The Lexicon

[Skybase Girl]

This is great, but please don't get me started on the Geordie version....

There is undoubtedly a very good reason why G A didn't decide that any of his characters should originate from north of the River Wear - probably because each episode would have had to be broadcast alongside a copy of "Larn Yoursel Geordie".

For those New World and Antipodean members, as well as alien Brits from anywhere further south than Darlington, translations are freely available!

[hazel]

I used to have that book. My sister had a Geordie boyfriend, and he gave her the book as a joke, but we all found it very useful. Must see if she's still got it.

[Skybase Girl]

It's still funny and relevant. My last copy was purchased recently in Durham Cathedral and then promptly lost in a nearby cafe....

[Mary]

It's still funny and relevant. My last copy was purchased recently in Durham Cathedral and then promptly lost in a nearby cafe....

Was that the one you bought when I was there? That's a shame!

[Captain Indigo]

I'll let you know if I find it whilst I'm there this weekend.

[Skybase Girl]

Yes, Mary, it was. I left it on the table and didn't realise till we got home.

Thanks for the offer Indigo, but I somehow doubt it will still be there!

[Elentari]

Your location; Australia

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks. Creek
2. What the thing you push around the grocery store is called. Shopping trolley or supermarket trolley
3. A metal container to carry a meal in. Lunch box – but made of plastic
4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in. Frying pan
5. The piece of furniture that seats three people. Couch, or even lounge (the lounge is the room where the furniture generally is, but as the seating can be called a ‘lounge suite’, a three seater can be abbreviated to lounge as well).
6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof. Gutter & downpipe
7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening. Long area under the eaves would be a verandah, an extended covered area would be a patio or if it has a wood slat base, a deck
8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverage. Soft drink
9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup. Sounds like pancakes but it wouldn’t be a breakfast food – it’s a dessert.
10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself. Sub
11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach. Swimmers, togs, cossie, also Speedos though that would generally refer to the brief style of costume made famous by that company
12. Shoes worn for sports. Trainers, sandshoes (probably archaic – it’s what everyone wore when I was growing up)
13. Putting a room in order. Tidying up
14. A flying insect that glows in the dark. I’d imagine it would be a firefly though I’ve never seen one
15. The little insect that curls up into a ball. Slater
16. The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down. See-saw
17. How do you eat your pizza? Cut in wedges and handled with fingers
18. What's it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff? Garage sale
19. What's the evening meal? Tea or dinner
20. The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are? Basement or cellar – but they are very rare in Oz.
21. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places? Drinking fountain
22. If something is diagonally located, where is it in relation to you? Over there (points in direction)
23. What do you call the place where the water comes out of the sink? Not quite clear on this question - Tap where it comes out, drain where it disperses.

[hazel]

This http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/American+and+British+English+spelling+differences is possibly the best exposition of US/UK English differences I've ever seen. Canadian, Australian and other Commonwealth variants are aso noted.

[Marion]

I found this and thought of just how much I could confuse you all... :-D

GREETINGS
'Ah do' ( Hello)
'Ay up Duck' (Hello there)
'At Owe rate/orate?' (Are you alright?)
'Mar mate' (My friend)
VARIOUS WORDS AND PHRASES
'Dunner' - Don't
'Wunner' - Won't
'Conner' - Can't
'Summat' - Something
'Wom' - Home
'Woss' - Not good
'Dunner werrit' - Stop moaning
'Blart' - To cry
'Rate' - Opposite to wrong
'Snappin' - What you put in your lunchbox
'Mate' - What you put in your snappin'
'Clemmed' - In need of summat eat
'Bost' or 'Brock' - Not working
'Foe bits' - For something to break
'Issle,' / 'Whattle' - As in, 'Get me some vests issle/whattle fit me' Choice depends on you education.
Skoo' - Where you get your education
'Ommer' - For knocking nails in with
'Gyp' - Pain, as in, 'Me back is givin' me gyp'
'I'll be jiggered' - Astonishment
'Late' - Not dark
'PMT' - The bus service for The Potteries
'Mar lady' - The wife
'Youth' - Any male in Stoke
'Young youth' - Male child
A question often asked on the streets of Stoke (although not by me) is,
'At gooin' dine Stoke termirrer?'
To which the reply of late has been,
'Ar onner. Stoke dunner come say may when arm bad!'
Having learnt all these words and phrases, you should now be ready to visit The Potteries.

'Ar'll say thee layter'

(Wistful sigh) I should pay a visit home and get my accent 'topped up'
Source:
http://www.pworld.ndo.co.uk/stoke1863/potteries.htm

[Lt. Pine]

Dialect Meme

Your Location: New Jersey, United States (and pretty much many of the Mid-Atlantic states - Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, New York & Pennsylvania)

1. A body of water, smaller than a river, contained within relatively narrow banks.
stream, creek
2. What the thing you push around the grocery store is called.
grocery cart, shopping cart, cart
3. A metal container to carry a meal in.
lunch box
4. The thing that you cook bacon and eggs in.
frying pan
5. The piece of furniture that seats three people.
sofa, couch
6. The device on the outside of the house that carries rain off the roof.
rain gutter, gutter (gutter also used for the very side edges of a street that carries water to storm drains) The vertical tube running from the gutter is a downspout.
7. The covered area outside a house where people sit in the evening.
porch, veranda (porch usually preceded by "front" or "back", sometimes "side")
8. Carbonated, sweetened, non-alcoholic beverage.
soda
9. A flat, round breakfast food served with syrup.
pancake (usually served with butter and syrup)
10. A long sandwich designed to be a whole meal in itself.
sub, hoagie, grinder (grinder less often used and highly regionalized in northern mid-atlantic states)
11. The piece of clothing worn by men at the beach.
both sexes: swim suit, swimming suit - men only: swim trunks, swimming trunks
12. Shoes worn for sports.
sneakers: soft rubber bottoms - cleats: sturdier than sneakers with plastic or metal blunt spikes on the bottom
13. Putting a room in order.
cleaning, tidying (less often)
14. A flying insect that glows in the dark.
lightning bug, firefly
15. The little insect that curls up into a ball.
pill bug
16. The children's playground equipment where one kid sits on one side and goes up while the other sits on the other side and goes down.
see-saw, teeter-totter
17. How do you eat your pizza?
90% of the time with your hands - only finer restaurants would you use a fork and knife
18. What's it called when private citizens put up signs and sell their used stuff?
yard sale: single or couple of neighborhood homes - flea market: on large community lots or fairgrounds
19. What's the evening meal?
dinner, supper (less often)
20. The thing under a house where the furnace and perhaps a rec room are?
basement: if finished or not - cellar: usually unfinished
21. What do you call the thing that you can get water out of to drink in public places?
drinking fountain, water fountain
22. If something is diagonally located, where is it in relation to you?
diagonally, catty-corner
23. What do you call the place where the water comes out of the sink?
faucet, tap (less often)

[Carrie]

Nice to see some of the old posts being revisited.
Seems like you're enjoying the forum, Lt Pine!

[Lt. Pine]

Hi, Carrie. Yes, I am enjoying the forum and the whole site very much! I gain a new appreciation for the original series every time I watch it. I have it on DVD and of course I watched it in the 1960's when it was shown on television after school was out. Channel 17 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, if I remember correctly. I haven't seen any of the CGI series yet.

I work as a civilian in the New Jersey State Police at their headquarters, so I'm used to addressing people as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, etc. I've even spoken to the Colonel once or twice!

Andrew (Lt. Pine)