LET’S LEARN GEORDIE. The Unique Language of the Newcastle region. It has a strong Anglo-Saxon base with Celtic and Scandanavian too. Unintelligible to folks down South and even to people even nearby. Alan’s lover Neville was from Sunderland which means he wasa Mackem, not a Geordie, Hodges, unless his people were Geordies. Also Neville is a very important name in Durham history, especially the Neville’s Cross area. See Deadly Durham by Terry Derry for more on that.
Courtesy of Frank Graham, The New Geordie Dictionary
Aa wad a thowt se. I would have thought so.
Aa-warnd ye think yorsel’ clivvor? I suppose you think yourself clever?
Bad Man’s Oatmeal. The flower and seed of the hemlock.
Bad Weather Geordie. Name applied to cockle sellers.
Bagie. Belly or Turnip.
Bugger. A rough term of affection in the North,
Candyman. Man who serves notice of ejectment.
Canny. An embodiment of all that is good and gentle. The highest compliment that can be paid.
Claggum. Toffee made with treacle.
Coo. A cow or an immoral woman.
Cruck yor hough. Sit down.
Dear knass. I do not know.
Dee as yer bid. Do as your’re told.
Faalen Wrang. To become pregnant.
Forst foot. The person who first enters a house on New Year’s Day. A dark man is preferred and he brings in food or fuel, usually coal.
Ganning straights. Going Steady.
Girdle. A flat circular iron plate with handle which is used on an open fire for making singin-hinnies.
Gizer. A masquerader.
Hawkie. A white-faced cow.
He didn’t scunner me at all. He didn’t notice me.
He’s tyen the huff. He is offended.
Hor bedgoon is laelock. Her jacket is lilac in color.
I hev nee tatties. I have no potatoes.
It’s varra caad oot bye. It’s very cold outside.
Kitty. Prison or in games, a pool.
Marrow. A workmate
Mountiekittie. A child’s game — players mount each other’s backs.
Petting-Stone. Stone bride is lifted over at church gate following ceremony.
Pitch-and-Toss. Gambling game with coins used as quoits.
Riding-The-Stang. Carrying a man astride a pole. Generally a punishment for a faithless husband, but among miners was a sign of triumph.
Saint Cuthbert’s. Beads Encrinites –fossilized sea animals — found in the sand of Holy Island.
She’s nobbut femmer, poor body. She’s frail, poor soul.
She’s on the batter. She is a prostitute.
Singin’ Hinnie. Quoting Peggy Howey, The Georgie Cook Book. “The singing hinnie was so-called as when the butter and the cream melted during the baking, it sizzled on the hot girdle and was though to be singing.”
Skyet-gob. Fish-face.
Slop. Policeman.
Tappy-lappy. To rush aimlessly and blindly.
Thou bands thee muthor me canny bairn. You are better than your mother.
Unbeknaan, Without knowledge of.
Wrang iv his head. Deranged.
Yap. A brat, impudent lad.