"Buildings
crumble with the centuries, words survive"
Yorkshire became part of the Danelaw when Danes overan the eastern part of England. They appear to have occupied the less fertile land which was already occupied by settled Anglian villages. However the Danes took on the social position of the elite until intermarriage broke down the barriers, the Danish readily accepted christianity and retained positions as 'Sokemen".
It has been recorded
that Danish people visiting Flamborough Head could be understood by locals
because of the similarity of dialects & Visitors from the Dales have
been half understood by Scandinavian people.
| Yorkshire dialect phrase | "Interpretation" Danish |
| Is ter bahn w'hom? | Are you bound home |
| Lig thi dahn, lad | lie down lad Ligge = lie |
| I think this bagend will be cold (back end being last part of the year) |
Baggende= hind part Forrende= front part |
| ter brek it tu | to break into two At brekke i tu |
| at his band end at his far end |
run out of patience |
| think me on about that | asking to be reminded of something |
| getten across | quarrelled |
| at home with that | familiar with something |
| they can't do owt wi' 'im | beyond guidance |
| owt | anything |
| nowt e.g there's nivver nowt but there's summat |
nothing as soon as one problem is finished there is another. |
| allus | always |
| nobbut | only |
| nivver | never |
| onneygait | anyhow |
| termorn | tomorrow |
| he did an all | he did indeed |
| ger away | getaway, disbelief |
| sitha | see there, look. |
| I'm stalled | fedup |
| tak up | weather going to brighten or "get up" |
| he drove like all that | fast |
| chunter | complaining |
| clag | to stick, heavy bread could be claggy to eat. |
| faff | to trifle with something |
| flay | to scare "E were fair flaid" |
| fratch | quarrel |
| marlacking | larking around at a loose end when bored |
| sleck | slake, put out a fire |
| not tek on so | fret about something |
| side the pots away | remove the tea things |
| I'll warm thee | to scold |
| I'll warm thee jacket | to scold or spank |
| sneck | door latch |
| ginnel or snicket | narrow passage |
| a wick one | lively person |
| brussen | swelling due to over eating |
| he might as well lap up | to stop doing it |
| he is fair tewed | troubled and over tired. |
| he doesn't frame | does not do things correctly |
| kist | chest |
| fotty | forty |
| mud e.g. tha mud as well go | might |
| ta'en | taken |
| fowt | fought |
| feyght | fight |
| threng or throng | busy |
| slack | not enough employment |
| moidering | something worrying |
| near | a stingy person |
| onny a bit like | barely tolerable |
| peff* | cough |
| scratting | fussing over domestic details Kratte=to scratch |
| segs | hard skin on the hands and feet |
| skep (skip* beyond Skipton) | basket |
| starkle e.g. don't drink cold water after chips it will starkle
the fat. starken (E. Yorks.) |
to stiffen |
| threap | beat someone down by stubborn arguement |
| wisht* | be quiet |
| twilt on the lug* | smack on the ear |
| brass | money |
| muckment | rubbish |
| pobbies | bread in milk |
| tallacky | messy |
| thoil e.g. he can't thoil to lend a penny | begrudge |
| yonderly | vague |
| bethowt | remembered |
| bensilled | thrashed |
| sackless | lazy |
| addle | earn |
| backen | to retard |
| bass | matting |
| cawfead | silly person |
| fast e.g. fast for bricks | held up for supplies |
| brazzend | no sense of shame |
| brat | pinafore |
| cap e.g. it will cap everything | surprise |
| reesty | rancid |
| rife | ready for |
| hands turn e.g. he never gives a hands turn | help |
| hig | take offence |
| hasky | rough |
| sadly e.g. I'm afraid he's sadly these days | not so well |
| want | do these letters want posting |
The Dialect Society has been busy collecting the variances of dialect throughout the U.K.
*Yorkshire-Lancashire border rather than Dales dialect.
Modified with additions from Tom Hey, The Dalesman December 1976 p 711
Yorkshire Dialect
Prayer
Taken from
Arnold Kelletts Book retold by Gillian Nixon via Yorksgen mailing list.
EE By GUM LORD
Ahr Fatther, 'oo art in 'Eaven,
Let thy name bi shown respect,
Let thy Kingdom come abaht
An' what tha wants doin', Lord
let it bi done
'Ere on earth
Same as up yonder;
Gi'e us each day
Summat to eyt an' sup;
An' let us off, Lord,
If we've offended Thee bi doin'
owt wrong
An' 'elp us nut to 'od grudges
Agen other fowk
If thev'e done owt to offend
us
An' keep us aht o' t' rooad o'
temptation,
An' aht o' t' clutches of Owd
Nick,
Fer it's all thine is t' Kingdom,
Lord,
An' all t' Pahr an' all t' Glooary
Fer ivver an' ivver
Aye It is that!
Tales
and Ballads in the Yorkshire Dialect