studied the local dialect. He collected words and expressions and made a recording of his work on a “tape”, entitled, “Dinna Tark Si Fond”. This means, “Don’t talk so stupidly”. The proceeds of the sale were shared between Evenwood and Ramshaw primary schools. It is our intention to post this recording on this website, once we have the “knowhow” to do it. Can anybody help with this?
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Our good friend Alan “Swifty” Place has found his late father-in-law, Nelson Dunn’s book of notes on local words and sayings. They will be posted here in instalments over the coming days and weeks. Nelson’s introduction to his book follows:
June 29th 1987
“This is a collection of words and sayings which are rapidly dying out.
It is not intended to be a work of reference rather a source of pleasure to my daughter and family and perhaps preserve these words for another generation, most of which are peculiar to this area and some to this village.
I have found the phonetic spelling difficult but I hope it can be understood.
Because of the odd times when I hear or remember a word it may not be possible to maintain an alphabetic order.
N. Dunn
35 Newholme Crescent
Evenwood
Co. Durham
DL14 9RY”
Here’s some photographs of pages from Nelson’s “Dictionary of Words and Sayings.”
WORDS BEGINNING WITH A, B, C, D and E ARE BELOW:
AH WADDENT GIV IM’T LICKINS OF A DOG – I wouldn’t say a good word about him. I wouldn’t do him a good turn.
A WUVVER – However
AZ BACBROCCEN – My back’s breaking
APPREN – Apron
ARPNEE – Half penny
A SHEWER – I’m certain
ARDINNAR – I don’t know
ABYUN – Above
ARNAR NOWT – I know nothing
AH KANNA GET TINT FONT – I can’t get to it because it’s in the way
AKIN TID COAL – (Peculiar to pit villages) Well in with the management
ARBAR – Useless idiot
AMAIN – Out of control
AEF A STEYAN – Half a stone (in weight)
ARL CLASH THI WICK OUT – I’ll knock hell out of you
AXE THEM – Ask them
AZ KEDGED – I can’t eat any more
AR KORDEN LIE – Accordingly – (with the emphasis on the last syllable)
ANGKUTCHER – Handkerchief
ARD FASHEND EST HILLS – Old fashioned as the hills
AR KANNA GAN YAM – I can’t go home
AR EH NEE BYUTS – I haven’t any boots
AZ NUT – I’m not
AR WINNET – I won’t
AR KANNA MAK A PRINT – I can’t make any impression
ALLYDERS – Holidays
AZ GANNEE TAK OFF – I’m going to run away
AR KANNA TAK NEE MAIR – I can’t take anymore
ACWERD – Awkward
AR SEED IM – I saw him
BRAZZENT FOND – Very cheeky (from BRAZEN; FOND having several meanings)
BOILY – Hot milk with bread in it, a staple food for the poor.
BLARED, BLAREN – Cried, crying.
BRAYED – Beaten, as with fists.
BE-ETH – Both.
BEEN BROCKEN IN TEE – Benn broken into – Burgled.
BARL ALEE – Ball alley, where the game of fives or hand ball was played.
BONNY EN SARE – Very upset.
BIT VINE – Pencil.
BEYUK – Book
BEYUT – Boot.
BIT LASS – Little girl.
BUNCHEN – Kicking.
BRICCNECC – Break neck.
BANKEED – Pit workings above ground.
BLINNED – Blind, as in blind as a bat.
BATE – The food taken to work.
BACK END – Late Autumn, early winter.
BIT ER GUD KRACK – Good to talk to.
BEB – The man who picked up the pennies at the pitch and toss school. A job much sought after and usually went to the first man to arrive at the chosen place. He provided the pennies (late Queen Victoria’s) cleaned the ground, judged the “stickers” (coins that stuck in the ground) and he laid them the way he thought they would have fallen. A lot of money could depend on his decision – often disputed but always paid to. He was tipped by the winners.
BEYECKING BREED – Baking bread.
CHYUM UN – Empty, used mostly to indicate an empty tub in the pits.
CLEARTS or CLAIRTS – Mud.
CLARES PROP – Clothes prop for a washing line.
CLARES PEG – Clothes peg
CYEBBLING DAY – The day when miners were allotted their next cable, i.e. the place where they would work for the next six months. Some cables were much easier than others, more money could be made and cables were drawn from a hat. It was said a good cable was assured if the cat was put in the oven.
CANNA DEE NOWT – Can’t do anything.
CANNY LYEM – A slight injury, not painful but enough to keep you off work.
CHOLLERS – Cheeks.
CHOOD TI DEETH – Upset – too much to do.
CLAIRTEE – Muddy
CHISTEE – Chesty.
CRAMLEE – Unsteary.
CAN THE MIND – Do you remember.
COWLED OWER – When the shoe heels are so worn you look lopsided.
CAN THE TWIG IM? – Can you see him.
CUDDY – Donkey.
CUDDYWIFTER – Left handed.
CHIMMLER – Chimney.
CIMERTARRY – Cemetery.
CAFFYHARTED – Easily discouraged, faint hearted.
DYUN OOT ONT – Done out of it, robbed.
DYUN AWAY WINT – Done away with it.
DINNA TARK SI FOND – Don’t talk so silly.
DYUN AWAY WIN IZ SELL – Committed suicide.
DIZ THE NAR – Do you know.
DIZ THE KEN EM – Do you know him.
DRUNDED IZ SELL – Drowned himself.
DINNER LET ON – Don’t tell anybody.
DIZ THE NAR WARE THEZ GANN? – Do you know where you’re going.
EETTLEN – Figuring out, scheming.
ETTENT LOT – Eaten everything.
EE EZZ – He has.
EE EZZENT – He hasn’t.
EZ EE – Has he?
EESTHER – Look.
EZZENT MENSE – Hasn’t got the decency.
EZ THE GOTT YAN – Have you got one.
EZ THE BEENT SCHYUL – Have you been to school?
EZ THE SEEN OWT ON EM – Have you seen him anywhere?
EE WANTS IZ ARSE BUNCHEN – Needs a kick up the backside.
EZ THE – Have you.
ELL NIVVA MAK NOWT – He’ll never amount to anything.
EZ THE NYEN – Have you got any?
EE WANTS BRAYEN OWERD EED – He should have his head hit.
EE WAZ ASSEN WHERE THEV GETTEN HED – He was asking where they were hiding.
ERZACKLY – Exactly.
EZ EE GON YAM – Has he gone home?
EE EZ A BAD TAK ONT – He has a hard time.
EE EZ A BETEEL – His heel is covered with hard skin which may be infected.
EE EZ SUM WULL ON – He needs a haircut.
EEL JIB AT PAYEN ABYUN A SCORE – He’ll complain about paying more than twenty.
EVENWOOD RAMSHAW & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY 