Gud morning agaan fra West Cummerland, Today am gaan to tell yers a laal bit aboot -
Afoor - (C) before; in front of; in preference to.
Afwore - (E, N, SW) before; in front of; in preference to.
Afore - (N) before; in front of; in preference to.
a laal example - "it'll rain afoor neet"
and we also have Affoorhan - (C) beforehand.
Up'til present, I've nut telt yer much aboot how our dialect changes from region to region. Many of the wuds and phrases in m'dictionaries have a laal letter after the entry to tell yer which area of the county it is spoken.
Dialect has no real geographical boundaries. So t'help yer understand mearr aboot this I've copied and peasst'd the readers notes fra m'big dictionary below.
ANYONE who has studied Cumberland dialect will be aware that many words often vary considerably in their pronunciation, spelling and even meaning as we move from district to district across the county. Mr Dickinson reflected these geographic variations by adding a key letter to an entry where it had particular regional significance.
Basically he believed that the county could be divided virtually horizontally into three distinct zones. The italic letter C following a word or phrase refers to the central area, essentially that part of the county lying between Aspatria in the north and Egremont in the south. Above this zone is the northern area, denoted by the letter N. Likewise the region to the south is referred to by the letter S.
Sometimes further variations occur across one of these three main areas and are indicated by using key letters such as SW and NE, which obviously refer to the South West or North East and so on. As the Borrowdale area has many of its own unique words or phrases, the letter B is used to highlight these entries. Where no italic letter follows an entry, that particular word or phrase is (or once was) in general widespread use across the county. The letter G is also used to indicate a general entry where appropriate.
Dialect however, has really no clearly definded boundaries and will often shade into and blend with its immediate neighbours. This occurs not only regionally, but also further afield. To the south of Cumberland, the words and the mode of pronunciation and expression gradually merges into those of the old counties of Lancashire and Westmorland. To the north into the Scottish regions of Dumfries and Liddlesdale and to the North East into the distinctive Northumbrian dialect .
Blog to yer agaan tommorrow - WD
Meg-wi'-many-feet (aka Creeping Crowfoot)
M'big dictionary has many dialect words for plants, animals and birds. Some still in use but many lang forgotten. Thought I'd tell yers today aboot a plant call't in Cumbrian dialect -
Meg-wi'-many-feet - the creeping crowfoot plant, Ranunculus repens
It looks like this and was also referred to in south west of the old county of Cumberland as Meg-wi'-many-teazz. The reason why I's tellin yer aboot it is it's says in m'botanical dictionary (or m'laal garden booak) that its a herb. But its creeping all ower m'allotment and I can't seem to kill it off.
D'yer knaa of owt to help me?
Meg-wi'-many-feet - the creeping crowfoot plant, Ranunculus repens
It looks like this and was also referred to in south west of the old county of Cumberland as Meg-wi'-many-teazz. The reason why I's tellin yer aboot it is it's says in m'botanical dictionary (or m'laal garden booak) that its a herb. But its creeping all ower m'allotment and I can't seem to kill it off.
D'yer knaa of owt to help me?
Ho-way! lets gah fwoor sum ceakk
Hope yers had a gud weekend. Yer furst (first) wud fwoor today is still often heard, particularly in West Cumbria.
Ho-way - go along; come on.
"Ho-way! lets gah up town fwoor coffee and ceakk" - Come on lets go up into town for some coffee and cake.
Don't yers just love the word ceakk too. The double 'k' gives a great ending to a word. Try saying this example -
"Heamm beakk'd churry ceakk"
Which means of course Home baked cherry cake. The faster you say the better it sounds.
What a nice start to the week, speak agaan soon.
Ho-way - go along; come on.
"Ho-way! lets gah up town fwoor coffee and ceakk" - Come on lets go up into town for some coffee and cake.
Don't yers just love the word ceakk too. The double 'k' gives a great ending to a word. Try saying this example -
"Heamm beakk'd churry ceakk"
Which means of course Home baked cherry cake. The faster you say the better it sounds.
What a nice start to the week, speak agaan soon.
Snaffle or Snaflan
Just a quick yan today, cause I's just fund oot am gaan to the auction at Mitchells at Cockermuth.
Snaffle - to steal.
Snaflan, Snaf'lan - stealing, petty pilfering, trfling.
"t'Wallace lads are snaf'lan oald Jonty's apples agaan".
I'll try nut to buy ought at the auction. Speak agaan to yers soon.
Snaffle - to steal.
Snaflan, Snaf'lan - stealing, petty pilfering, trfling.
"t'Wallace lads are snaf'lan oald Jonty's apples agaan".
I'll try nut to buy ought at the auction. Speak agaan to yers soon.
Hapshy Rapshy
It's Wednesday agaan and heres yer wud fwoor today
Hapshy Rapshy - at random, haphazard.
"T'brickwurk in yon wall is varra hapshy rapshy, if ivver I saw it"
Catch yers agaan soon!
Hapshy Rapshy - at random, haphazard.
"T'brickwurk in yon wall is varra hapshy rapshy, if ivver I saw it"
Catch yers agaan soon!
A grand day out at Cockermuth Fell Gather
This is a laal post to all them who come't alang and said hello to me at the Fell Gather at Cockermuth (Cockermouth) on Saturday. There was a far few fwok thear on't day and I even selt yan or two dictionaires fwoor father's day gifts. Nivver had father's day when I were laal. I think it's just a new thing dreeam't up to mak mearr money fwoor t'shops. Reet'o I hear yer say, oald Dickinson is nowt but a crusty oald gadgee. Well thats yer word fwoor today -
Crusty - ill tempered or grumpy.
Speak to yers agaan soon
Crusty - ill tempered or grumpy.
Speak to yers agaan soon
Do yer know a Hobblety hoy?
As its Wednesday agaan and we hev a bit of fun ivvery Wednesday. The phrase I have choosen fra m'dictionary today is –
Hobblety Hoy – a ungainly lad; a boy approaching manhood.
Speak to yers tomorrow.
Hobblety Hoy – a ungainly lad; a boy approaching manhood.
Speak to yers tomorrow.
Hev I mist a trick here?
Bob Bragg was reet chuft (thrilled) I telt yers aboot him in t’ post yisterday. Yer wud (word) to start the week in an easy yan.
Mist – missed.
Mistakken, Mistean, Misteann – mistaken.
I have chosen it cause Bob says I may hev (have) mist a trick on m’blog by nut telling yers all the low down on both my dictionaries. Says “I shud be blowin m’own trumpet”. Nivver really thowt of it afore.
The big yan costs £10 and is titled -
Dickinson’s Comprehensive Dictionary of Cumberland Dialect – A glossary 7000 words and phrases. 98 pages, book size 270mm x 200mm. ISBN 0953844773
And the laal yan costs £4.99 and is –
Dickinson’s Concise Dictionary of Cumberland Dialect – About 800 words and phrases. 52 pages, book size A5. ISBN 0953844773
We’ll put a few links on the blog really soon so you can order them on t'internet.
Mist – missed.
Mistakken, Mistean, Misteann – mistaken.
I have chosen it cause Bob says I may hev (have) mist a trick on m’blog by nut telling yers all the low down on both my dictionaries. Says “I shud be blowin m’own trumpet”. Nivver really thowt of it afore.
The big yan costs £10 and is titled -
Dickinson’s Comprehensive Dictionary of Cumberland Dialect – A glossary 7000 words and phrases. 98 pages, book size 270mm x 200mm. ISBN 0953844773
And the laal yan costs £4.99 and is –
Dickinson’s Concise Dictionary of Cumberland Dialect – About 800 words and phrases. 52 pages, book size A5. ISBN 0953844773
We’ll put a few links on the blog really soon so you can order them on t'internet.
Twaddle on Twitter
A Mr Bragg email’d me yisterday and I thought at furst it was nice Lord Melvyn Bragg fra Wigton. But this was young Bob Bragg fra Whitehaven. Nice to hear fra yer marra. He telt me he bowt me large dictionary fra Michael Moon in Lowther Street (By god, that’s a reet grand bookshop) and he suggested I tell yers about the word ‘twaddle’, cause there's certainly a lot of it on that Twitter site.
Twaddle – unmeaning talk.
Yan gadgee (person) has also asked why I do nut post on Sundays. Simply cause in my day, Sunday was always a day of rest. We went to church and did varra little else. I know things have changed and all t'shops are open nowadays, but you divent really want to hear fra me iveryday anyways.
Hev yersel a grand week.
Twaddle – unmeaning talk.
Yan gadgee (person) has also asked why I do nut post on Sundays. Simply cause in my day, Sunday was always a day of rest. We went to church and did varra little else. I know things have changed and all t'shops are open nowadays, but you divent really want to hear fra me iveryday anyways.
Hev yersel a grand week.
Twitter in Cumbria Dialect
Folks have telt me of late, people are really gittan carried away with twitterin on the net. Ivverybody, including the Queen and all them posh and fancy folk seem to be doing it. Ivverywhere yer gaa yer hear aboot it. But twitter has a varra different meaning in Lake District dialect.
Twitter – edge. ‘Just in a twitter’ or on the very edge.
In a twitter – soon, quickly.
In the Borrowdale valley (south of Keswick) it's slightly different.
Twitter – very near.
Of interest, when folk ‘twit’ – in Cumberland dialect means
Twit – to sneer at.
You can of course, also refer to a person as a ‘twit’ – meaning a idiot or acting in a silly or stupid manner(usually delivered in a light hearted way).
Twitter – edge. ‘Just in a twitter’ or on the very edge.
In a twitter – soon, quickly.
In the Borrowdale valley (south of Keswick) it's slightly different.
Twitter – very near.
Of interest, when folk ‘twit’ – in Cumberland dialect means
Twit – to sneer at.
You can of course, also refer to a person as a ‘twit’ – meaning a idiot or acting in a silly or stupid manner(usually delivered in a light hearted way).
It's Wednesday ageann Marra
We still hear folk calling each other marra today, particularly to the west of the county around Whitehaven and Workington. So I thought I'd include it as yer wud fwoor today.
Marra - a friend, partner or mate, 'h's me marra'; an equal; a vegetable.
Marra to bran - much alike; a match for; equal to.
Marraless - not alike; not having a friend or partner.
Marra up - join together as friends or partners; join two pieces of anything to meet together correctly. ie in joinery or construction.
More to come varra soon. Why not subscribe to our email newsletter, its free and I promise never to share yer details.
And please email yer marras and tell em aboot this site.
Marra - a friend, partner or mate, 'h's me marra'; an equal; a vegetable.
Marra to bran - much alike; a match for; equal to.
Marraless - not alike; not having a friend or partner.
Marra up - join together as friends or partners; join two pieces of anything to meet together correctly. ie in joinery or construction.
More to come varra soon. Why not subscribe to our email newsletter, its free and I promise never to share yer details.
And please email yer marras and tell em aboot this site.
Aboot our grand old dialect
Sum folk have email'd me of late to ask who else wrote Cummerlan dialect down afwore (before) I started. So I've cut and peasst'd (pasted) a laal bit fra a website I fund on that google sutch ingine. It was fra a lecture given by John Richardson of Keswick in 1876
The first who attempted to rhyme in the vernacular (of whom we have any authentic record) was the Rev. Josiah Relph, of Sebergham, who died in 1743. He was followed in succession by Evan Clark, of Wigton; Miss Gilpin, of Scaleby Castle; Miss Blamire, of Thackwood; Blind Stagg, of Burgh-by-Sands; and Robert Anderson, of Carlisle. The last has been commonly styled the Cumberland Bard, and has been the most popular of all the dialect writers. Then, there were Mark Lonsdale, John Rayson, and Woodcock Graves; and there was Alexander Craig Gibson, who, I have no doubt, was personally known to some here present. There are still living Mr. William Dickinson and Miss Powley; so that we have a continuous chain, or succession, of dialect writers, stretching from Relph to the present time.
It may be that but few educated persons take much interest in the dialect, nevertheless, if entered into without prejudice, or affectation, the study of it, as the study of most other things, may become very interesting. I have in my possession a letter which I received from the late Dr. Gibson, two or three years before his death, in which he styles it our "Grand old dialect;" and when we reflect that, to the people of Cumberland, it has for hundreds of years served every purpose for the inter- change of their ideas; that they have ever found in it words and phrases which were amply sufficient to express every emotion of their minds; that in it they have told their joys and their griefs; their hopes and their fears; and that in it they have sung their loves and their sorrows, their sports and their rejoicings,-I think that if we do not go so far as Dr. Gibson, to style it our "Grand old dialect," we may, at least, respect and value it as an old and faithful servant.
To read a laal bit more gaa to
http://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/papers/CumbrianDialect.html
Enjoy yer tuesday.
The first who attempted to rhyme in the vernacular (of whom we have any authentic record) was the Rev. Josiah Relph, of Sebergham, who died in 1743. He was followed in succession by Evan Clark, of Wigton; Miss Gilpin, of Scaleby Castle; Miss Blamire, of Thackwood; Blind Stagg, of Burgh-by-Sands; and Robert Anderson, of Carlisle. The last has been commonly styled the Cumberland Bard, and has been the most popular of all the dialect writers. Then, there were Mark Lonsdale, John Rayson, and Woodcock Graves; and there was Alexander Craig Gibson, who, I have no doubt, was personally known to some here present. There are still living Mr. William Dickinson and Miss Powley; so that we have a continuous chain, or succession, of dialect writers, stretching from Relph to the present time.
It may be that but few educated persons take much interest in the dialect, nevertheless, if entered into without prejudice, or affectation, the study of it, as the study of most other things, may become very interesting. I have in my possession a letter which I received from the late Dr. Gibson, two or three years before his death, in which he styles it our "Grand old dialect;" and when we reflect that, to the people of Cumberland, it has for hundreds of years served every purpose for the inter- change of their ideas; that they have ever found in it words and phrases which were amply sufficient to express every emotion of their minds; that in it they have told their joys and their griefs; their hopes and their fears; and that in it they have sung their loves and their sorrows, their sports and their rejoicings,-I think that if we do not go so far as Dr. Gibson, to style it our "Grand old dialect," we may, at least, respect and value it as an old and faithful servant.
To read a laal bit more gaa to
http://www.mininginstitute.org.uk/papers/CumbrianDialect.html
Enjoy yer tuesday.
Nut bad weather.
What grand weather we are havin up here in Cumbria at present......Still not varra use with writing Cumbria. Cause I really know this fine part of the world where I have lived all me lang life as Cummerlan (Cumberland). Why they changed its name in 1972 I'd nivver know. But we've now had fower super days of hot sun on t'trot. But yer know what people say hereaboots - "nivver shed a sitch of clowt until May's out". So as its furst of June today I'll tak me vest off. LOL
Ok I'll help yer out - "nivver shed a sitch of clowt until May's out". Means never take off a layer of clothes until the end of May.
Yer word for today is yan to help yer decipher last weeks post about feutt bo.
Nut - not.
here a few more examples fra me dictionary
Nut i'shaft for - unable to accomplish it.
Nut reet - not right, incorrect; idiotic or simpleton "Yer Mary's nut reet in t'heed".
Nut to ride a watter on - Not to be depended upon: Some saddle-horses have a propensity to lie down in crossing water of a ford.
Nut verra reet - Not very right (see Nut reet)
And finally thought I' add this yan cause it maks me smile, even if its nut connected with t'days post.
Nutcrack feass - facial appearance where the nose and the chin approach.
Do yer kno anyyan with a nutcracker feass? - enjoy yer day.
Ok I'll help yer out - "nivver shed a sitch of clowt until May's out". Means never take off a layer of clothes until the end of May.
Yer word for today is yan to help yer decipher last weeks post about feutt bo.
Nut - not.
here a few more examples fra me dictionary
Nut i'shaft for - unable to accomplish it.
Nut reet - not right, incorrect; idiotic or simpleton "Yer Mary's nut reet in t'heed".
Nut to ride a watter on - Not to be depended upon: Some saddle-horses have a propensity to lie down in crossing water of a ford.
Nut verra reet - Not very right (see Nut reet)
And finally thought I' add this yan cause it maks me smile, even if its nut connected with t'days post.
Nutcrack feass - facial appearance where the nose and the chin approach.
Do yer kno anyyan with a nutcracker feass? - enjoy yer day.
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