Throughout the East Midlands, many different dialects are spoken. The dialect of the Erewash Valley which includes Long Eaton, Sawley and Ilkeston etc., can sometimes sound like a foriegn language to people from outside the area. As a guide to the dialect of Derbyshire and the Erewash Valley, we have taken extracts from the book titled Ey Up Mi Duck! compiled by Richard Scollins and John Titford. The list of words below are just a sample of the many and varied words and phrases used in the Erewash Valley.
Word/Phrase | Meaning |
Air-dow/aah-dow/aah-do? | How do you do? |
A'm bostin' | I can't wait (usually to go to the toilet) |
Anall | As well |
Are yuh arkin? | Are you listening? |
Arrers | Darts as in the game of darts |
As black as Dick's 'at band | Very black in colour |
Battin' | Moving very fast |
Be said! | That's enough and that's final |
Blackbod | Blackbird |
Blortin' | Shouting out or crying |
Bod cack | Bird droppings |
Bogger | Local version of 'bugger' can be used as an affectionate term of abuse as in "yuh silly bogger". |
Bogger this | I've had enough an example is: "bogger this fer a game o' sowjers" |
Bonny | A well built healthy looking person - usually describing a baby |
Boz-eyed | Cross eyed |
Bread 'n bung 'ole | Bread and cheese |
Causey | Pavement, from Middle English "cauce" |
Charlie's dead | Used when the underskirt is showing beneath the hem of a woman's dress |
Chelp | To answer back or to cheek someone |
Chunter | To mumble or complain under the breath |
Dab in | Hurry up or get a move on. Once used to mean "cheerio" |
Dob 'im one on | Hit him! |
Doolally | Mad or crazy comes from Deolalie a town near Bombay in India where exhausted troops had to spend months before being shipped home |
Dunkin' | To dip biscuits in a hot drink, usually tea |
Eh'd a-like te com a cropper | He nearly found himself in trouble |
Eh's gorra munk on | He's in a bad mood |
Eh's threy shaits (sheets) te t'wind | A crazy lunatic |
Ey up mi duck | Hello my dear |
Fortnit | Fortnight |
Frit | Frightened |
Frozz | Frozen |
Gennel/jennel | Steps between coal houses into the back yard |
Gerrumin | It's your turn to pay for the beer |
Gleg | To take a look. Once used in parts of Derbyshire to describe a person with a slight squint |
Int winder bottom | On the window sill |
Is it woth ote? | Is it worth anything? |
It's gerrin black ower Bill's motha's | Black rain clouds are building up |
It's muck 'r nettles | It's six of one and half a dozen of the other - it makes no difference |
Jiggered | Tired or exhausted |
Jitty | A small lane or alleyway. Other examples are: gennel, twitchel and woppy-nick |
Lairy | Usually used to describe a bad car driver |
Let dog sey t 'rabbit | Make room, let me see |
Lug | A knot in the hair, from the Scandinavian word "lugg" meaning a head of hair |
Lug 'oles | A slang word for ears |
Mam | Mother |
Mardy | Being childish, easily upset. Possibly comes from a spoilt or "marred" child |
Mash | To make a cup of tea as in "'ave yuh mashed?" |
Maziwat | A weak cup of tea |
Mester | Mister or gentleman. The female version is "missis" |
Mizzle | A very fine drizzly rain |
Mytherin' | To worry about or harass as in "don't myther me" |
Nesh | Used to describe someone who feels the cold easily |
Nobby grains/greens | Brussels sprouts |
Ockud/awkud | Awkward |
Oss-muck | Horse manure |
Owd yer sweat | Take it easy and calm down |
Pen-toed | Pigeon-toed |
Put wood int th' ole | Close the door (in South Derbyshire this would often be followed by "dusta com fra oppenwoodgate?" |
Rammel | Rubbish as in worthless (in North Staffs the word refers to a mongrel dog) |
Scranny | Going frantic through external pressures |
Slormed | To sprawl out or lie across something |
Snap | Originally this was a packed lunch carried by coal miners (in a snap tin) nowadays it means food in general |
Snyded | Crowded, packed with people |
Summat's up | Something is wrong |
Tabs/tab-oles | Another term for ears as in "wer yuh tabs flappin'" |
Tat-ar | An ordeal, having a bad time |
Taz | A short jouney as in "taz off down shops" |
The dog shelf | The floor |
Trawpse | A long journey, a traipse |
Yo'll copit | You will get into trouble |