© Joe Douglas. 2016

On this page I hope to list some of the words and phrases I grew up with. They may still still be in general use in West Cumbria but I don’t hear them in the East Midlands.

There doesn’t seem to be a ‘standard’ for the written dialect so I apologise in advance for any difficulties my attempt may cause.

This is a verse I  picked up from someone in the family when I was younger but I can’t remember who.

If you know anything about it or some more verses please let me know. I’ve included a ‘translation’ just in case something doesn’t make sense.

Frae Lorton t’ Braethet, be Winlatter Pass,

It’s a langway ‘t gaa ‘t sweetaart a lass,

But if aa was t’reet side o’ twenty a-ghee’yan,

Weigh Aa’d step it like nowt, t’ meet Mary Ann.

From Lorton to Braithwaite by Whinlatter Pass,

It’s a long way to go to sweetheart a lass,

But if I was the right side of twenty again,

Well I’d step it like nothing to meet Mary Ann.

Some Dialect

Tropenna - Torpenhow

Bait Box - the box you took your dinner to work in

Copy/Coppy - a three legged stool, a milking stool. (At least they had 3 legs in our house).

Flarch - to make a fuss of someone trying to get something or your own way.

Iver seen a cuddy lowp a five bar gyat? - Ever seen a donkey jump a five bar gate?

 If you want to explore  the dialect further I can recommend the following link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbrian_dialect

There is a comprehensive discussion of the dialect and many, many examples to try and get your tongue round.

If you want to add some more to the list please click on this link to send it to me.

One morning I walked into an office in Derby where a girl was  being teased because she had referred to something as Clarty. I was called in to defend what she said was “the verbal character of the North”.  Between us we made them back off and now, years later, even newer staff members know what she is talking about.

Clarty - sticky, messy

Laal, larl - little, small

Ratch - search for like hunting through a box/drawer for something.

Lowp - Jump

Spi-atri - Aspatria

There was a story told of a bus conductor who was disciplined because of how he announced the arrival at a bus stop in Aspatria -

“Spi-atri, them wi’ clogs on lowp oot”

We have arrived in Aspatria Will those passengers who are wearing Clogs, (Iron Shod Boots/shoes please leave the bus.

Here’s few more examples from folk who’ve looked at this page and sent them in.