melodysparks (
melodysparks) wrote2012-09-21 03:01 pm
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Nottinghamese revisited
Nottinghamese
The accent and dialect of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is pretty unusual and some believe unique. There are words and expressions which are specific to the Nottinghamshire dialect but the accent itself will change as you move around the city and the county.
From the flat vowels are heard around some of the closest inner city urban areas if you move north-east you can hear an influence of rural Lincolnshire. Go north and a Yorkshire twang becomes evident or if you head west to and Derbyshire begins to affect the accent.
If you visit Bulwell phonetically pronounced as Bullwell but locally pronounced Boolwool you would hear people speaking with a distinctively different accent to the people from Hucknall pronounced locally as ‘ucknal’ and the two former mining towns are only 4 miles apart.
During mediaeval times and through to the industrial Revolution, Nottingham was a huge textile trading centre in the UK. You could find many merchants from European countries settling in Nottingham bringing with them their own language that eventually was absorbed into the local dialect, for example:
Gizza glegg – meaning May I see that. From the Danish 'glegg' – to look also 'Gizza a gozz' – from the Dutch 'goss' – to look.
'Jitteh' – meaning an alleyway or cut-through between houses. From the colloquial French 'jetez' – a small step or short cut.
'Rammel' – Anglo-Saxon – meaning waste from a building site, i.e brick ends, timber off-cuts etc. Now used to mean rubbish generally but also as a slang epithet.
Language expert John Beeton says “Too many people dismiss Nottinghamese as slang or as a lazy or slovenly way of speaking. I regard it more of a form of vocal shorthand.
It has pace, attack and above all humour. It doesn't beat around the bush, it gets straight to the point; if you are ever subjected to a volley of Nottinghamese, you know where you stand, there are no gray areas.
Nottinghamese, spawned in the furnaces of the industrial revolution is part of our heritage and should be treasured.”
Over the years however the influence of the media primarily the BBC and general population migration has subtly changed the accent whereby in some areas the old dialects are dying out. My personal experiences has shown that. I was born and raised within a mile of the city centre of Nottingham in one of the old communities where the Nottingham accent was evident yet I have been accused of NOT coming from Nottingham because I don’t sound like I do and that I sound too posh. In another instance when I was visiting London once I was asked whereabouts I came from as my accent could not be placed. I always try to enunciate my words clearly as with work I speak to people all over the country and I like to make myself understood however if you put me in a room filled with family and friends my accent is evident.
Below are some Nottinghamese words and their translations
Ar. – This is pronounced like ahh and means yes I will usually say “Oh ar?” meaning “Oh yes” in the form of a question
Nee-ow. – This is pronounced like it reads meaning no
Ay Up Mi Duck or Ayupmidduck- A general all round greeting meaning hey there my friend.
Owya gooin on then serri? – Translated as How are you doing today
Korsi.- Pronounced corsi meaning pavement or sidewalk
Entreh. – Pronounced entri meaning back alleyway to private property
Twitchell/Jitteh. – Pronounced twitch elle / Jit teh meaning meaning an alleyway or cut-through between houses on public land
Oat. – pronounced as read but means “anything”
Noat. – Pronounced as read but meaning “Nothing”
Jiggadahn. – pronounced Jig ga darn meaning Did you go down to the match (local soccer match)
Mekkit goo bakkuds. – Pronounced mek it goo back cuds meaning make it go backwards
Itwerr Krapp. – Pronounce It twere crap – meaning clear there It was crap
Therrint Nonineer. – This is one of the ones I use a lot. Pronounce as there rint non nin ere meaning there isn’t any in here
Chuffin Ell! - I’ve already said this in one of my posts pronounced as read meaning oh my goodness or bloody hell or OMG
Ya mardi boggar. – Pronounced as read meaning you miserable so and so
It meks ya tabbs laff. Tabbs is Nottinghese for ears and laff is laugh in other word makes your ears laugh. Pronounced as read meaning makes your taste buds tingle.
Shin tin. – Pronounced as read meaning she isn’t in
Yo jammi boggar. – Pronounced as read meaning you lucky so and so
Assedd eekudd. – Pronounce ass sed he cud meaning I said that he could or I gave permission
So should you see a strange word or comment within my posts you will know that my natural dialect is coming through so if you do not understand just ask.
For those who would like a real taste of the Nottinghamese dialect read D H Lawrence's Sons & Lovers which is set in Eastwood his hometown very near where I come from or you can also find a link on this BBC page where you can hear the Nottingham accent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2005/01/04/features_about_nottinghamshire_nottinghamese_by_john_beeton_feature.shtml
The accent and dialect of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire is pretty unusual and some believe unique. There are words and expressions which are specific to the Nottinghamshire dialect but the accent itself will change as you move around the city and the county.
From the flat vowels are heard around some of the closest inner city urban areas if you move north-east you can hear an influence of rural Lincolnshire. Go north and a Yorkshire twang becomes evident or if you head west to and Derbyshire begins to affect the accent.
If you visit Bulwell phonetically pronounced as Bullwell but locally pronounced Boolwool you would hear people speaking with a distinctively different accent to the people from Hucknall pronounced locally as ‘ucknal’ and the two former mining towns are only 4 miles apart.
During mediaeval times and through to the industrial Revolution, Nottingham was a huge textile trading centre in the UK. You could find many merchants from European countries settling in Nottingham bringing with them their own language that eventually was absorbed into the local dialect, for example:
Gizza glegg – meaning May I see that. From the Danish 'glegg' – to look also 'Gizza a gozz' – from the Dutch 'goss' – to look.
'Jitteh' – meaning an alleyway or cut-through between houses. From the colloquial French 'jetez' – a small step or short cut.
'Rammel' – Anglo-Saxon – meaning waste from a building site, i.e brick ends, timber off-cuts etc. Now used to mean rubbish generally but also as a slang epithet.
Language expert John Beeton says “Too many people dismiss Nottinghamese as slang or as a lazy or slovenly way of speaking. I regard it more of a form of vocal shorthand.
It has pace, attack and above all humour. It doesn't beat around the bush, it gets straight to the point; if you are ever subjected to a volley of Nottinghamese, you know where you stand, there are no gray areas.
Nottinghamese, spawned in the furnaces of the industrial revolution is part of our heritage and should be treasured.”
Over the years however the influence of the media primarily the BBC and general population migration has subtly changed the accent whereby in some areas the old dialects are dying out. My personal experiences has shown that. I was born and raised within a mile of the city centre of Nottingham in one of the old communities where the Nottingham accent was evident yet I have been accused of NOT coming from Nottingham because I don’t sound like I do and that I sound too posh. In another instance when I was visiting London once I was asked whereabouts I came from as my accent could not be placed. I always try to enunciate my words clearly as with work I speak to people all over the country and I like to make myself understood however if you put me in a room filled with family and friends my accent is evident.
Below are some Nottinghamese words and their translations
Ar. – This is pronounced like ahh and means yes I will usually say “Oh ar?” meaning “Oh yes” in the form of a question
Nee-ow. – This is pronounced like it reads meaning no
Ay Up Mi Duck or Ayupmidduck- A general all round greeting meaning hey there my friend.
Owya gooin on then serri? – Translated as How are you doing today
Korsi.- Pronounced corsi meaning pavement or sidewalk
Entreh. – Pronounced entri meaning back alleyway to private property
Twitchell/Jitteh. – Pronounced twitch elle / Jit teh meaning meaning an alleyway or cut-through between houses on public land
Oat. – pronounced as read but means “anything”
Noat. – Pronounced as read but meaning “Nothing”
Jiggadahn. – pronounced Jig ga darn meaning Did you go down to the match (local soccer match)
Mekkit goo bakkuds. – Pronounced mek it goo back cuds meaning make it go backwards
Itwerr Krapp. – Pronounce It twere crap – meaning clear there It was crap
Therrint Nonineer. – This is one of the ones I use a lot. Pronounce as there rint non nin ere meaning there isn’t any in here
Chuffin Ell! - I’ve already said this in one of my posts pronounced as read meaning oh my goodness or bloody hell or OMG
Ya mardi boggar. – Pronounced as read meaning you miserable so and so
It meks ya tabbs laff. Tabbs is Nottinghese for ears and laff is laugh in other word makes your ears laugh. Pronounced as read meaning makes your taste buds tingle.
Shin tin. – Pronounced as read meaning she isn’t in
Yo jammi boggar. – Pronounced as read meaning you lucky so and so
Assedd eekudd. – Pronounce ass sed he cud meaning I said that he could or I gave permission
So should you see a strange word or comment within my posts you will know that my natural dialect is coming through so if you do not understand just ask.
For those who would like a real taste of the Nottinghamese dialect read D H Lawrence's Sons & Lovers which is set in Eastwood his hometown very near where I come from or you can also find a link on this BBC page where you can hear the Nottingham accent
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2005/01/04/features_about_nottinghamshire_nottinghamese_by_john_beeton_feature.shtml