Bryham Kirkby

“ BROGUES—Ass a drainer to let ye liuk at his clogs—them’s his brogues.
BROKKUN—Ther’s brokkun oot an’ brokkun up; an’ brokkun t’ dyke, an’ t’ bull; an’ brokkun meat an’ milk; body-brokkun, an’ heart brokkun; an’ bank-brokkun an’ brokkun backt wi’ brass; brokkun weather, an’ brokkun wark, an’ brokkun fasts; nags is brokkun in, an’ hay’s brokkun oot. Owt else brokkun, Ah wonder: Aye, when a poor fellow’s t’ bums i’ t’ hoose it’s becos he’s brokkun. ”

“ MUNGY—A warm damp atmosphere ’at maks yan sweet if yan stirs is said ta be mungy.
MURNEN, MIUNEN—When fooak’s sair hodden wi’ pain they murn oot wi’ ’t.
MUSH—Sticks ’at hes o’ mirled away, er taties an’ turnips ’at boils ta slodder—they’ve o’ gian ta mush.
MUTE—Nowder a cuddy ner a mule—atween t’ tweea—that’s a mute, an’ it gahs neea farder.
MUZZY—A dull low spirited manner. He wad muzzy aboot fer days wi’ hardly ivver a word fer t’ cat.
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MUZZYEN—Howken ower t’ fire when yan sud be up an’ aboot yan’s wark. Sista thoo’ll sit muzzeyen ower t’ fire tell thoo’ll be as grey as a loose. ”

“ RUN O’ T’ TEETH—A chap’s grub ’at’s quartered on t’ community fer his wark. It’s his heaf, his stint, er his whittle-gait; it’s whar he runs amang, gits his dollop, er hes his tommy; he’s yan ’at’s fest oot wi’ a lot, an’ neea wonder i’ them days ’at t’ skiul maister was i’ foreign spots a gay deal, when he’d neea hiam ov his awn an’ nobbut t’ run ov his teeth i’ somebody’s else.
RUMMELBUCK—A gurt rough lungious fellow at gahs on i’ t’ hoose warse ner a bull in a pot shop.
RUN—A spot fer things ta walk in. We’ll mak a hen run at t’ garth heed.
RUNNER—A young beck ’at runs frae a spring. ”

“ HAND-OWER-HEED—As yan dives inta debt.
HAND-STAFF—T’ snod-end of a flail’s co’ed t’ hand-staff.
HANK—Noo ye wrusslers, wi’ yer chips, this is yan, izzant it?
HANK, HANKLE, HANKLED—Engtangled. Wuns barns! We’re gaan on Ah’ll tell ye wi’ gurt words, an’ ye’ll want some if yer fishing tome gits hankled in a tree. An’ young fellows ’at’s gaan away frae hiam (an some ’at stop at hiam) they git hankled on wi’ bad company ’at’s t’ ruination o’ them. An’ a hank o’ wusset ’ll o’ gang intul a hankie when ye’re windin’ it. ”

“ He could leg it ower them fells, an’ up an’ doon them gurt craggy spots.
LEG-UP—What a chap ass’es for when he wants ta git on a nag, an’ ther’s neea horsin stian.
LEGS-AN’-WINGS—A fellow ’at’s some lang smo legs an’ arms.90 “A gurt cradda bians ’at thoo is; thoo’s o’ legs an’ wings.”
LENNOK—Loose and aimless. His arm hang doon as lennok as watter. This collar’s lennok wi’ sweet.
LEET-ON—Ah bin laiten a sweetheart fer many a year, but Ah ca’t leet-on neea way.
LEETSOME—Cheerful, or cheering. A change is leetsome, if it be nobbut oot o’ t’ bed intul t’ beck. Silly. He’s a bit leetsome. ”

“ BODJY—A bit stoot an’ rayder pursey.
BODY—A person. Can ye give a body a pipe o’ bacca?
BOGGLE—A flaysome ugly thing ’ats varra common i’ t’ looanens; they git up yan’s nooase, an’ flay nags; spirit knockin’s nowt tul a boggle.
BONE—To charge. Ah hard ’at he was tellin ’t ’at Ah was mad drunk; seea t’ next time Ah saw him Ah bian’d him wi’ ’t theer an’ than.
BONES—T’ auld snarlin’ thing he’s allus at ’t bians o’ ivrybody. Frae moornin’ ta neet he’s bianin at it aboot t’ wark.
BON—Go bon it! Varra oft used when fooak hev gitten oot o’ bed ’at wrang side, an’ ivvery thing izzant streck forrad. ”

“ Peylen intult, siam as t’ chap wi’ t’ dumplin end.
PEE-WIT, TEA-FIT—“Pee-wit! Pee-wit! Ah lost mi nest an’ Ah’ve rued it.”
PEZEL’T—It means to jaggle, an’ argy, an’ heffle aboot. “We pezl’t on a canny while.” That’s hoo young fooak git started ta cooart yan annudder. They du’t gang thunneren up an’ doon shooten at ivv’rybody they meet, “Is thoo willing?” till they meet wi’ yan at is. Neea, barn, that wadn’t deea; seea they pezel aboot a bit, an’ git ta knaw bi slow degrees.
PEZZY, PEZZ-WILLY, PEZZ-WAP—T’ least lal marvels ye can git. O’ colours varra nar, but ower lal ta shut wi’. ”

“ In the present work no attempt is made to explain or account for anything of a peculiar character in the dialect. If language grows out of life, we are justified in regarding ours as a type, and those who are most familiar with the life out of which it has grown, will be most likely those to regard it most leniently. ”

“ HUZZ, HUZZ’D, WHUZZ, WHUZZ’D—These is o’ yah mak, an’ they’re akeen ta ooze, whiz, an’ seea on. Ooze means to come oot whiat an’ stiddy; huzz an’ hiuz means ta come oot, but in a hurry, an’ makkin a bit o’ stir aboot it. Water ’ll fair huzz throo a lal whol; seea will bliud oot ov a pig throoat. A lad ’ll send a stian oot ov his sling, an’ say, “By gen! dud thoo hear t’ whuzz!”
HUG—Wrestling. Tak hauld o’ hands wi’ yah hand apiece, an’ git hauld o’ yan anudder wi’ t’ tudder, an intul’t wi’ t’ feet; a gay lish fellow hes t’ best chance. ”

“ KET—Ah’ve neea casion ta say ’at ket’s summat o’ neea ’coont. Owt ’at’s nasty ket is up ta nowt. An t’ aulder end ’ll varra oft say, “keep frae amang seck nasty ket,” when they mean bad mannered fooak.
KEVEL—A blunderen awk’ard way. Kev’len aboot i’ thi gurt clogs. Anudder an’ yan mair tull t’ lot o’ niams fer a rattle on t’ lug. He catch’t him a nasty kevel wi’ his flat hand.
KEYED, KEYEN—When t’ maut gits intul a chap’s legs an’ they plet a bit as he stackers frae yah side o’ t’ looanen tul tudder, he’s keyen a bit an’ his legs is keyed. ”

“ SHOCKLESS—When lads is laiken at marvels an’ yan gits up afooar t’ tudder gits three—he’s won him shockless.
SHOT-O’-GREASE—Nags hes ’t wi’ nut workin’ an’ stannen ower mich o’ ther feet.
SHOT-O’-ICE—Frae t’ skiul yat ta t’ turn at t’ niuk’s o’ yah shot o’-ice, an’ slape as an eel tail.
SHOON, SHUN—Shoes. Mi Sunday shun on.
SHORT-CAKE—Nice lal ciaks fer krissenens, an’ seck doos as them.
SHACK-BAGS—A shack-bags kind ov a chap’s yan ’at’s nin seea particular, he’ll sleddur aboot any fashion, deea just as he’s a mind, an’ izzant up ta mich at nowt. ”

“ Dark doon aback o’ t’ yat stoop.
DARK—Secret; gloomy; morose. He’s t’ dark side oot.
DARK—To rush suddenly from a hiding place. He wad dark atop o’ yan afooar yan hed time ta think.
DARK’T—Sheltered. We dark’t aback o’ a stack.
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DARKEN—Prowling; skulking. What’s thoo darken efter?
DARRAK, DARGUE—Good classical scholars ’ll use this yan an’ net be shamm’d on ’t—John Ruskin amang them. It means a day’s wark, er hoo mich yan can deea in a day. A darrak o’ mowin, threshin, plewin, an’ seea on. In a good day’s darrak many a yan hes as much pleasure yet as some hev ’at’s allus laiken. ”

“ CHOP-FAWN—A chap when his sweetheart hes chuck’t him fer anudder; an’ anudder ’at’s fund oot he hes t’ wrang sew bi t’ lug; an’ when oor best laid plans hez gone agley, an’ we’re soor, an’ sad an’ sulky wi’ ivv’rything an’ iv’rybody, it’s than said aboot us ’at we’re chop-fawn. An it’s gaily oft true.
CHOPS—Jaws. He hangs his chops.
CHOPPEN-AN’-CHANGEN—Varra whimmy mack o’ fooak ats allus laiten oot summat fresh ta gah on wi.
CHOWLS—Pig cheeks. T’ chowls touch t’ fleear.
CHECK-BRAT—T’ auld farrent uns wad wear a check brat, a bed-goon, cap, an’ clogs an’ be ivver seea smart an’ tidy e’ them. ”

“ Ther jabber’s nivver diun.
JACKET—Skin, Ah’ll warm thee thi jacket. ’Taties boiled i’ ther jackets.
JACKILEGS—Pocket knife. Ah’ve a famish good jackilegs at Ah’ll gie thi for ’t, if thoo’l cowp mi.
JADE—A gay lish jade, not meaning anything but approval, of an active, stirring woman. A gurt idle jade has the opposite meaning.
JADDUR—Vibrate. Hem! Du’t clash t’ door teea like that, thoo maks iv’ry pot i’ t’ hoose jaddur. Clashen aboot, thoo’s warse ner a bull in a pot shop.
JANNOCK—Fair-play. Noo that’s a lang way off bein’ jannock.
JANT—A journey for pleasure. We’ll hev a jant oot efter tea. ”

“ A seat fer sair een. A chap was tellen me a breck aboot sairey. He leev’d in a gurt toon an’ hedn’t hed mich ta deea wi’ t’ auld twang fer years. An’ yah neet as he was gaan hiam he com across a let o’ gurt ho-bucks ’at was tryen ta flay a peur hauf-rockt woman ta jump intul a gurt sowen gutter fer t’ sump at t’ side o’ t’ rooad. “Scurse t’ hearts on ye,” he shoots as hard as he could, an’ he in amang them. “Can’t ye let a sairy crackt auld woman alian, noo.” Yan er tweea gat a shot wi’ his neef, and yan wi’ his shoe neb whar it wad deea maist good, but they hook’t it as if he was a maniac. ”

“ WHUP-STREEA—Thrash. Thee gang an’ whup streea, an’ Ah’ll gah oot wi’ t’ nags.
WHUZ—A lad’s laiken miad oot ov a roond bit o’ leed, an’ spun aroond wi’ twisted string. It gangs like a circular saw, an’ fair whuzes.
WHY—A coo calf’s a why calf.
WHYA-NEEA—“Whya-neea” means “Well no,” wi’ a bit o’ foorce behint it. “Whya neea!” sez Ah, “Ah’ll deea nowt at mack nowder fer thee ner thi betters sista.”
WHYA-well; yes. Whya an’ hoo er ye o’ gaan on? Whya what wer o’ amacka middlin. Will ta hev me? Whya what Ah’s be like as thoo asses seea nicely. ”

“ LAV’ROCK—It’s nowt nobbut t’ lark ’at sings i’ t’ sky, but ther’s neea spot i’ this world whar they deea ’t better ner i’ Lakeland. An’ Ah’ll tell ye what besides that, ther’s varra few pliaces ’at liuks any better ner oors if ye’ll tak it i’ t’ reet time, say i’ July when t’ looanens er full o’ rooasies, an’ t’ fields full o’ gerse, an’ t’ trees full o’ leaf an’ blossom, an’ t’ rabbits er laken, an’ t’ lavrocks singen, an’ t’ cushats cooen. Ye chaps ’at know what setts er, an’ er acquainted wi’ gas, tell us noo streck oot frae yer hearts, is ther owt ta come up tul ’t ’at ye ken on? ”

“ Tak a hantel o’ hay wi’ tha fer t’ hoggs.
HAPSHA-RAPSHA—How-scrow; ham-sam; hap-hazard.
HAVEY-SCAVEY—All in a mess. Throw them in havey-scavey.
HARRIDGE, or ARRIDGE—A fine edge, or line. A plewer, if he’s a good ’un, ’ll set it up with a good arridge. A knife will tak’ a good arridge. When ye’ve a good stomach, an’ can fell a good big basin o’ poddish, it’s becos ye’ve a good arridge. The pronunciation varies, and sometimes has the aspirate more clearly marked.
HAULD—Whar t’ fishes field under t’ breeas an’ stians. ”

“ SOOART—Squirt. We used to mak sooarts oot ov a bit o’ burtree.
SOCK—Part of a plew. Sock an’ cooter.
SOCKETING-BRASS—A fine ’at a young chap hes ta pay if he’s an off-comer when he’s catch’t cooartin’. Miast o’ them pay ’t wi’ pride, but some stand on ther dignity, an’ it means a march ta t’ horse troff.
SOOM—Ye’ve happen seen a coo drink. She just sooks ’t in. A chap ’at sups yal t’ siam way sooms it in. Ah’ve seen a chap chow yal.
SOOR—A hard, soor fellow is yan at can stand a bit o’ trashen aboot. Soor land is when it’s wet an’ wants drainen. ”

“ As smittle a spot fer an auld hare an yan’ll come across.
SMOCK—Smooth. Ah mack nowt o’ fooak ’at’s seea smock-spokken an’ whakly.
SMOOR—Ye’ve seen young lads an’ lasses i’ t’ hay field coveren yan anudder ower wi’ hay, an’ i’ t’ dark whiat neets when ghosts, an’ barguests, an’ seck like flaysome things er oot, t’ barns git under t’ blankets tell they’re nearly scumfisht. We co’ that smooren. An’ gurt rough haniels o’ lads hes a gam; they git yan doon, anudder lot atop o’ him, an’ they shoot “Merry, merry muck heap, pund o’ mair weight,” tell they smoor t’ boddum ’un. ”

“ We’re scrattin-on as weel as we can.
SCOW-BANK- (Oh! that the genius of word describing would co’ here!) A laal barn ’at’s laid on it’s back throwing it’s legs up, an’ laiken wi’ t’ teeas—that’s scow-bankin. A gurt barn ’at ligs aboot t’ hay-mew, an’ sleddurs aboot wi’ his shun lowse, neea necklath on, an’ doesn’t care a brass farden which end gahs t’ first seea lang as he’s easy—he’s a gurt idle scow-bank.
SCRAN—Food. Isn’t this another frae t’ Celtic fringe? Ah wadn’t be capt.
SCAN’D—Ah scan’d ower mi shooder ta see if they war behint, an’ theer they war. ”

“ SAM-CAST—A ten times aboot rig. A haymaking term.
SAUVY—Of a pale, sickly complexion; potatoes that are wattery an’ sad.
SAVE-O—Where t’ barns pence should gah.
SARRA—Serve; suit. We co’ed at t’ Ludge an’ nowt wad sarra, but what we mud stop an’ hev oor dinner wi’ them. Sarra t’ swine.
SACKLESS—A helpless kind of innocent body that izzant exactly daft but nar akeen tult. Sackless as a sucken duck.
SAID—He wadn’t be said; refused.
SAME, SAMED—Lard. Samed’s when yan’s gitten a reet putten up wi’ mowen er worken tell yan’s sweltered. Ah’s aboot samed. ”

“ Hooiver when t’ cauld wedder com they’d ta turn up, an’ in explanation of their absence informed the man of rods that they’d “been wanderen aboot.” Them was days when a lad hed some fun i’ bein’ whick.
KILP—Ass t’ lasses what they fassen ther frock wiasts wi’, kilps an’ e’en.
KING-COUGH—When t’ barn coughs an’ kinks tell it’s black i’ t’ fias.
KIN—A crack i’ t’ skin wi’ t’ frost, hard watter, an’ seck. Ah’ve seen a chap drop melten shoemakker’s wax intul them, an’ he’s gurned like o’ that when it bat.
KINK—A twist. T’ dog hed a kink i’ t’ tail. ”

“ T’ rising generation ’ll nivver know, an’ they’ll be hard to mak believe in a bit, hoo we used ta be educated wi’ an auld woman, an’ amang her hoose wark she wad larn us oor A B, abs, an’ twice times yan is tweea, an’ a bit o’ t’ biuk wi’ t’ ledder back an’ t’ brass clasps. Hoo we used ta field her specks if she was catted, an’ full t’ chimley wi’ streea if we wanted ta shirl! What lickens she wad giv us wi’ t’ birk rods ’at we’d miad her—literally enough fer oor awn backs—an’ what glee we used ta hev when she was liam an’ cud’nt stir oot ov her chair! ”

“ INGLE, INGLE-NIUK—Yah while it’s set doon at some ov oor auld ingles hed hed a fire allus burnen i’ them fer generations, but it’s a fashion ’at’s deein oot, as cooal gits mair common, an’ t’ turf and peat scarcer. But ther’s some conny auld ingle-niuks up an’ doon amang us, an’ they’re famish spots ta sit an’ tell boggle tials when t’ wintry neets is on, an’ t’ wind’s bealen doon t’ chimla, an’ iv’ry rattle maks yan’s skin creep up yan’s back wi’ t’ thowts o’ t’ awful things ’at yance war seen. ”

“ Annudder ’ll say he’s oot o’ gear when he’s badly; an’ a chap’s badly geared up when his gallases breck, er his shirt button comes off, er his dicky flees lowse.
GELD—Not with calf.
GHYLL—A gurt sowen crack, er whol in a hill side, whar t’ rocks is roven i’ tweea, an’ splintered aboot, an’ bushes an’ trees growen oot o’ t’ cracks, an’ a beck purblen at boddum, wi’ clean watter in’t, an’ fish. We used ta gang ta t’ ghyll when we war lads, an’ gedder nuts, an’ git ferns, an’ lait cushat an’ hewlet nests, an’ persuade oorsells we war young backwoodsmen. ”

“ It’s a good sign when a chap knows when it’s crowdy-time withoot a watch er owt but his stomach ta tell him.
CROPPER—A nasty fo’. Ah com a cropper when t’ auld yod stopt o’ at yance, an’ Ah flew ower t’ heed.
CRAKE, CORN-CRAKE—Ye’ll pick these oot bi’ t’ soond o’ them; they’re o’ that soort.
CRAMMEL—Say ye’ve ta git ower a wo’, er a dike, er up a hoose side, er gang ower a lot o’ cobbles, ye wad crammel ower’t. When ye’ve corns, an’ nang nails, an’ segs o’ yer feet, seea ’s ye can hardly nammel an’ gah at o, they’ll mak ye crammel. A pair o shun et’s ower lal owder. ”