Yorkshire Words Of The Week

A “piecan” was a foolish person, and the nearest I can get to his meaning for “tripehound” would be “guttersnipe”.

One of my mother’s favourite expressions which she used when I had done something foolish was, “You’re a right clawpoke”. I never heard anyone else use this so maybe it was a personal expression of hers.

I have followed the correspondence on the expression “leet geen” with interest.

Clearly the usage in the Wibsey area differed from that in some other areas, and I note that the late Arnold Kellett included it in his book Basic Broad Yorkshire with the spelling “leet-gi-en” to mean simple-minded.

When I first moved from Bradford to Chesterfield I was surprised to find that locals here greeted one-another with, “Eeyup, Duck” instead of the expected “Nah-then”.

To me the Derbyshire greeting meant “look out – take cover”!

As an aside, shouldn’t the column really be titled “As ah wor sayin’...”?

From: Don Alexander, Knab Road, Sheffield.

RECENTLY, the difference in pronunciation “cas” or “caire” for to squat down has been aired in your column.

No less a man than Harry Brearley, inventor of stainless steel in 1913, in autobiographical notes to his son, talks about knowing people well enough to “car missen dahn” on a rug before their fire.

Many people, me included, commonly use the word “nesh” for to feel the cold. A less common usage I first heard as a boy at Hillsborough in the 1950s: the Wednesday centre half back-pedalled instead of tackling his opponent. A cry rang out: “He’s neshed it sithee!”

Today young supporters tell me the phrase is known but they are more likely to say “he’s bottled it.”

With this in mind it was nice to hear a Chesterfield supporter on Radio Sheffield’s Praise or Grumble ring in to complain the Spireites goalkeeper had “neshed out of a challenge.”

So – put this down as a Derbyshire word of the week!

From: Pat Taylor, Farm View Road, Rotherham.

In response to the letter from Ralph Howard of December 17, The Famous Sheffield Shop, in Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, sell a stainless steel version with the same inscription, although I think “Toowit” may be spelt slightly differently.

From: Mr M Briggs, Popples Drive, Bradshaw, Halifax.

I spent time living in Nidderdale as a youth at a time when they still used Old Norse.

Something large was “a gertun” and something small was “a lillun”.

Shepherds still counted in Old Norse so that one was “yan”, two was “twan”, three was “edaro”, four was “pitts”, five was “edarow yan”, and six was “edarow pitt”.