Can you speak Cumbrian?
Last updated 15:13, Wednesday, 01 October 2008
Local dialect is heard every day by thousands of Cumbrians. But these words are likely to come from London, Manchester or America, depending whether we’re watching EastEnders, Coronation Street or countless US imports.
Cumbrian dialect is rarely spoken on TV, which is one reason why its use is declining.
There was a time when other places’ words were rarely heard. Then the outside world came bursting in through TV and travel, diluting Cumbrian and every other dialect, giving us far more ways of saying what we want.
A new book, Cumbrian English, reminds us of what is slowly being lost. It serves as a taste of home for ex-pat Cumbrians, or a survival guide for those who visit the county ever year and find themselves smiling politely as a shepherd advises them to “Mind out for yows on’t road.”
And Cumbrian English is a handy book to have around the house for those moments when you feel the need to say, for example, that a nearby gate is not functioning correctly: “Yon yat ower theer’s brocken.”
In a sense it’s a history book too. Every word has a past, whether Roman, Celtic, Norse, or a more recent import from Scotland, Northumberland, Yorkshire or Lancashire.
Much Carlisle dialect was brought back from India by the Border Regiment.
These days it’s easy to think of the Cumbrian language as one distinct thing rather than dozens of variations on a theme.
But it can differ from one town to another, from one valley to another, and even within the same valley.
Many Cumbrians are still familiar with the numbering system used by Borrowdale shepherds for counting their Herdwicks: yan, tyan, tethera, etc.
Cumbrian English informs us that “Seathwaite at Borrowdale’s south end had a variation of words for the numbering.” And so in Seathwaite they counted sheep as: aina, peina, para.
A century ago most of the county’s population spoke in dialect. The Lakeland Dialect Society estimates that today only about a third understand it.
Does it really matter if Cumbrian dialect dies? Everyone has their own answer.
Does it really matter if every High Street is lined with the same shops until after a while everywhere looks the same?
And while Cumbrians themselves tend to be quiet people, the language they use, or used, is powerfully expressive. Why say sticky when you can say “clarty”? Doesn’t “scrow” evoke a stronger image than mess?
Cumbrian English is published by Abson Books at £2.50.
The Rotary Club of Silloth is staging a Cumbrian dialect competition at the town’s Golf Hotel on Saturday October 11 from 2pm.
CAN YOU SPEAK CUMBRIAN?
Some Cumbrian dialect phrases, with translations
“Ah’s gan yam.”
“I am going home.”
“Hod thee whish’t.”
“Be quiet.”
“Divvent give us nee mare peeve or I’ll bowk.”
“Don’t give me any more alcohol or I will be sick.”
“Divvent hoy your chuddy on the grun.”
“Don’t throw your chewing gum on the ground.”
“A was badly laughing after deekin that Peter Kay gadgey.”
“I was nearly sick with laughter after seeing Peter Kay’s act.”
“Git yer dookers on and we’ll gan for a dook in yon parney.”
“Get your swimming trunks on and we’ll go for a swim in that river / lake / pond.”
“A’ll chess thoo if thoo gets clart all awwer the floor.”
“I will chase you if you make the floor dirty.”
“Hes ta’ ivver seen a cuddy lowp a five-barr’d yat?”
“Have you ever seen a donkey jump over a five-barred gate?”
“Deeks the donnat in the dike.”
“Look at the idiot in the hedge.”
“Ah’s flate ter gan yam cos I chored 10 bar off me boyo.”
“I am scared to return home because I stole 10 pounds from my brother.”
“Yon mot’s queer and tidy, like.”
“That woman is very attractive, I must say.”
“Queer bad crack aboot Border Deekabout, eh?”
“Very bad news about Border Lookaround, don’t you agree?”
“Willsta hod on, chore?”
“Please slow down, young man.”
“Aas jiggered after nashin ower theer.”
“I am tired after running over there.”
“Yon gadgey’s gone radge.”
“That man has become violent.”
“A maffed up me exams cos I was kaylied the night before.”
“I failed my exams because I was drunk the night before.”
“Yon jewkle’s eyes are jye.”
“That dog’s eyes are uneven.”
“Dee it thissen”
“Do it yourself.”
“A couldn’t be arrished for a pagger but the chore lamped us in me dial.”
“I couldn’t be bothered to fight but the young man punched me in the face.”
“Ah’s gan Speeatry for scran cos ah’s clammin.”
“I am going to Aspatria to get some food because I am very hungry.”
RLytollis@cngroup.co.uk
