Chapter XVI: A Few Simple Hints on the Grammar of the Folk-Speech (1)

THE ARTICLE.

There is no variation in the usage of the indefinite article, save that it still retains its place before participles and the adjectives _few_, _many_, and _great many_.

Ex.—‘He started a calling o’ ma, an’ Ah started a genning at him, an’ then wa set ti wark a lethering yan anuther,’

Educated people do not nowadays say, ‘I sat a sipping of my tea, and a smiling at the kettle a singing on the hob,’ No, it sounds quaint. And to those who know as little of their Shakespeare as they do of their Bibles, such speech is put down to ignorance, or a lack of education, when in point of fact they are listening to an echo of that old-time speech which was in full swing long before their great grandmothers were born, and used by really quite respectable people; e.g.—

‘As he was yet _a_ coming’ (Luke ix. 42).

‘I go _a_ fishing’ (John xxi. 3).

‘While the ark was _a_ preparing’ (1 Pet. iii. 20).

‘His greatness is yet _a_ ripening’ (_Henry VIII_).

‘There is some ill _a_ brewing towards my rest’ (_Merchant of Venice_, Act ii. Sc. 5).

In such cases, however, ‘a’ cannot be parsed as an article. Many opinions have been given, but perhaps Cobbett, who holds it to be an abbreviation for ‘at,’ meaning ‘without doubt,’ has gained the most supporters. In the _Spectator_, No. 86, we find, ‘Socrates’ disciples burst out _a_ laughing,’ and in No. 420, ‘The spirits which set the springs _a_ going.’ Such are by no means archaic forms of speech in the North Riding, ‘bud ez common ez pigs _a_ grunting at yan anuther.’

The definite article, as mentioned elsewhere, is ‘t’.’ To this rule there are very few exceptions. Before certain letters it is almost inaudible; nevertheless, it is always there. It may be said, and with truth, that a perfect mastery of the definite article, both in speaking and hearing it spoken, has advanced those desirous of knowing something of our folk-speech—rather more than half of their journey. I know many people who are fluent speakers of the dialect, but who read it, even when in printed form, with the greatest difficulty; others who can read fairly well, but so far as understanding the dialect when spoken, might as well listen to a batch of Chocktaw Indians, as two or three good old Yorkshire dames when fairly letting out.

A Frenchman once said to me, ‘I could understand you English people, if you did not speak so quickly.’ Aye, just so, and so would many another body from other counties understand a great deal of what our country folk say if each word was uttered separately, but with us, as in standard English, very frequently no pause is made between commas; so the difficulty increases tenfold, when a stranger strives to follow a fairly classical dalesman or woman. Take, for instance, a few words which the other day I heard a woman shout across a village street to her daughter. Firstly, as they sounded when uttered, then the same as they would be written, and thirdly, the translation.

_As spoken._ Teggattenlaadsitwinner.

_As written._ T’ egg at t’ ‘en laad’s i’ t’ winner[99].

_Standard English._ The egg (that) the hen laid is in the window.

NUMBER.

This, with only a few exceptions, follows the ordinary rule of grammar.

CASE.

The possessive case is noted elsewhere.

GENDER.

The same as in standard English, with this slight deviation: many things which are neuter are spoken of as being of the feminine gender. Ex.—‘Sha’s a fine stack;’ ‘Sha’s a bit rough ti-daay,’ speaking of the sea; ‘Sha’s gitten a fine bole on her,’ speaking of an oak. There can be no rule given for guidance, because in a compound sentence the same noun is sometimes both feminine and neuter. A man speaking of his watch said, ‘It’s yan ov t’ best ’at Ah ivver ’ed; sha’s a good un,’ i.e. ‘It is one of the best that I ever had; she is a good one.’

ADJECTIVES.

Adjectives which in standard English are compared by the addition of _more_ and _most_ to the positive, generally form their degrees of comparison by the addition of _er_ or _r_ for the comparative, and _ist_ or _st_ for the superlative; e.g.—

POSITIVE. COMPARATIVE. SUPERLATIVE.
True truer truist
Expensive expensiver expensivist.
Dangerous dangerouser dangerousist.
Okkad (awkward) okkader okkadist.
Forrad (forward) forrader fo’derist.

Though it is quite common to hear such expressions as ‘mair okkader’ or ‘t’ maist okkadist,’ and the like, with other adjectives, it is also not uncommon for the adjective to be used as an adverb, as ‘It’s easy deean.’

PERSONAL PRONOUNS.

FIRST PERSON.

_Nom._ _Poss._ _Obj._
{I, thou, he, she, it. {I mine me.
SING. {Ah, thoo, tha, _or_ ta, SING. {Ah mahn ma.
{ he, sha, it, ’t.

PLU. {We you they us. PLU. {Thou thine thee.
{Wa ya tha uz. {Thoo thahn thee.

There is no rule to guide the student in the use of _thoo_, _tha_, _ta_. In a general way _ta_ follows an auxiliary verb, and _thoo_, used in the accusative case, is definite in its application. ‘He’s shooting o’ thoo,’ and ’he’s shooting o’ tha,’ have a well-marked distinction of meaning. ‘He’s shooting o’ thoo’ implies that the person told of the fact is the actual person being shouted of; not only does it point him out from amongst many, but the fact that _thoo_ was used further implies that the shouting had better be attended to at once. ‘He’s shooting o’ tha,’ is merely certain information given, making known to some other person that he was being called for without regard to others.

RELATIVE PRONOUNS.

Who which that.
Wheea _or_ whau which that _or_ ’at[100].

_Who_ and _which_ are declined as follows. _That_ and _what_ as in standard English.

SINGULAR AND PLURAL.

STAND. ENG. NTH. RIDING. | STAND. ENG. NTH. RIDING.
_Nom._ Who whau, | Which which.
wheea. |
_Poss._ Whose whaus | Whose wheeas,
wheeas. | whaus.
_Obj._ Whom whaum. | Which which.

The compound relatives are formed by the addition of _ever_ and _soever_; _’at_ forming the compound _’ativver_, i.e. _whatever_.

POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS and the compound personal and possessives are formed as under:—

STAND. ENG. My mine thy thine his her
NTH. RIDING. Mah mahn {thah} thahn his her
{thi }

STAND. ENG. Its our your their own
NTH. RIDING. Its oor _or_ wer yer ther awn

STAND. ENG. Myself thyself himself herself
NTH. RIDING. {Mahsel thisel hissel hersel
{Mahsen thisen hissen hersen

STAND. ENG. Itself ourselves yourselves
NTH. RIDING. {Itsel oorsels _or_ -sens yersels
{Itsen wersels _or_ -sens yersens

STAND. ENG. Theirselves ownselves.
NTH. RIDING. {Thersels awnsels
{Thersens awnsens.

DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS.

_This_ and _that_ are used as follows:—

_This_ refers to an object near at hand, _that_ is rarely used, _yon_ being almost universal, e.g. ‘Yon man ower theer ’ll tell tha.’ _Q._ ‘Which is Mister Thompson?’ _A._ ‘Yon chap’s him,’ i.e. ‘That man is Mr. Thompson.’

INDEFINITE PRONOUNS.

Any both some other another one none such
Onny beeath sum uther anuther yan neean sich, sike

_Yan_ and _yah_ are noticed elsewhere, also _vide_ Glossary.

ADVERBS.

Adverbial peculiarities are fully noticed in the Glossary.

The PREPOSITIONS and ADVERBS mostly in use are:—

About, _aboot_.

Above, _aboon_.

Across, _quarrelled_. ‘Him an’ me’s gitten across.’

After, _efter_ or _efther_[101].

Against, _ower agaanst_, near to.

Among, _amang_. Amongst, _amangst_.

Before, _afoor_. ‘For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect’ (Isa. xviii. 5).

Behind, _ahint_.

Between, _atween_.

Betwixt, _atwixt_.

Beyond, _ayont_, _beyont_.

By, _byv_ or _by_, pronounced _be_.

From, _fra_ before a consonant, _frev_ before a vowel.

In, _i’_.

Into, _intiv_, _inti_, _intil_.

Near, _near-hand_.

Nigh, _near_, _ommaist_, also _nigh_.

Of, _ov_ and _foor_.

Over, _ower_ and _aboon_.

Beyond, _past_. ‘He did entreat me _past_ my saying nay’ (_Merchant of Venice_, Act iii. Sc. 2).

Too, _ower_.

With, _wi’_, _wiv_.

_Until_ is never used, _whahl_ always taking its place: no exception to this rule.

It may be noted this peculiarity extends to the south of Northamptonshire.

THE VERB.

It will only be possible to note one or two of the more striking peculiarities.

TO BE.

_Indicative Mood._

Has two forms of the present tense.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah is, _or_ Ah’s. _I am_, &c. Wă } {Wa’re, _we are_.
Thoo is, _or_ Thoo’s. Yă } are, _or_ {Ya’re.
He, Sha, _or_ it is. Thă} {Thă’re.

Also the older form is quite common—

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah be. _I am_, &c. Wă }
Thoo beest _or_ byst. Yă } be.
He be. Thă}

Examples:—

‘Ah be gahin’ ti morn.’

‘Thoo byst efter neea good.’

‘We be twelve brethren’ (Gen. xlii. 32).

‘If thou beest he’ (_Paradise Lost_, Bk. i. 84).

‘If thou beest death’ (_Henry VI, Part II_, Act iii. Sc. 3).

‘If thou beest rated by estimation’ (_Merchant of Venice_, Act ii. Sc. 7).

IMPERFECT.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah war, wur, _or_ wuz. _I was_, &c. Wa }
Thoo war, wur, _or_ wast Ya } war, wur, _or_ wuz
He war, wur, _or_ wuz. Tha}

PERFECT.

‘Ev _or_ hev. The aspirate is rarely heard.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah ’ev been. _I have been_, &c. Wa }
Thoo ’est been. Ya } ’ev been.
He’s _or_ he ’ez been. Tha}

PLUPERFECT.

Ah hed _or_ ’ed been, &c.

FIRST FUTURE.

Ah s’all _or_ will be, &c.

SECOND FUTURE.

Ah s’all _or_ will ’ev been, _or_ Ah s’all ’a’e been.

_Imperative Mood._

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Let ma be. Let uz be.
Be thoo. Be ya.
Be he, let him, her, _or_ it be. {Let ’em be.
{Be tha.

_Subjunctive Mood._

SINGULAR.

Ah be, _or_ Ah maay _or_ can be.
Be thoo, _or_ thoo mayest _or_ canst be.
He be, _or_ he may _or_ can be.

PLURAL.

Wa }
Ya } may _or_ can be.
Tha}

IMPERFECT.

SINGULAR.

Ah war, mud, c’u’d, wad, _or_ s’u’d be }
Thoo wert, mudst, c’u’dst, wadst, _or_ s’u’dst be} loved.
He war, mud, c’u’d, wad, _or_ s’u’d be }

PLURAL.

Wa war, }
Ya war, } wur, mud, c’u’d, wad, _or_ s’u’d be loved.
Tha war,}

PERFECT.

Ah maay _or_ can ’ev }
Tho maayst _or_ canst ’ev } loved.
Tha may _or_ can ’ev }

PLUPERFECT.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah mud, &c. Wa mud, &c.

_Infinitive Mood._

PRESENT. PERFECT.
Ti be. Ti ’a’e _or_ ’ev been.

_Participles._

PRESENT. PERFECT. COMPOUND PERFECT.
Being. Been. ‘Evin’ been.

TO HAVE.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah’ve, Ah ’a’e, _or_ Ah ’ev. _I
have_, &c. Wa’ve, ‘, or ’ev. _We have._
Thoo’s _or_ thoo ’ez. Ya’ve, ‘, _or_ ’ev.
He’s _or_ he ’ez. Tha’ve, ‘, _or_ ’ev.

PERFECT.

Ah’d, Ah ’ed. _I had._ Wa’d, wa ’ed.
Thoo’d, thoo ’ed. Ya’d, ya ’ed.
He’d, he ’ed. Tha’d, tha ’ed.

_Affirmative._

Ah’ve, _or_ Ah ’ev tă’en. Wa’ve, _or_ wa ’ev tă’en.
_I have taken._ _We have taken._

Thoo’s tă’en. Ya’ve, _or_ ya ’ev tă’en. _You have taken._
He’s tă’en. Tha’ve, _or_ tha ’ev tă’en.
_They have taken._

_Negative._

Ah ’evn’t, _or_ Ah ’a’en’t ta’en. Wă ’evn’t, _or_ wă ’a’en’t ta’en.
_I have not taken._ _We have not taken._
Thoo’s nut, _or_ thoo ’ezn’t [102]Yă’ve nut, _or_ yă ’a’en’t
ta’en. ta’en. _You have not taken._
He’s nut, _or_ he ’ezn’t ta’en. [102]Thă’ve nut, or thă ’a’en’t
ta’en. _They have not taken._

_Interrogative._

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
‘Ev Ah ta’en? _Have I taken?_ ‘Ev wă, _or_ ‘ wă ta’en?
_Have we taken?_
‘Ez tă ta’en? ‘Ev yă, _or_ ‘ yă ta’en?
‘Ez ă[103] ta’en? ‘Ev thă, _or_ ‘ thă ta’en?

IMPERFECT TENSE.

Ah’d, _or_ Ah ’ed. _I had._ Wa’d, _or_ wa ’ed. _We had._
Thoo’d, _or_ thoo ’ed. _Thou hadst._ Ya’d, _or_ ya ’ed. _You had._
He’d, _or_ he ’ed. _He had._ Tha’d, _or_ tha ’ed. _They had._

_Imperative Mood._

‘A’e _or_ ’ev (have).

_Infinitive Mood._

Ti ’ev, _or_ ti ’a’e. _To have._

_Participles._

PRESENT. PAST.
‘Evin’, _having_. ‘Ed _or_ ’ad, _had_.

TO DO.

_Indicative Mood._

PRESENT TENSE.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah deea, diz, _or_ duz. _I do._ Wă }
Thoo diz _or_ duz. Yă } deea _or_ div.
He diz _or_ duz. Thă}

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah deean’t. _I do not._ Wa deean’t _or_ divn’t[104].
Thoo dizn’t _or_ deean’t. Ya deean’t _or_ divn’t.
He dizn’t. Tha deean’t _or_ divn’t.

MAY.

Ah maay. Wa }
Thoo maayst. Ya } maay.
He maay. Tha}

IMPERFECT TENSE—Might.

Ah mud _or_ might. Wa }
Thoo mud. Ya } mud _or_ might.
He mud. Tha}

Must. Must not.
SINGULAR. PLURAL. SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah } Wa } Ah } maun’t Wa } maun’t
Thoo} mun. Ya } mun. Thoo} _or_ Ya } _or_
He } Tha} He } munnot. Tha} munnot.

TO GO.

ACTIVE VOICE.

_Indicative Mood._

PRESENT TENSE.

SINGULAR. PLURAL.
Ah gan, _or_ goa. Wa }
Thoo’s gahin’ _or_ gannin’. Ya } gan _or_ goa.
He gans. Tha}

INDEFINITE—I was going.

Ah war, wur, _or_ wuz} gahin’ Wa war, wur, _or_ wuz } gahin’
Thoo wast _or_ wart } _or_ Ya war, wur, _or_ wuz } _or_
He war _or_ wuz } gannin’. Tha war, wur, _or_ wuz} gannin’.

INDEFINITE PERFECT—I have gone.

Ah ’ev _or_ Ah’ve } Wa ’ev _or_ wa’ve }
Thoo’s _or_ thoo ’ez} gane _or_ Ya ’ev _or_ ya’ve } gane _or_
He’s _or_ he ’ez } geean. Tha’ev _or_ tha’ve} geean.

_Infinitive Mood._

PRESENT. PROGRESSIVE.
Ti gan. _To go._ Ti be gahin’ _or_ gannin’. _To be going._

PERFECT. PROGRESSIVE.
Ti ’ev gane _or_ ti ’a’e geean. Ti ’ev been gahin’.
_To have gone._ _To have been going._

PRESENT.
Gahin’ _or_ ganning. _Going._

PERFECT.
Geean _or_ gane. _Gone._

COMPOUND.
Having geean _or_ gane. _Having gone._

Observe _is_ and _be_ generally take the place of _are_ and _am_. In fact, the latter word is very rarely heard amongst the country people. ‘Are you Tom?’ in the folk-speech, would be, ‘Is ta Tom?’—the answer would not be ‘Ah am!’ but ‘Ah is!’

_Q._ ‘Is ta gahin’ wiv uz[105]?’ i.e. ‘Are you going with me?’

_A._ ‘Neea, Ah’s nut,’ or ‘Neea, Ah isn’t,’ i.e. ‘No, I is not’ (I am not).

_Nobbut_, as a sign of the conditional mood, is quite as general as _if_.

_Q._ ‘Will ta cum?’ Will you come?

_A._ ‘Nobbut it be owt leyke, an’ nobbut I git deean;’ i. e. ‘If it be anything like’ (as to weather), ‘and if only I finish my work.’

It is not uncommon to hear the future tense used for the present, and in many instances the country people, as it were, confuse the perfect tense and perfect participle. ‘Ah’ve chose t’ whip ’at Ah want.’ ‘I have chosen the whip I want (_or_ like).’

‘’Ez ta broke t’ winder?’ would be asked in a whisper, but ‘Aye, he’s brokken ’t,’ would certainly be the form in which it would be shouted to the other boys. ‘Ah’ve spoke tiv him mair ’an yance,’ would be the form such a declaration would take from one confiding to another the hopelessness of making any further entreaties; but ‘Ah’ve spokken tiv him ower an’ up agaan,’ would be the language used when temper was in the ascendent. Nevertheless, those who would consider vulgar such sentences as have been given, are apt to forget that the accepted rules which govern the speech of to-day are only correct because they are of to-day. The rules which were once accepted may have been laid aside in favour of others; but the country people move slowly—their speech is that of their grandparents, and it is what they have been used to all their lives. They know nothing of the new order of things. And again, they keep very good company.

Examples:—

‘I have already _chose_ my officer.’
_Othello_, Act i. Sc. 1.

‘Methought this staff, mine office badge in court, was _broke_ in twain.’—_Henry VI, Part II_, Act i. Sc. 2.

‘By what yourself too late have _spoke_ and done.’
_King Lear_, Act i. Sc. 4.

‘Why was this _forbid_?’—_Paradise Lost_, Bk. ix. 703.

‘Waiting desirous her return, had wove
Of choicest flowers a garland.’
_Paradise Lost_, Bk. ix. 839.

Steele, in the _Spectator_ (No. 344), has, ‘I have _wrote_ to you three or four times.’ And he is generally acknowledged to have been a fairly good scholar, but then his writings go back a hundred years, and they spoke differently then. Our people speak very much like it now.

The formation of the perfect and of the participle vary considerably from that of ordinary grammar. As a rule the past participle is formed by the addition of _en_. There are other striking peculiarities in the vowel changes. A list of some of the leading ones is here given.

_Present._ _Perfect._ _Participles._
Build Belt Belt
Beeat (beat) Bet Betten
Bid Bad Bidden, bodden
Binnd (bind) Bun _or_ bund Bun, bund, _or_ bunden
Bleead (bleed) Bled, blaad Bledden
Break, breek (break) Brak Brokken
Brust (burst) Brast Brussen, brossen
Cast Kest Kessen
Cheease (choose) Choaze Chozzen
Coss (curse) Coss’d Coss’d, cossen
Cost Cost Cossen
Creeap (creep) Crep _or_ crop Croppen
Cum (come) Cam, com Cum’d
Cut (cut) Cut Cutten
Darr (dare) Dast Darrd
Drahve (drive) Drave Drovven _or_ druvven
Felt (hide) Felt Felted
Feyght (fight) Fowt Fowten
Finnd (find) Fan Fun
Flig (fly) Fligg’d Fligg’d
Fling (fling) Flang Flung
Flit (to change
one’s abode) Flitted Flitten
Freeze (freeze) Fraze Frozzen
Gi’e (give) Gav or ga Geen[106]
Git (get) Gat Gitten, getten, _or_ gotten
Greeap _or_ group
(grope) Grape Groupen _or_ groppen
Grund, grahnd
(grind) Grund Grun _or_ grunded
Ho’d (hold) Ho’ded Ho’dden
Ho’t (hurt) Ho’t Ho’tten
Kep (catch) Kept Kept, keppen
Lap (wrap) Lapt, lapp’d Lappen _or_ lappen’d
Let (let) Let Letten
Lig (lay) Lig’d, lihd Lihn
Lig (lie) Lig’d Liggen _or_ lig’d
Leet (light) Let Letten
Loose (loose) Lowse Lowsen
Loss (lose) Lost Lossen
Preeave (prove) Preeav’d Provven _or_ pruvven
Put (put) Put Putten
Rahd (ride) Rade Ridden _or_ rodden
Rahse (rise) Roase Risen _or_ rosen
Rahve (tear) Rave Rovven
Set Set Setten
Shak (shake) Shak’t Shak’t _or_ shakken
Shed (shed) Shed Shedden
Shoe (shoe) Shod Shodden
Shut (shut)
_or_ shoot Shut Shutten
Sit (sit) Sat Setten
Slet (slit) Slet Slitten
Smit (infect) Smitted Smittel’d
Snaw (snow) Snew Snawn _or_ snaw’d
Speeak (speak) Spak Spokken
Splet (split) Splet Spletten
Spreead (spread) Sprade Sprodden
Stan (stand) Steead Stooden
Stick (stick) Stack Stucken
Straad (stride) Stroade, straad,
_or_ strahd Strodden
Strahve (strive) Strahve _or_
stroave Struvven _or_ strovven
Strike (strike) Strake, strak Strukken
Tak (take) Teeak, teuk Ta’en, takken, _or_
tuckken
Tell Tell’d, tell’t Tell’d, tell’t
Thrahve (thrive) Throv, thrahve Throvven
Thrust (thrust) Thrast, throst Throssen _or_ thrussen
Treead (tread) Trade, tred Trodden
Wet (wet) Wet Wetten
Win (win) Wan Won
Worrk (work) Wrowt, wark’d Wrowt _or_ wrowten
Wreyte (write) Wrate Written

CONJUNCTIONS.

Some of those generally in use will be found contained in the following request:—

‘Tommy’s cum’d, _an’_ Jimmy _an’ all_. Noo, _if so be as hoo ’at_ wa caan’t finnd hoos-room for baith _on_[107] ’em, could thoo, _wivoot_ putting thisen aboot, mannish ti tak Jimmy in? _Bud, hooivver_, thoo knaws _if in case ’at_ thoo caan’t mannish ti deea ’t foor all t’ tahm tha’re here, can ta _whahl_ t’ daay efter ti morn? Tha’ve cum’d _for ti_ see Mary. _Nowther_ on ’em’s clapt ees on her _sen_ sha went ti pleeace, _an’ seeaner ’an_ tha s’u’dn’t ’a’e seen her, Ah wad ’a’e geean ti my aunt Martha; bud Ah’d better stop at yam _ez_ gan theer, _if so be ’at_ thoo can mannish ’t onny road. _Besides, thoo knaws_ thi larl Lizzie could cum _an’_ lig wiv oor Freddy, _bidoot_ thoo _ligs_ her on t’ sōfy. Ah think _’at_ that wad be t’ better waay; noo, what diz ta saay?’

_Key._

‘Tommy has come, _and_ Jimmy _as well_. Now, _if_ we cannot find room for both on them, could you, _without_ inconveniencing yourself, manage to take Jimmy in? _Still, if_ you cannot manage to do so for all the time they are here, can you _until_ the day after to-morrow. They have come to see Mary, _neither_ of them having seen her _since_ she went to place—i.e. situation. _And rather than_ they should have missed seeing her, I would have gone to my aunt Martha; but I had better stay at home _than_ go there, _if_ you can manage it anyway. _Besides_, your little Lizzie could come _and_ sleep with our Freddy, _unless_ you _lay_ her on the sofa. I think _that_ would be the best; now, what do you say?’

In reading the key over, it will be found, in several instances, that a single word does duty for several. This tendency towards redundancy is very common, e.g. ‘If so be as how ’at wa cannot,’ simply means ‘If we cannot’; and ‘Besides, thoo knaws,’ is ’besides.’ Instead of the last word, ‘besides,’ the usage of ‘An’ moreover ’an that’ is very common.

The rule that prepositions govern the objective case, expressed or understood, the conjunction never, holds good in the folk-speech.

The conjunctions in italics are very rarely used, those in brackets commonly taking their place.

‘Ah s’all be theer (an’ all),’ _as well_.

‘(Bud hooivver) thoo mun cum,’ _still_.

‘(Wivoot) Ah cum, deean’t start,’ _unless_.

‘(Ez) stop wiv him, Ah’ll cum,’ _rather than_.

‘Ah’ve cum (for ti) see Tom,’ _in order to_.

‘Deean’t leeave t’ hoss (bidoot) he gi’es tha t’ brass,’ _unless_.

‘Thoo wait (whahl) Ah cum,’ _until_.

There are many who consider the folk-speech of our country people little better than a mixture of about equal parts of bad grammar and mispronunciation. Such a notion, I feel sure, can only have arisen from either a lack of information or undue haste. From such I would humbly crave a reconsideration of the case.

I can well understand those who know little of the various sources through which the standard English of to-day has come down to us, considering such words as those contained in the following list as being vulgar—_backerly_, _balk_, _belly-wark_, _botch_, _cant_, _chaamer_, _clag_, _cleg_, _drukken_, _flacker_, _flit_, _fra_, _lake_, _lang_, _leck_, _lig_, _lop_, _lown_, _luke_, _mirk_, _neeaze_, _owerwelt_, _raun_, _roke_, _rud_, _scraffle_, _shive_, _snite_, _steg_, _stob_, _stower_, _sump_, _theeak_, _thrave_, _till_, &c. Though some words in the list may be new to the reader, they are in common usage amongst our people. And what is much more to their credit, every one of them were doing duty hundreds of years ago. And as in many cases the pronunciation is identical with that of their Danish relations, we have grounds for assuming that not only has the word itself been preserved, but the actual sound in which it was formerly uttered, though the spelling often differs greatly in the two countries. Take, as a single example, the North Riding word ’stower’; the Danish word is spelt ’staver,’ but the pronunciation is exactly the same in both countries. Therefore, as Angus says, if the sound rather than the spelling be taken, the similarity of the languages will be found to be much more striking. A few so-called vulgar words and their respectable relations are given in the following list.

NOTE.—Scandinavian in this list must be taken in its widest sense, as including Old Norse, Frisian, Swedish, and Danish.

_North Riding._ _Scandinavian._ _Anglo-Saxon._ _English._
Backerly Bagerlig ... Late
Backstan Bage-sten ... A stone for baking
cakes on
Balk Balk Balca Beam
Band Baand (O. N.) ... String
Belly-wark Bælg-værk Bælig-wærc Stomach-ache
Bid Byde Beōdan To invite
Bor Borre ... Seed of the burdock
Blendcorn Blandkorn ... Mixed corn
Botch Bota Botian To mend clumsily
Brave Brav ... Goodly
Brede Bredde Bræd Breadth
Cant Kante, Kanta ... To tilt on end
Calf Kalve, _v._
to calve ... Calf
Chaamer Kammer ... Chamber
Clag Klæg Clæg To stick
Clap Klap ... To pat
Cleg Klæge ... Horse-fly
Clovver Klaver Klaver (Dutch) Clover
Clip Klippe ... To clip
Drukken Drukken ... Drunken
Eaves Ovs Efesse The eaves
Fau’k, Folk,
Fooak Folk ... People
Felt Fela, fiæle Feolan To hide
Flacker Flagre ... To flutter
Flittermouse Flaggermus ... The bat
Flit Flytte ... To remove to another
house
Fore-elders Forældre ... Forefathers
Fra Fra Fra From
Gimmer Gimmer ... Ewe lamb
Glooar Gloe ... To stare
Gob Gab ... Mouth
Havermeal Havre mel ... Oatmeal
Handsel Handsel Handselen First money received
Holm Holm ... Low-lying land
Hoos Hus ... House
Humble-bee Humlebi ... Humble-bee
Kist Kiste Cist A chest
Laat, lait Lait ... To seek
Lake, laak Leka Lacan To play
Lake, laak Leg, lec Lac A game
Lang Læng ... Long
Leck Lække Leccan To leak
Lig Ligge Liggan To lie down
Lop Loppe ... A flea
Lown Luun ... Calm, still
Luke Luge ... To weed
Middin Modding Midding A dunghill
Mirk Mork Mirc Dark
Neeaze Nyse Niesan To sneeze
Owerwelt Awvælt ... To lie on the back
as a sheep
Raun Rawn ... Fish-spawn
Riggintree Rygtræ ... The topmost spar in
the roof
Roke Rok ... A misty rain
Rud Rod[108] ... Red ochre
Scraffle Scravle ... To walk in a feeble
way
Shive Skive ... A slice
Suite Snyde ... To blow the nose
Steg Steggi ... A gander
Stob Stub ... The stump of a tree
Stower Staver ... A stake, a rung
Sump Sump ... Boggy place
Theeak Tække ... Thatch
Thrave Trave ... A number of sheaves
of corn
Till Til ... To
Yule keeak Yule kage ... Yule cake

This list might have been greatly extended, but the above suffices for the purpose of proving that many of the words considered vulgar are simply venerable through age. If we inquire a little further, we shall find not only the words, but the form of speech used by our people, which so often seems ungrammatical, is actually that of the best writers of bygone ages. The fact is, as has been already stated, our vocabulary and mode of speech is not of to-day, but belongs to the time of long ago.

From Spenser’s _Faerie Queen_ take as examples the following words and grammatical forms, which are quite common with us to-day:—

That seemed both shield and plate it would have _rived_.
_For to_ avenge that foul, reproachful shame.
To lose long _gotten_ honour with one evil hond.
Much greater grief and _shamefuller_ regret.
In hope her to attain by _hook or crook_.
To _tossen_ spear and shield.
_Me leifer_ were with point of foeman’s spear be dead.
... how stout Deborah _strake_.
Inglorious now lies in senseless _swownd_.
But _lapped_ up her silken leaves most _chare_.
Fast _bounden_ hand and foot with cords of wire.
But, glancing on the tempered metal, _brast_.
And ever and anon, when none was _ware_.
And from her head oft rent her _snarled_ hair.

In _Piers Ploughman_, 1362, by R. Langton:—

Under a brood bank—By a _burn’s_ side.
* * * * *
Some _putten hem_ to the plough.

_The Parsone’s Tale_:—

And _axeth_ of the old ways.
... ought to _plain_.

Wicliff, 1380:—

And he eat _honeysoukis_.

_The Prodigal Sone_, 1380:—

Tweie sonnes. And the younger of _hem_.
A ryng on his hond, and _schoon_ on his feet.
And when he _cam_.

Tyndale, 1534:—

And not long after the younger sonne _gaddered_ all that he had _togedder_. And when he _cam_. And _axed_ what these things meant. From the Epistle to the Romans.

Also—_Geven_, _goven_, _moun_, _quyt_ (quit = to repay), _stakker trone_[109] (throne), and scores of others are quite common with us.

The following past tenses are given by Angus as obsolete, and as having been so for long:—_fand_, _flang_, _slang_, _stang_, _wan_, _wrang_, every one of which are in frequent use.

In Wicliff’s edition of the Bible we have:—

‘The keperis weren _afeered_.’ ‘And _brak_.’ ‘The wisdom of this world _fonned_.’ ‘Clensed with _besyms_.’ ‘Mayster Moses seide if _ony_ man.’ ‘_Twey_ men.’ ‘_Ridile_ as whete,’ ‘Joseph _lappide_ it’ (St. Matthew). ‘_Moun_ comprehende with alle seyntis which is _breed_’ (Eph.). ‘He _concitide_’ (St. Luke). ‘And _telde_ him’ (Acts). ‘It schal not _rewe_ Him’ (Hebrews).

Such words, when uttered by our country people, are not vulgar, though they may sound odd, but that is because they are old fashioned and unfamiliar; and if their utterance has no charm for you, then it is music you never heard in your youth, and which your ear can never rightly appreciate. So that you may see at a glance to what extent the language has altered, and how the folk-speech has remained almost stationary during the last three or four hundred years, let us compare a few of the commonest North Riding words of to-day with the standard English of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries.

_Words of the 13th, _Standard English as pronounced
14th, and 15th _Common North in 1898, or giving
centuries, taken Riding words, the word which has supplanted
from the best 1898._ the older one._
authors._

Afeered Afeeard Afraid
Axed Axed Asked
Besyms Bizzums, buzzums Broom
Bounden Bounden Bound
Brak Brak Broke
Brast Brast Burst
Breede Breed Breadth
Burn Burn Stream
Cam Cam Came
Chare Chare Carefully
Concitide Consated Imagined, opinionated
Fain Fain Gladly
Fand Fand Found
Flang Flang Flung
Flig Flig To fly
Fonned Fond Foolish
Gaddered Gaddered Gathered
Geven Geven(1) }
Goven Govven(1)} Given
Gotten Gotten Got
Lapped Lapped }
Lappide Lapp’t } Wrapped
Laverock Lairock _or_ laverock The lark
Leifer Leif _or_ leifer Soon, willingly
Moniment Moniment Monument
Mown Mun Must
Ony Onny Any
Partinge Parting Division
Plain Pleean Complain
Putten Putten Put
Quyt Quit To repay
Rewe Rewe Repent
Ridile Ruddle _or_ riddle To sift
Shamefuller Shamefuller Very disgraceful
Snarled Snarled Knotted
Stakker Stakker Stagger
Strake Strake Struck
Swownd Swound _or_ soond To faint
Telde Tell’d _or_ tell’t Told
Threpe Threeap Argue, contend
Togedder Togedder Together
Tossen Tossen To throw
Twey Tweea Two
Ware Ware Beware
Wrack Wrack Destruction
By hook or crook By hook or crook By any means

(1) ‘Gi’en’ is by far the most general. Still, amongst the older
people, one often hears ‘geven’ and ‘govven.’

Need I add more to prove my case? I think not.

Those interested are requested to read the concluding remarks at the end of the Glossary.

GLOSSARY

OF ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND NORTH RIDING WORDS

_Giving only those daily in use at the present time, 1898, together with more than 1000 sentences as examples of the dialect._

FOR RARE AND OBSOLETE WORDS, SEE OTHER GLOSSARIES.

N.B.—Some words as we pass from east to west of the North Riding differ slightly in pronunciation; such, when established over a sufficiently wide area, have been included in the Glossary. It is owing to this that the spelling of the same word varies throughout the work, as in all cases the dialect has been given in accordance with the pronunciation of the locality in which the incident or word uttered occurred. As a single example, take ‘fau’k,’ which is universal along the coast; further inland, in the Great Ayton and Stokesley district ‘fau’k’ and ‘fooak’ are equally common, whilst in Wensleydale and Swaledale ‘fooak’ is only heard.

ABBREVIATIONS.

abv. = abbreviated.
_adj._ = adjective.
_adv._ = adverb.
_conj._ = conjunction.
_pron._ = pronoun.
ex. = example.
_intj._ = interjection.
_n._ = noun.
N.R. = North Riding.
_v._ = verb.
_part._ = participle.
_pp._ = past participle.
_prep._ = preposition.
_pret._ = preterit.
_num._ = numeral.

A.

+A+ or +Eh+, _p._ _pr._ He. _Vide_ footnote, p. 326. [TN. Footnote 103]

+A+, _num._ _adj._ One. _Vide_ +Yah+, +Yan+.

+A’+, _adj._ All.

+Aa!+ _intj._ Exclamation of surprise, admiration.

+Aa+, but. +Aa+, but +Ah saay!+ _intj. of comparison_.
Ex.—_Aa, but Ah saay!_ _Ah aim ’at yon pig’s better ’an oors._

+Aback+, _adv._ Behind.

+Aback o’ beyont+, _adv._ Out of sight, out of the way.
Ex.—_Them things is sadly i’ t’ road. Ah wish thoo’d git ’em aback
o’ beyont._

+Abeear+, _v._ To endure.
Ex.—_Ah caan’t abeear t’ seet o’ yon lass._

+Aboon+, _prep._ Above.

+Aboon-heead+, _adv._ Overhead.
Ex.—_It leeaks a bit blackish aboon-heead._

+Abraid+, _v._ To wake, to stir up.

+Abrede+, _adv._ Width.

+Accorn+, +Yackron+, _n._ The acorn.

+Acoz+, _conj._ Because; often abv. to ‘’coz.’

+Actilly+, _adv._ Actually.

+Addle+, _adj._ Barren.

+Addle+, _v._ To earn.

+Addlin’+, _n._ A term of contempt.
Ex.—_Thoo larl addlin’, ger awaay wi’ tha._

+Addlin’s+, _n._ Wages.

+Admire+, _v._ 1. To approve, to like.
2. To wonder.
Ex.—1. _Ah deean’t admire a job o’ that soart._ _Ah admire t’ maist
o’ what he did._
2. _Ah caan’t bud admire at t’ waay he did it._

+Adreead+, _adj._ In a state of fear.

+‘A’e+, +‘Ev+, _v._ Have.

+Aether+, +Owther+, _conj._ Either.

+Afeear’d+, _adj._ and _part._ Afraid, seized with fear.

+Afoor+, +Afur+, _prep._ Before.

+Afoor+- or +Afur-lang+, _adv._ Before long, very shortly.

+After+- or +Efter-birth+, _n._ Placenta.

+Afterwit, Efterwit+, _n._ An idea which strikes one often when too
late to remedy a mistake.

+Agaan+, +Ageean+, _prep._ Again.

+Agaanst+ or +Ageeanst+, _prep._ Against.

+Agaate+, +Ageeat+, _adv._ 1. On the way.
2. Begun; also used as a _part._
3. To disturb.
4. To set going.
Ex.—1. _Wa s’all git agaate ti morn at morn._
2. _Ah’s agaate wi’ ‘t noo._
3. _Naay, what! Ah’d gitten all sattled peeacably, an’ thoo gans an’
sets ’em all agaate agaan._
4. _Ah’ve putten a new pin in, an’ sha’s agaate agaan noo._

+Agee+, _adv._ Askew.

+Ah+, _per. pron._ I.

+Ah’ll+, I will.

+Ah’ll awaand+, I will warrant.

+Ah’ll be bun+, I will be bound, I am sure.

+Ahint+, _adv._ and _prep._ Behind.

+Aiblings+, _adv._ Maybe, perhaps.

+Aim+, +Aam+, +Yam+, _v._ 1. To intend. 2. To be under the impression.
_Vide_ chapter on ‘Idioms.’
Ex.—1. _Wa aim ti start ti flit ti morn fust thing_, i.e. ‘We intend
to remove our goods first thing to-morrow.’
2. _Ah yam’d ’at he war Tommy’s bairn_, i.e. ‘I thought that he was
Tom’s bairn.’

+Airm+, _n._ Arm.

+Airt+, _n._ Point of the compass.
Ex.—_What airt is t’ wind in? Whya, sha’s nobbut iv a bad airt; Ah
doot ’at it’s nut gahin’ ti tak up._

+Al+, +Yal+, _n._ Ale.

+Alaane+, +Aleean+, _adj._ Alone.

+Aliments+, _n._ Elements.

+All of a heh+, _adj._ Inclining to one side.

+All out+, _adv._ Altogether, absolutely.

+All ti nowt+, Gone to nothing, dwindled away.

+Ally+, +Ally-taw+, _n._ A boy’s taw of white marble, distinct from
either a stony or glassy.

+Along of+, _prep._ Owing to, in consequence of.

+Amaist+, +Omaist+, _adv._ Almost.

+Amang+, _prep._ Among.

+Amang-hands+, Implies the doing of certain work coincidently with
other labour.

+Amell+, _prep._ In the midst, between.

+Ance+, _Vide_ +Yance+.

+An’+, _conj._ And.

+‘An+, _conj._ Than.

+An’ all+, _conj._ and _adv_. As well as, besides, truly.

+Ane+, _num. adj._ One, usually followed by ’ither,’ i.e. other.
Ex.—_If Ah’ll tak t’ ane, will thoo tak t’ ither? Vide_ +Yan+.

+Anew+, _adj._ Enough in number.

+Angry+, _adj._ Inflamed.

+Anotherkins+, _adj._ Different altogether.
Ex.—_Sha sartinly raffled on tiv a gert len’th, bud sha nivver
tell’d ma ’at Willie hed offered ti gi’e ma summat—that’s
anotherkins, thoo knows._

+Anters+, _conj._ For fear, lest.

+Any+, +Onny+, _adv._ At all, in the least.
Ex.—_Ah doan’t aim ’at he’ll help onny_, i.e. ‘I do not think that
he will help at all.’ _He teeak ho’d, bud he didn’t lift onny_,
i.e. ‘He took hold, but he did not lift in the least.’

+Apace+, +Apaace+, _adv._ With great speed.
Ex.—_He’s gitten tweea mair lads; he’ll git on apaace noo._

+Appron+, _n._ The fat covering the belly of ducks and geese.

+Arf+, +Arfish+, _adj._ 1. Timid, fearful.
2. Unwilling.
Ex.—1. _He wur a bit arfish when t’ dog boonced oot._
2. _Naay, Ah deean’t think he’ll cum, he seem’d a bit arfish when
Ah ax’d him._

+Argify+, _v._ To argue.

+Arn+, _v._ To earn.

+Arr+, _n._ A scar.
Ex.—_Ah’s afeear’d he’ll be arr’d sairly on his feeace, he gat sae
badly bo’nt._

+Arran web+, _n._ A cobweb.

+Arridge+, _n._ The rough edge left after either sawing or filing;
the edge of a squared stone, of furniture, &c.

+Arse-end+, _n._ The end of a stook which rests upon the ground.

+Arsey-varsey+, Upside down, great confusion.

+Ashads+, _prep._ Beside.

+Asher+, _adj._ Ashen.

+Ask+, +Esk+, _n._ The newt.

+Aslew+, _adj._ Not perpendicular.

+Ass+, _v._ _Vide_ +Ax+.

+Asseer+, _v._ To assure, _adv._ Instead, in the place of.

+Assel-tree+, _n._ Axle-tree.

+Ass-hoal+, _n._ A hole with a grate over it, usually under the
kitchen fire, to hold the fine ash.

+Assil-teeath+ or +-tewth+, _n._ A molar, a back tooth.

+Ass-manner+, _n._ Manure obtained from the ash-midden.

+Ass-midden+, _n._ The place in which ashes and other refuse is
thrown.

+Asteead+, _adv._ Instead.

+As tite+, +Ez tite+, _adv._ As soon, rather, readily.
Ex.—_Ah’d ez tite gan ez stop_, i.e. ‘I would as soon go as stay.’
_Ah’d ez tite kiss t’ dowter ez t’ muther_, i.e. ‘I would rather
kiss the daughter than the mother.’

+‘At+, _rel. pron._ and _conj._ 1. Who.
2. That.
3. Which.
Ex.—1. _Him ’at tell’d tha, tell’d tha wrang_, i.e. ‘He who told
you, told you wrongly.’
2. _Ah caan’t saay ’at ivver Ah did_, i.e. ‘I cannot say that ever
I did.’

+At+, _prep._ 1. To.
2. Also used in a verbal sense of to worry.
3. To attack.
4. To bother.
Ex.—1 and 3. _What’s he deean at tha ’at thoo s’u’d at him leyke
that?_ i.e. ‘What has he done to you that you should attack or
illuse him like that.’
2 and 4. _Ah s’all ’ev ti let her ’ev t’ pup, ska’s awlus at ma
aboot it._

+Atefter+ or +Atefther+, _adv._ Afterwards.
Ex.—_Whya, noo, Ah’ll see tha atefter aboot it. Aye, that’s what
he sed at fo’st, bud he tell’d a different taal atefter._

+Athout+, _prep._ and _conj._ Without, unless.

+Atop o’+, _prep._ On the top of.

+Atter+, _n._ Matter, mucus.

+Atween+, _prep._ Between.

+Au’d-feshioned+, _adj._ Precocious, antique.

+Au’d-leyke+, _adj._ Aged.

+Aught+, _n._ Anything.

+Aund+, +Awned+, _pp._ Possessed.

+Aw+, _adj._ All.

+Aw+, _intj._ Oh.

+Awaay+, _intj._ Go on, continue doing the same thing.
Ex.—_It maay scream awaay foor owt ’at Ah care_, i.e. ‘Scream on.’
‘Fight away, my lads.’ ‘Shout away, my boys.’

+Awaay-gannin’ crops+, _n._ The crops an outgoing tenant sows and
reaps on the farm he is leaving, in consideration of certain other
land which he has fallowed and manured.

+Awanting+, _adj._ 1. Needed.
2. Lacking sense.
Ex.—1. _T’ land’s vastly awanting a sup o’ rain._
2. _That bairn’s a bit awanting._

+Awe+, _Vide_ +Owe+.

+Awhahl+, _conj._ Awhile. _Vide_ +Whahl+.

+Awkward+, _Vide_ +Okkad+.

+Awlus+, +Allus+, _adv._ Always.

+Awm+, _n._ The elm.

+Awn+, _v._ 1. To own.
2. To admit.
Ex.—1. _Ah awn t’ dog_, i.e. ‘I own the dog.’
2. _Did ta awn tiv owt?_ i.e. ‘Did you admit anything?’ _Neea, Ah
awned ti nowt_, i.e. ‘No, I admitted nothing.’ _Ti awn ti_, is
‘to confess.’

+Ax+, +Ax’d+, +Ass+, or +Ast+, _v._ To ask.
Ex.—_Ah ax’d him, bud he wadn’t ’a’e neea truck. Ah’s ast oot ti
tea ti morn at neet._ _Ah wadn’t ax him owt_, or _ass him_.

+Ax’d at chetch or chŭch+ } Publishing the banns.
+Ax’d oot+ }
Ex.—_Tha’ll be ax’d at chetch o’ Sunday; he’s putten t’ spurrings
in._

+Aye+, +bairn+. Assent.

+Aye+, +foor seear+. Aye, for sure.

+Aye+, +marry+, _adv._ Certainly, yes.
Ex.—_Diz ta believe what sha’s sed aboot Hannah? Aye, marry, that
Ah deea—Hannah war sadly flowtered t’ other daay, when Ah plump’d
her wi’ ‘t._

B.

+Bab+, +Babby+, _n._ A baby.

+Babbles an’ Saunters+, 1. Wearying repetitions.
2. Unreliable information.
Ex.—1. _T’ sarmon war larl better ’an babbles an’ saunters._
2. _Tak neea notish ov owt ’at sha sez, all ’at sha knaws is babbles
an’ saunters._

+Back+, _v._ _Vide_ +Backen+.

+Back-bearaway+, _n._ The common bat.

+Back-burden+, _n._ A load carried on the back.

+Backen+, _v._ 1. To retard.
2. To hold in check.
Ex.—1. _T’ frost ’ll backen things a gay bit._
2. _Wa did all ’at ivver wa c’u’d, bud wa c’u’dn’t backen t’
inflammation; ’t ’ed gitten past deeaing owt, afoor t’ doctor
cam._

+Back-end+, _n._ The time following harvest.

+Backendish+, _adj._ Winterly.
Ex.—_It’s cau’d, an’ begins ti feel a larl bit backendish._

+Backerly+, _adj._ and _adv._ Late, backward.

+Backly+, _adv._ Late, backward.

+Backreck’nin’+, _n._ A misunderstanding.
Ex.—_Noo Ah’ve maad it plaan, ’evn’t Ah? foor Ah deean’t want
neea backreck’nin’ at efter._

+Back-talk+, _n._ Impudently answering again.

+Back-side+, _n._ 1. The back of the house.
2. That part which is opposed to the front of anything.
Ex.—1. _Put t’ barrer at t’ back-side._
2. _It’s at t’ back-side o’ t’ barn._

+Backstan+, _n._ A sheet of iron, sometimes a stone, having an iron
hoop to hang it over the fire by, used to bake cakes upon.

+Back up, To get one’s+, To make angry.

+Back-word+, _adv._ To countermand, to decline.

+Bad+, _adj._ 1. Difficult.
2. Unwell.
Ex.—1. _Ah finnd it varra bad ti deea._
2. _Ah feel ez bad ez ivver Ah can._

+Bad+, +Bod+, _pret._ of ’to bid.’
Ex.—_Ah bad, an’ sha bod, an’ Tommy gat it._

+Badger+, _n._ A huckster.

+Badger+, _v._ To beat down in a bargain.
Ex.—_Thoo mun ass him a lump mair ’an what thoo wants, foor he’s
a despert yan at badgering._

+Badly+, _adv._ 1. Sickly, ill.
2. Very much.
Ex.—1. _Mah wo’d, bud Ah is badly._
2. _Ah’s badly i’ want ov a self-binnder. It badly wants leeaking
teea._

+Badness+, _n._ Wickedness.
Ex.—_He’s full o’ nowt bud badness._

+Bags Ah fuggy+, ‘I claim the first,’ whether it be innings or
first place in a game, &c.

+Bahd+, _Vide_ +Bide+.

+Bainest+, _adj._ The nearest.
Ex.—_It’s t’ bainest waay ti gan byv t’ pastur._

+Bairn+, +Barn+, +Baan+, _n._ A child.

+Bairn-birth+, _n._ Lying-in.

+Bairnish+, _adj._ Childish.

+Bairn-lakings+, _n._ Playthings.

+Bakin’+, _n._ The whole of the bread baked at one time.

+Bakus+, +Bakehoos+, _n._ The bakehouse.

+Balk+, +Bawk+, _n._ A beam, also a worthless corner of a field.

+Ball+, _n._ The palm of the hand, or sole of the foot.

+Bally-bleeazes+, _n._ A bonfire.

+Bam+, _n._ and _v._ 1. A cheat, a joke, to cheat.
2. To play a joke.
Ex.—1. _He bamm’d ivvery hand he played._
2. _He went all t’ waay ti Stowsla ti see her, an’ sha nivver
cam oot; it war nowt bud a bam o’ Jack’s._

+Band+, _n._ String, twisted straw used by the harvesters to bind
sheaves with.

+Band-maker+, _n._ A maker of bands in the harvest-field.

+Bang+, _v._ To thrash.

+Bangs all+, _v._ Surpasses everything.
Ex.—_He bangs all, yon youth. That’s a capper; it bangs all, it
diz._

+Bank up+, _v._ To collect in masses, as clouds.

+Banky+, _adj._ Hilly, applied to road or land.

+Bar+, _adj._ Bare.

+Barfan+, _n._ A horse-collar.

+Bargh+, +Barugh+, +Barf+, _n._ A hill forming part of a low ridge,
as Lang Barugh, Great Ayton.

+Bargollies+, _n._ Young birds before they are feathered.

+Barguest+, _n._ An apparition, applied to ghosts in general.

+Barken’d+, _v._ Encrusted.

+Barley-bairn+, _n._ A child born shortly after marriage.

+Barm+, _n._ Yeast.

+Barren+, _n._ The external part of the sexual organ of a cow.

+Barrow+, _n._ The flannel in which a newly-born child is wrapped.

+Bass+, _n._ Any kind of matting made from reeds or grass.

+Bat+, _n._ 1. A blow.
2. A condition.
3. A small amount of work.
Ex.—1. _Ah gav’ him sike a bat ower t’ lug._
2. _He’s awlus at that bat_, i.e. ‘game.’
3. _Ah’ve nut deean a bat sen yesterdaay._

+Bate+, _v._ To reduce in price.
Ex.—_Thoo’ll ’a’e ti bate summat afoor wa can barg’in._

+Bath+, _v._ To wash a child; to foment with hot water.

+Batten+, _n._ Two sheaves of straw.

+Batter+, _n._ An inclination inwards, a narrowing towards the
summit. A wall which is wider at the base than at the summit is
said to ‘batter.’
Ex.—_Thoo’ll be leyke ti gi’e it a bit mair batter, foor if
t’ bank at t’ back gi’es waay, it’ll nivver bahd it thrussin’
agaan ’t._

+Batter-fanged+, _adj._ Beaten and scratched by a woman.
Ex.—_He nobbut sed tweea wo’ds ti Ann, when sha batter-fang’d
him sairly._

+Battin+, _n._ A rafter of any length, 7 × 2½ in. thick.

+Baufy+, _adj._ Strong.

+Bavin+, _n._ A bundle of sticks.

+Bawks+, _n._ The yoke.

+Bazzak+, _v._ To strike with force.

+Beck+, _n._ A small stream.

+Bedfast+, _adj._ Confined to bed.

+Bed-happings+, _n._ Bedclothes.

+Bed-heead+, _n._ The pillow end.

+Bedho’dden+, _adj._ _Vide_ +Bedfast+.

+Bedoot+, +Beoot+, _prep._ 1. Without.
2. Unless.
Ex.—1. _He’s gahin’ ti gan bedoot tha._
2. _Bedoot thoo cums an’ all, Ah saan’t gan, soa thoo knaws._

+Bedstock+, _n._ The wooden frame of a bed.

+Bed-twilt+, _n._ Bed-quilt.

+Beeaf+, _n._ The bough of a tree. _Vide_ also Bugh.

+Beeak+, _v._ To bake.

+Beeal+, _v._ 1. To roar as an animal.
2. To cry out in pain.
3. To shout loudly.
Ex.—1. _He beeal’d leyke a bull when tha catch’d him._
2. _Ah nivver heeard a lass beeal oot leyke what sha did when
t’ doctor cut her wicklow._
3. _When he calls o’ yan, he beeals ez if yan war deeaf; he
ommaist deavens yan._

+Beean+, _n._ A bone.

+Beean’t+, Be not (am not).

+Beearer+, _n._ Martingale.

+Beeas+, +Beeos+, +Beeast+, _n._ An animal of the ox kind.

+Beeaslings+, _n._ The first milk drawn from a cow after calving.

+Beeldin’+, _n._ A building.

+Bee-skep+, _n._ A straw hive.

+Behappen+, _v._ To happen to, perhaps.

+Behauf+, _n._ Behalf, sake.

+Beho’dden+, _pp._ To be indebted to.

+Belang+, _v._ To own, to belong to.

+Belder+, _v._ To bellow as a bull, to cry out loudly.

+Beleyke+, _adv._ Probably.

+Belk+, _v._ To belch.

+Bellacing+, _part._ A sound thrashing.

+Belly-cheer+, _n._ Good cheer.

+Belly-glut+, _n._ A greedy glutton.

+Belly-timber+, _n._ Food.

+Belly-wark+, _n._ A pain in the stomach.

+Belt+, _pp._ of ‘Build.’

+Bensil+, _n._ A blow.

+Bensiling+, _n._ A sound chastisement.
Ex.—_Ah’ll gi’e tha sike a bensiling if ivver thoo cums that
gam agaan._

+Benty+, _adj._ Wiry, blue-looking, applied to pasture herbage.

+Berry-tree+, _n._ The gooseberry tree.

+Bessy-babs+, _n._ One who behaves like a child.

+Bessy-bainworts+, _n._ Daisies.

+Bessy-ducker+ or -+douker+, _n._ The water-ousel.

+Best leg first, To put one’s+ = To hurry.
Ex.—_If ya aim ti catch t’ traan ya’ll ’a’e ti put yer best leg
fo’st._

+Best+ and +Bested+. Used in a verbal sense—1. To get the better of.
2. To overcome.
Ex.—1. _Ah bested him_, i.e. ‘I got the better of him.’
2. _Ah can seean best yon youth_, i.e. ‘I can soon vanquish that
fellow,’

+Bethink+, +Bethowt+, _v._ To recollect.
Ex.—_Ah caan’t bethink ma ov hauf o’ what sha sed. When Tom ga’
ma a inklin’ Ah bethowt ma ov ivverything ’at ’ed ta’en
pleeace; aye, all ’at t’ ane ’ed sed ti t’ other, thoff afoor
that all t’ lot ’ed cleean slipped fra mah mahnd._

+Better+, _adj._ and _v._ 1. More.
2. To gain by.
3. Improved in health.
Ex.—1. _It’s better ’an a month sen._
2. _Ah s’ better mysel by changing pleeaces._
3. _Ah’s a lot better ti-daay._

+Bettering+, _n._ An improvement.

+Bettermy+, _adj._ 1. Used to denote those in a higher position.
2. Polished.
Ex.—1. _T’ bettermy fau’k ’ez their waays, an’ wa’ ‘ev oors;
bud when onny on ’em cums inti mah cottage, Ah awlus puts on
mah bettermy manners, an’ Ah can scrape mah tongue an’ knack
a bit wi t’ best on ’em._

+Beyont+, _prep._ Beyond.

+Bickerin+’, _n._ A wordy conflict, quarrelling.
Ex.—_Tommy an’ Mary’s at it agaan; Ah nivver heeard sike
bickerin’ deed ez yon tweea ’ev, tha’re awlus at it._

+Bid+, _v._ To invite to a funeral.

+Bidder+, _n._ The person deputed to bid guests to a funeral.

+Bide+, +Bahd+, _v._ 1. To endure.
2. To wait.
3. To dwell.
Ex.—1. _Ah caan’t bahd yon chap._
2. _Ah’ll bahd here whahl ya cum._
3. _Wheear did ta bahd afoor thoo cam ti live here?_

+Big+, _adj._ Strong—of the wind.
Ex.—_It war a fairly big wind last neet._

+Bigg+, _n._ Barley having four rows of ears on one stalk.

+Bike+, _n._ The nest of the wild bee.

+Bile+, _n._ A boil.

+Binch+, _n._ A bench to work upon.

+Bink+, _n._ A long seat of either stone or wood.

+Binnd+, _v._ To bind.

+Binnder+, +Binndther+, _n._ The tier-up of sheaves.

+Birk+, _n._ The birch-tree.

+Birr+, _n._ Rapid motion accompanied with a sound like whirr-r-r.
Ex.—_T’ bo’ds gat up an’ went wi’ sike a birr, ’at Ah aim he war
ti freet’n’d ti shut at ’em._

+Bishel+, _n._ A bushel.

+Bishopped+, _Vide_ Set on.

+Biv+, +Byv+, _prep._ By.

+Bizzum+, +Buzzum+, _n._ A broom.

+Bizzum-heead+, _n._ A person who is equally foolish and stupid.

+Bizzum-+ or +Buzzum-heeaded+, _adj._ Stupid and foolish.

+Black-clocks+, _n._ Black beetles.

+Blacking+, _n._ A severe scolding.

+Bladdry+, +Blathery+[110], _adj._ Muddy, applied to soft splashy
mud.

+Blaeberry+, _n._ The bilberry.

+Blair+, _v._ To roar loudly, to shout loudly.

+Blake+, _adj._ Of a light golden hue, pale.
Ex.—_Noo, that’s a bit o’ neyce blake butter. Thoo nobbut leeaks
blakeish._

+Blake+, _v._ Intoxicated.
Ex.—_Jim war fairly blake last neet._

+Blane+, _n._ A small boil.

+Blash+, _v._ 1. To splash with water.
2. _adj._ Nonsense, idle talk.

+Blashment+, _n._ Melted snow or soft mud.

+Blashy+, _adj._ Applied to wet weather. The roads are said to be
‘blashy’ when the snow melts.

+Blather+, _adj._ and _n._ Nonsense.

+Bleb+, _n._ A blister, a small bubble.

+Bleck+, _n._ The dirt and oil worked together on a machine.

+Bleea+, _n._ The inner bark of a tree.

+Blendcorn+, _n._ A mixture of wheat and rye.

+Blendings+, _n._ A mixture of peas and beans.

+Blether+, _n._ Noisy foolish talk.

+Bletherheead+, _n._ One full of silly talk.

+Blew milk+, _n._ Skim milk.

+Blind-worm+, _n._ A non-venomous snake.

+Blirt+, _v._ To tell anything suddenly.
Ex.—_Yan caan’t trust Sally wi’ nowt, sha blirts oot all sha
knows._

+Blish-blash+, _n._ Tittle-tattle.

+Blo’+, _n._ Bloom.

+Blob+, _v._ To bubble, as air rising in water.
Ex.—_He tumm’l’d blob inti t’ beck_ is quite a common form of
speech. The original meaning may have been that the falling
in caused many bubbles.

+Bloss+, _v._ and _n._ 1. To make ugly, to disfigure.
2. A dowdy.
Ex.—1. _Her feeace war bloss’d wi’ blebs an’ blanes._
2. _Sha is a bloss is yon lass._

+Blotch+, _n._ A blot, a spot.

+Blubber+ or +Bluther+, _v._ To cry.

+Blur+, _v._ To blot or smear.

+Blurt+, _v._ To suddenly weep.

+Blustery+, _adj._ Squally.

+Blutherment+, _n._ Puddle, slush of any kind.

+Bobblekins+, _n._ The water buttercup.

+Bodden+, _v._ 1. To impose too heavy a task.
2. To accuse, to charge with.
Ex.—1. _He’s bodd’n’d t’ lad wi’ mair an’ a day’s wark._
2. _Well, an’ thoo’d ’a’e slapt her a feeace an’ all if sha’d
bodd’n’d thee wi’ t’ seeam ez sha plump’d me wi’._

+Bodden+, _pp._ of ‘to bide.’

+Boddum+, _v._ To thoroughly investigate.
Ex.—_Ah’ll boddum ’t if it cost ma fahve pund._

+Boddums+, _n._ and _adj._ Lowest, lowest ground.

+Boddy+, _n._ A person.
Ex.—_Sha’s a deeacent boddy, is ‘Liza._

+Boggart+ } _n._ A ghost.
+Boggle+ }

+Boggle+, _v._ To jib, to frame badly; also a _n._ inaptitude.
Ex.—_He’ll mak nowt bud a boggle on ’t._

+Boiling+, _n._ The whole lot, whether of persons or things.

+Bolden+, _v._ To encourage, to incite.
Ex.—_Yance ower Ah felt a larl bit fearsome, bud he bolden’d ma
ti deea ’t, seea Ah bunched him._

+Boll+, _n._ The trunk of a tree.

+Bonny+, _adj._ 1. A large quantity or number.
2. Strange.
3. Good-looking.
Ex.—_Aye, ther’ wur a bonny lot on ’em, a vast mair ’an Ah’d
aim’d ti see._
2. _Ther’ll be bonny deed i’ Bedale a week cum Mundaay._
3. _It’s a bonny-leeaking meer._

+Bon’t!+ _intj._ Bother it (literally, burn it).

+Bo’nt+, _pp._ Burnt.
Ex.—_Sha’s bo’nt her pinny wiv a cat’ren wheel._

+Booak+, +Bowk+, _v._ To retch, to vomit.

+Book+, +Bouk+, _n._ Bulk.

+Bool+, _v._ To trundle a hoop.

+Booler+, _n._ A child’s hoop.

+Bor+, _n._ The seed of the burdock.

+Borril+, _n._ The gadfly.

+Bost+, _v._ To burst or break in small pieces.

+Botch+, _v._ To repair in an unworkmanlike manner.

+Botchet+, _n._ Mead, made from honey.

+Bottery+, +Bore-tree+, +Bur-tree+, _n._ The alder-tree.

+Bottom+, _Vide_ +Boddums+.

+Boult+ or +Bou’t upright+. Upright, erect.

+Boun+, +Bun+, _adj._ Going, on the point of.
Ex.—_Ah’s bun ti deea’t t’ next job. Ah doot t’ au’d thing’s
boun ti dee. Ah war just boun ti pop ower, if thoo ’edn’t
dropt in._

+Bound+, +Bun+, _adj._ Compelled.
Ex.—_Ah’s ’a’e ti gan, in fact Ah’s bound ti gan._

+Bounder-marks+ or +-steeans+, _n._ Stones erected to mark
boundaries.

+Bow-bridge+ or +-brigg+, _n._ A one-arched bridge, several of
which still exist.

+Bowdykite+, _n._ An impudent child.

+Boxin+, _adj._ Buxom.

+Brack+, _pret._ of ‘to breke,’ ‘breck,’ or ‘breeak.’

+Bracken+, _n._ The common fern (_Pteris aquilina_).

+Brade+, _v._ To spread abroad.

+Brading aboot+, _part._ Gossiping.

+Brae+, _n._ The overhanging portion of the bank of a river.

+Braeful+, _adj._ Bankful.

+Brag+, _v._ To boast.

+Brahdal-bands+, _Vide_ +Bridal-bands+.

+Brahd-wain+, _n._ A wagon laden with furniture, &c., taken
from the home of the bride.

+Braid-band+, _n._ A sheaf of corn laid out to dry.

+Bramlings+, _n._ The red worms used as bait for trout.

+Bramm’l+, _n._ The bramble.

+Brander+, _n._ An arrangement varying in design—often in the shape
of a tripod—fixed over the fire to support pans, &c.

+Brander+, _v._ To cook over the fire.

+Brandery+, _n._ A wood frame used in making wells.

+Bran-new+, +Brander spander new+, _adj._ Quite new.

+Brant+, _adj._ Steep.
Ex.—_Thoo’ll ’a’e ti put t’ skid on, its varra brant._

+Brash+, _n._ Useless refuse, a rising of acid into the mouth.

+Brashy+, _adj._ Worthless.

+Brass+, _n._ 1. Money.
2. Impudence.
Ex.—1. _Brass nivver chinks sae sweetly ez when t’ soond cums
fra yan’s awn pocket._
2. _If he’d nobbut hauf ez mich brass iv his pocket ez he ’ez iv
his feeace, he nivver need deea a hand stroak._

+Brassend+, +Brazzend+, _adj._ Impudent. When applied to a female,
immoral.

+Brat+, _n._ A child.

+Brattice+, _n._ A wooden partition dividing two rooms.

+Bratty+, _adj._ Applied to cream or milk when turning sour.

+Brave+, _adj._ Good in quality as well as in appearance.

+Bravely+, _adj._ and _adv._ Exceeding, exceedingly well.

+Bray+, _v._ 1. To thrash, flog.
2. To overcome.
Ex.—1. _Ah’ll bray tha when thoo cums in._
2. _Ah can bray yon chap wi’ yah han’ i’ mah pocket._

+Brazent+, +Brazened+. Impudent. _Vide_ +Brassend+.

+Breaks+, +Brooks+, _n._ Boils.