Yorkshire Words Of The Week

From: Vernon Wood, Wharfedale Crescent, Garforth, Leeds

Every Saturday “AIWS” continues to add an expectation of nostalgic interest to life as readers such as myself search for further nuggets of Yorkshire knowledge. I find it most intriguing that so many contributors recall ancient Yorkshire words and sayings that are similar, but not precisely identical with my own boyhood memories of the Thirties.

For instance, on October 18th J Atkins (Sheffield) quoted shovelling “black” (coal dust) onto the fire. In Morley this coaldust was called “slack”, and additionally, vegetable peelings and tea leaves would be added to “dampen down” the fire – hopefully overnight.

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Similarly, SK Stead (Huddersfield) quotes “a bitin on” as an interim snack before preparing a full meal. In Morley this was known as a “middin on”.

These subtle variations echo the spoken dialect variations between communities which are often just a few miles apart.

I find it fascinating to compare local dialects as one moves around the county – consider the differences between Huddersfield and Hull, Barnsley and Barnard Castle. Morley must have been a disputatious place, as my mother’s vocabulary included “nenging on” and “pleigning” (haranguing), “blethered” (hot and bothered) and if I didn’t behave I ran the risk of being “spengwewed” – (I trembled in fear at the threat of that unspecified fate).

From: R Noden, Windermere Rise, Baliff Bridge, Brighouse.

THE other evening I overheard my wife in conversation on the telephone to my daughter saying “it’s all my eye and Peggy Martin”.

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Afterwards we spoke about this and it came out that we had both experienced our parents and family using the saying and not knowing where it came from or who indeed Peggy Martin was.

Whilst thinking back over the years I do remember my father, when anyone ever mentioned Slaithwaite (pronounced Slawit the only way it can be) would say: “That’s where the feller tried to rake the moon out of the water” – spoken in a broad Yorkshire accent.

The only explanation I can come up with is a vision of a gentleman walking home one clear frosty night, quite inebriated, seeing the moon reflected in the local pond.

From: Mrs Kath Haigh, Shibden Hall Croft, Shibden, Halifax

As a child I used to visit an elderly couple next door.

They always invited me to stay for tea but Charlie insisted “ addle yer jock or tha mun tek yer ooks”.

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Bewildered I used to look at the coat hooks on the wall. It wasn’t until I was much holder that I learned the meaning: “ Work for your meal or go away”. I remember my aunt used to say “ She’s leet geen”. This was to describe a woman who was over flirtatious.