Many moons ago, when I was growing up, my mother imprinted into my brain the importance of good speech and elocution. She would often be referred to "as someone who spoke the Queen's English"! (Rather posh!).
By the time I reached my rebellious teenage years I had adeptly mastered the art of having 2 ways of speaking…. one for my mother, not drooping any letters, never saying what, and always maintaining eye contact! The other for my school friends, where I fell into "'ull speak" (The art of talking Hull slang) or sloppy talking as my mother would say, I did, quite easily. Peer pressure at school dictated how we all spoke, I never wanted to appear different in any way from my fellow school friends.
However, on leaving school I made a mental decision, my speech would be 'proper' and well elocuted from then on and not associated with anywhere geographically accented!
My accent has served me well in many ways, with building my confidence, different 'people' jobs, and the most noticeable, when Eric, my husband arrived for the first time in England from Lebanon, to Hull my hometown.
Eric's English was good when he arrived here, learnt in America/Canada and spoken fluently daily.
Unfortunately for him, all over the UK different accents and dialects can be heard, but Hull is the exception, we have a language of our own. A sort of mix of shortened words and ALWAYS never pronounce 'H'!
These are a few examples of what poor Eric had to contend with….
"I'll bray yer eddin!!"
I am going to fight you.
"It's maftin' in ere"
It's rather hot in here.
"It's silin' down awtside"
It's raining outside.
"Shut yer cake ole"
Please be quiet.
"I gorrit far nawt"
I did not pay anything.
"Yer for-ever mernin"
You do complain a lot.
"Ayer gorra bruvva?"
Have you got a brother?
There are many, many more and I became the 'translator' for once. Eric often referred to those early days "as a pain in the ass", he swore a lot and often said "I want to go home, I can't deal with this shit"!!
Today when I listen to him talking to his friends and neighbours, he himself has developed 'ull speak' he has come to realise that if he doesn't learn the lingo, he can't communicate!
He was fortunate to have had a 'home grown' translator in the beginning. (Me!!).
Many of the foreigners coming into Hull must have a hell of a hard time understanding anything!
So the motto "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", rings very true in this case…..
Learn the Lingo or be Left Behind!
Do you have a dialect hard to understand in your town?
What slang words do YOU use that are queer or peculiar to
your town?
Thanks for reading, and do please comment, your input is much appreciated.
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