Being a Yorkshire lass I was enthralled by the Yorkshire Historical dictionary which contains over 4,000 words as a result of the work of an academic and historian called Dr George Redmonds. His study lasted over 60 years and it has brought so many words back to me.

He jotted down all the words he came across in books, dairies, manuscripts, church court papers and monastic records. His little index cards were found filed in shoe boxes with the meaning, origin and the historical source of every word meticulously listed on each one.

Having a neighbour called Aunty Nelly as a child I found some of the words used in this common place in my childhood. She was very cultured and quaint and owned a china shop but as a Yorkshire lady she frequented Betty’s Tea Rooms in Harrogate often. In fact my first visit there was with her. I always remember her saying, ‘Now mek sure…’

Here are some common place words still used in Yorkshire that may seem like another language to some!

Ambry – pantry or food cupboard

Baldric – belt or strap to support a sword

Bedlamite – lunatic

Cramble – to hobble

Doubler – plate or dish

Flosh – marshy spot

Garray – noisy row

Ing – meadow

Kiss – to have sex

Mammal – woman

Nifle – items of little value

Outman – stranger

Pasch – Easter

Smoot – hole at base of hedge for animals

 

They say you can take the girl out of Yorkshire but you can’t take Yorkshire out of the girl. Do you come from another part of the UK and use any words which Londoners or those from other parts of the country do not so easily understand?

Elisa x