Many old sayings are unique to Sheffield. This is due to its location.
People in Sheffield had to negotiate a hill to anywhere they wished to go. The city, like Rome, is built on seven hills.
Unlike neighbouring towns in Lancashire and the rest of Yorkshire, the geography of the city was not conducive to travel. Hence, people stayed in their own vicinity for much longer than they would have done anywhere else.
As late as the 1930s, Sheffield was known as "The biggest village in England."

Many old sayings are unique to Sheffield. This is due to its location.
People in Sheffield had to negotiate a hill to anywhere they wished to go. The city, like Rome, is built on seven hills.
Unlike neighbouring towns in Lancashire and the rest of Yorkshire, the geography of the city was not conducive to travel. Hence, people stayed in their own vicinity for much longer than they would have done anywhere else.
As late as the 1930s, Sheffield was known as "The biggest village in England."
"I believe it still is the biggest village in England."

In Junior School during the war, we only ever had 'corky' balls for cricket as new ones were virtually impossible to get.
Only when I went to Grammar School in 1945 did we get decent equipment.
When I was in France in the 60's..my mates and I made friends with some American soldiers who were based in "St Nazare"..We used to pass time on the beach at "Le Baul" throwing a Baseball around...The Yanks always used one of those "Big Glove things" for catching the ball..and us "Brit Lads" used our bare hands (Cricket style)..the Base ball is about the same size and weight as a Cricket ball but the leather is softer...A concerned American told us that if we did not use "a Mitt" we could break our hands...We told him that
American baseball players were soffties co's English Cricket balls were harder and heavier...So to proove it we had one sent from England by a mate of mine
....the one we instructed him to buy was the famouse "Red Corker from Woolworths" this was a really solid heavy ball it felt like lump of lead, just some hard stuff sprayed red...When we intoduced this ball to the Yanks ( we told them this was a standard cricket ball) they must have thought we were supermen... or idiots...My hands were stinging for days after we demonstrated to them what real catching was about....Rule Brittania.

I thought this letter from the Times, May 26 would be appropriate on this thread. Entitled:
SINGULAR CHANGES
The French are fighting against the disappearance of the second person plural and even God is addressed a 'tu' or 'toi'. We abandoned the second person singular hundreds of yeard ago, except for God, who is still addressed as 'thee' or 'thou'.

I felt like answering the above and saying 'Tha dunt know much dus tha?

I thought this letter from the Times, May 26 would be appropriate on this thread. Entitled:
SINGULAR CHANGES
The French are fighting against the disappearance of the second person plural and even God is addressed a 'tu' or 'toi'. We abandoned the second person singular hundreds of yeard ago, except for God, who is still addressed as 'thee' or 'thou'.

I felt like answering the above and saying 'Tha dunt know much dus tha?

Nice one Texas; obviously grammarians haven't heard of Sheffield!!!

One of my favourite old Sheffield sayings is :-Don't thee tha' me, thee tha' thissen and see ar' tha' likes it. Which was said to people when they started using the words tee and tha' to someone in conversation.

Nice one Texas; obviously grammarians haven't heard of Sheffield!!!

We Sheffield born folk actually speak the lingo from Shakespeare's day!
For instance..You know..Thou Knowest..Tha noo-ez.
I bet Sheffielders would understand the language spoken in Will Shakespeares day better then anyone!:hihi: :hihi:

....and why would parents never be straight with you???

me to mum....weerz mi dad?
mum.........gone to see a man about a dog (learnt after the 6th time not to get excited, must be just a saying...)

me to dad....weerz mi mum
dad....Ran off weer black man....(dint worry after the second time, knew she'd come back!:)

I've noticed that Sheffield people have a tendency to either mispronounce words or give them an entirely different meaning.
The other day someone was describing a neighbour as "A docile bugger."
He wasn't using the word, 'Docile' as meaning tame or submissive; he meant he was thick and stupid!

A common expression which is seldom heard today was, "He wo all orr shant"

meaning he had lost control.

Does anyone remember this expression?

Happy Days!

....and why would parents never be straight with you???

me to mum....weerz mi dad?
mum.........gone to see a man about a dog (learnt after the 6th time not to get excited, must be just a saying...)

me to dad....weerz mi mum
dad....Ran off weer black man....(dint worry after the second time, knew she'd come back!:)


Same here, did we have the same Mum?:hihi:

my mother (And father) used to use those same expressions.

my mother was always threatening to "run off wi' a black-man"

the other saying she used to have was, if we were pestering her

"Ah'm gunna change mi bluddi name, an' ah wayn't tell ya what to!"

I remember me dad tellin us "Purrit darn tha chuff, that as weak as chip oyal vinigar, al do it missen.......itl either rain or gu dark afor mornin. And when we asked "weer tha guin dad" .You would get a quick "to see a man abart a dog."
Another one "put wood int oyal...shut the door.:P

my dad says these 2 ..
whenever i left a door open he would shout after me... put wood int oyal, wa tha born in a barn

When I was in France in the 60's..my mates and I made friends with some American soldiers who were based in "St Nazare"..We used to pass time on the beach at "Le Baul" throwing a Baseball around...The Yanks always used one of those "Big Glove things" for catching the ball..and us "Brit Lads" used our bare hands (Cricket style)..the Base ball is about the same size and weight as a Cricket ball but the leather is softer...A concerned American told us that if we did not use "a Mitt" we could break our hands...We told him that
American baseball players were soffties co's English Cricket balls were harder and heavier...So to proove it we had one sent from England by a mate of mine
....the one we instructed him to buy was the famouse "Red Corker from Woolworths" this was a really solid heavy ball it felt like lump of lead, just some hard stuff sprayed red...When we intoduced this ball to the Yanks ( we told them this was a standard cricket ball) they must have thought we were supermen... or idiots...My hands were stinging for days after we demonstrated to them what real catching was about....Rule Brittania.

Yanks get really upset when you tell them that Rounders (Baseball) is a game we play at school and that no adult would ever play it (I know this is not true but it does wind them up).

Regarding the game of Baseball, I'm not a 100% sure but I think it was first played here in England but it didn't gain a lot of popularity across the country.
It was certainly played up North though, think Derby, Baseball Ground.
But I digress. My main reason for posting is that I remembered another saying I used to hear as a kid.
One of the gang on Hayward Rd, Pitsmoor, his name was Gerald 'Spanky' Oates, used to use the word 'tranquilments' or 'trancklements', to refer to ones possesions or bits and pieces of junk. I've used it all my life, but there's no such word. I wondered if anybody else had ever heard it.

One of the gang on Hayward Rd, Pitsmoor, his name was Gerald 'Spanky' Oates, used to use the word 'tranquilments' or 'trancklements', to refer to ones possesions or bits and pieces of junk. I've used it all my life, but there's no such word. I wondered if anybody else had ever heard it.

Oh yes, I was always being told to "get these tranklements shifted" when I had some of my stuff out whether I'd finished with them or not:hihi: never heard it since or used it myself.

My family used the word tranclements.

It is a word as I once looked up to find the correct meaning.

It has gone out of popular usage like so many good words.

Originally it was a term that butchers used for all the animal 'bits' they cut off which were not really saleable.

Most people as you say used the word to describe any odds and ends in a drawer etc.

Happy days!

Another one my dad used was "rammel"....all that rammel in't cellar.....Often wonder if that was a real word as well...."Goo on, purrit wi' rest o' rammel yerve got in theer" he would say.....

I've just googled 'Loony Bin' to see where it originated and discovered this...

http://www.loony-bin.net/:loopy::hihi:

Correct as usual PoPT. I found it myself in the old Eric Partridge dictionary of historical slang, although it doesn't say if its Yorkshire or not. Like you say, it means entrails, intestines etc.
Certainly remember 'rammel' JoanL, good word that.

Oh my goodness, I am a bit late in finding this thread, but oh yes, tranclements and rammle or even rammy were always used in my family and I continue to use these words to this day.They're fantastic.Another word that was used was 'Skelp' as in 'I'm gonna skelp thi backside for thi if tha dunt geeoer' We always used to use the term'He's as thick as a set pot' I think that definetely came from the steelworks.My Na always used to say 'He's a little melter' when talking fondly of a child.

when i was little we used to say a rhyme called ar sals new bonnet .it went something like this ar sal got a mew bonnet last satday it ad a reeaph of roses reyt round front an a feather reyt down back.ar sal went to church last sunday all fewarks stud up and laughed .parson sed ere sal churchs a place of worship not a flower show. ar sal got ret ratty sed to parson thas eads reyt bald nowt in it nowt on it would tha like a feather out of my new bonnet.

Tha'll cum a cropper one o' these days thee..

Come a cropper is slang for suffering an embarrassing failure. The term comes from riding : it is when you fall off a horse very badly, generally forwards over the neck and crop.

Tha'll cum a cropper one o' these days thee..

Come a cropper is slang for suffering an embarrassing failure. The term comes from riding : it is when you fall off a horse very badly, generally forwards over the neck and crop.

Tharl get e belt round ear hoyle if thar dunt shut thi gob

My Nan passed these to me and my Mum and I wonder if anyone else has heard it or it's just my Nans' silly sayings -


'Rooer tha'll pee less' - which means cry and you will not wee as much!

'I'm stood ere like Clem Alice' - which means I am stood here waiting looking like an idiot!.

'It's a bit black ova Bills' Mothers' - It looks like it might rain

My bloke is a Southener and thinks I make up all these sayings but our family always use to say them and still do, I would love to know if anyone else has heard of any of these or is it just my families sayings.
:confused:

i remember 'Rooer tha'll pee less' mum used to say it to us all the time.

yorkshire slang has me in stitches, i recently watched "kes" i advise anyone to gerrit tith tha wants a laugh.

My Grandma always used to say 'I'm clemmed,' to mean hungry. Mind you she was 100% Cheshire, but she could've picked it up living in Sheffield.
Another one is 'clap cowd,' (very cold).

Soulvapour

The phrase 'It's looking a bit black over Bill's Mother's' is a line from the play, 'Hobson's Choice' written by the Bradford writer J.B. Priestley.

I do not know the origination of the other two sayings although I must have heard them spoken regularly by my folks.

Happy Days!

Another two sayings for you.

Which may have been true in those 'Good Old Days' but not now.

'If tha's gorra marriage problem darnstairs then oney way to settle it, is upstairs'.

and

'Nobdy all miss a slice off a cut loaf'.- reference to extra marital sex with a married woman.


Happy Days!

Soulvapour

The phrase 'It's looking a bit black over Bill's Mother's' is a line from the play, 'Hobson's Choice' written by the Bradford writer J.B. Priestley.

I do not know the origination of the other two sayings although I must have heard them spoken regularly by my folks.

Happy Days!

I'm sure hobson's choice is coming to the Lyceum this autumn, with fred "I say i say " elliott, alias John Savident

Where did the word Chuff come from?

Chuffin Hell!

Ar Gaffers a reight Chuff.

Chuff Off!

All phrases that Sheffielders use everyday but what is a chuff.

I know there is a bird called a Chough but I can't see Chuff being anything to do with that.

Happy Days!

Where did the word Chuff come from?

Chuffin Hell!

Ar Gaffers a reight Chuff.

Chuff Off!

All phrases that Sheffielders use everyday but what is a chuff.

I know there is a bird called a Chough but I can't see Chuff being anything to do with that.

Happy Days!
according to my old dictionary. chuff is a dull,stupid thick headed fellow :etmly unknown.

Does anyone use the word sleering nowadays, I still use it occasionally, it is not in any of my dictionaries I found out as I'd tried to use it in a crossword. :0

sleering as in sniping/ sniding, or sleering as in Sleering your feet? our family used it in both contexts.

The Purple Island

'And sleering eyes still watch and wait to spie When to return still-living injuries: Fair weather smil’d upon his painted face, And eyes spoke peace,' ...

Skippy

A bit late in replying to your posting but I've only just read it about 'Ickey wi' 'is eye cut'.

I wondered about this saying for years until someone pointed out a scene from the Bayeux tapestry.

It shows King Harold with an arrow in his eye and above it are the words
'Ici Harold'.

I'm still not sure if this explains the origins of the phrase but it certainly fits,
Ici wi' 'is eye cut*.

I would welcome any comments on this.

Happy Days!

As sick as a Cleethorpes donkey (Feeling bad that something has not turned out well)

If tha' dances wi' devil, thal' ge't pricked wi'-is 'orns (If you dance with the devil you'll get pricked by his horns; you will suffer if you do evil things)

It's nowt but spit an' glue (It was not very well-made)


A deputy (a foreman) in the pit, had to order 50 corrugated roofing sheets.
"Ar-does tha' spell corrugated?", he asked. "Err... jus' reet riggly-tin", his mate replied - and the only reason he could spell that was because he had a packet of chewing gum in his pocket.

("Wrigley's Chewing Gum", for the uninitiated)

Note to milkman..

"When you leave the milk please put coal on't fire, let't dog out and put't newspaper inside't door. P.S. Don't leave any milk."

Hear all, see all, say nowt.
Eat all, drink all, pay nowt,
and tha ever dus owt for nowt,
All-us do it for thee-sen.

"If tha knows nowt, say nowt an-appen nob'dee 'll notice."

sleering as in sniping/ sniding, or sleering as in Sleering your feet? our family used it in both contexts.
No I hadn't heard of sleering your feet- good one. Mam's sleering was usually as in 'tha a sleering get' (sarcastic person:)).
One other I remember - lolloping as in 'stop lolloping abart and get sommat dun'

No I hadn't heard of sleering your feet- good one. Mam's sleering was usually as in 'tha a sleering get' (sarcastic person:)).
One other I remember - lolloping as in 'stop lolloping abart and get sommat dun'

yup, "sleering get" fits in with with my mother's way of using "sleering"

Maybe both versions are a corruption of "slurring"?

My mother said it as..."slaring", as in "stop slaring yer feet"

and "sleering" to my dad as in "yer don't ave to start sleering" when he was making sarky grumbling remarks.
Oh, to hear it again.:)

What about the most used phrase spoken by the men of Sheffield.

*Wot's Fo' Tea?

Happy Days!

i have lived in sheffield all my life (27 years) and i have never heard of any of the phrases uses in any of the posting! Whats wrong with me?

Where did the word Chuff come from?

Chuffin Hell!

Ar Gaffers a reight Chuff.

Chuff Off!

All phrases that Sheffielders use everyday but what is a chuff.

I know there is a bird called a Chough but I can't see Chuff being anything to do with that.

Happy Days! I hope you're not being mischievous here PopT, because the original meaning of the word 'chuff' isn't something I would like to relate on here, it being extremely offensive. It does not mean 'to work with a regular sharp puffing sound' like from a steam engine. And it ain't anything to do with the well known Corvid either. Happy Days indeed!

Texas

If the word Chuff is so offensive half of Sheffield 'Dee Dahs' must be offensive as it was used very often in everyday conversation.

I have looked on Wikipedia and other dictionaries that came up when I 'googled' the word Chuff and didn't find anything remotely offensive.

If you do know any different, then do let us know.

I'm sure your explanation using your command of words, will not be offensive and will enlighten us all.


Happy Days!

I hope you're not being mischievous here PopT, because the original meaning of the word 'chuff' isn't something I would like to relate on here, it being extremely offensive. It does not mean 'to work with a regular sharp puffing sound' like from a steam engine. And it ain't anything to do with the well known Corvid either. Happy Days indeed!

I do remember an episode of the comedy series "Steptoe and Son" where the old man said to his son, (describing how thirsty he was) "I'm as dry as a sheep's chuff"

now I have my ideas what it meant, in that context, and I agree with texas that the particular inference wasn't a *coff* polite one.

You've got it.

Thanks to Texas and Plaintalker, I'll to be careful of what I post in future.

Can you help me with this one?

I worked with a Dee Dah who used a phrase which mean't, ' To give someone the elbow'

It was, 'Give im the old Spanish Archer'.

I do not know if it is a Sheffield saying or not.

Happy Days!

hi all, have you heard this one

weer reet dard in coyal oyl
weer muck spats on twinders
wiv used all our coyal up
and weer reet dard to cinders
if yon bailiffs cum theyll neer findus
cus weer reet down int coyal oyl
weer muck spats ont twinders
linda2

I grew up darn Sarf, but my parents, three of my grandparents, and my nextdoor neighbours were all Sheffielders. Many of my mates thought I was daft cos of the words I'd come out with.

I knew that:

spice = sweets
magic eye / goggle box / magic lantern = TV
mabs = marbles
rooarin = crying
weshed = washed
mardy = grumpy / ratty / moody
racket = lots of noise whilst playing
wappy = mad / nutty

and sayings I grew up with:

If I called my grandad he'd reply: "ello yersen an see 'ow you like it"
If us kids were making a racket, he'd tell us: "Go play on't M1"
If I left a door open: "Shu' thi dooar thee, was thi born in a baarn?"
If dark clouds came over: "It's a bi' black o'er back 'o Bill's muther's"
If anyone was trying to fix something and it didn't work, my nan used to say: "Tha's not 'oldin' thi tongue reight". I believe this referred to the way nippers poke their tongue out and to one side when they're concentrating hard.
When us kids were naughty, our neighbour who was originally from Brightside would threaten us with a machine in their shed (later moved to their garage) which she called a marmaliser: "If tha dun't be'ave, tha'll get marmalised!". Years later I had a look and it was a mounted jigsaw machine!
When we used to ask what was for tea, we'd be told: "Bread an' drippin'"
To us, Sutherlands Potted Meat was called "Potted pussy" (I don't even want to speculate how our family came to refer to it as that!)
Roast dinners (especially beef) were always preceded with Yorkshire pud and gravy, then the main course with more Yorkshire pud, and I always used to pray there'd be some left so I could have Yorkshire pud and jam for afters.
I assume it came from an advert, but occasionally my grandad would suddenly announce: "It's the Esso Blee Dooler!" (Esso Blue was a fuel bought in garages....and despite only being 37, I do remember seeing signs for Esso Blue)

There are so many more, but all my elderly Sheffield relatives have passed away now and I miss hearing their sayings.

Another couple of sayings well used in Sheffield.

'Gee it some stick' which was an old grinders reference to using a stick to bear down on a workpiece but used for nearly everything. Similar to 'Gee it some welly'

The other one was, 'Ee can gu, twenty to dozen' -a fast worker.

Happy Days!

When I was a young lad in the 1950's, if I didn't eat all my dinner, my grandmother used to say " Ee, thy owt 't clam" meaning if I wasted food, I ought to starve.

Here we go again-

If there was doubt as to the truth about what someone had been told, a popular phrase was, "It's all mi eye an Fanny Martin"

Who was Fanny Martin?

Come on Plaintalker & Texas, let's be knowing.

Please don't tell me I've written something rude again.

Happy Days!

Yeah, here we go again. Got to be honest and say I've never heard that one. Heard of Fanny Adams though. It was an old naval saying for corned beef. I always thought it was another way of saying 'F*** all, or all just a load of rubbish.
Thought of another one though. Buggerlugs. Dont thing I've ever heard that outside of Sheffield.
Back to the Fanny Martin bit though, I'll bet a £ to a pinch of s*** it's another navy saying.

Texas

You do seem to have a way with words.

There more stars in your posting than in the American Flag.

Got me licked with the word Buggerlugs, although it could have sexual connotations???

Happy Days!

Yeah, here we go again. Got to be honest and say I've never heard that one. Heard of Fanny Adams though. It was an old naval saying for corned beef. I always thought it was another way of saying 'F*** all, or all just a load of rubbish.
Thought of another one though. Buggerlugs. Dont thing I've ever heard that outside of Sheffield.
Back to the Fanny Martin bit though, I'll bet a £ to a pinch of s*** it's another navy saying.

sweet Fanny Adams=Nothing -Nada -F**k all
Can i have sixpence Mam to go to pictures "Thar'l get sweet fanny Adams till thar's dun that errond for me"
Buggerlugs was always used in a familiar and congenial connotation.
Talking about a neighbour child who is always getting into mischief
" He's a right bugalugs is their Raymond"

Big Ben
Struck ten
Little Ben
Spittiz 'sen

I'm told on good authority that the true saying is 'All my eye and BETTY Martin.'

Texas

Thanks for putting us back in the picture again.

The old 'Rememberer' isn't what it was.

Happy Days!

when we asked what was for tea, we were always told:
A run round the table and a kick of the cellar door

My favourites are:

"supwidee?" and "gerritetten"

Don't let the botom fall out of your world - Drink Wards ale and let the world fall out of your bottom.

'That's me, when I've had hash.' Anybody heard that one? It was used in situations when somebody had just made a strong point in an argument or after giving an opinion. Like,'Well I dont like it, and I think it's a bloody waste of good money, and that's me when I've had hash.'

Don't let the botom fall out of your world - Drink Wards ale and let the world fall out of your bottom. That's a shame, I used to like Wards.

I'm back in Sheffield and just received a copy of the Sheffield Gazette newspaper and on page 8 is an article about the Sheffielder Richard Caborn who was the ex Minister of Sport.

It says he has been awarded a HonoraryDoctorate in Sports Science by the Carnegie College in Leeds.

He said, "I was so CHUFFED when I was contacted by the college".

I think if a Sheffield MP can say this word in public and it be published I don't see what is offensive about the use of this well known and used Sheffield phrase.

Does this mean the word used in the south has different connotations to it being used in the north.

I welcome anyone's comments on this use of a slang word.

Happy Days!

Every body used to call my mate ..a "Tear arse" can someone explain what they mean't ?.

Every body used to call my mate ..a "Tear arse" can someone explain what they mean't ?.

It's a "label" given to someone who has farted loudly. Unfortunately I am often referred to thus....

Every body used to call my mate ..a "Tear arse" can someone explain what they mean't ?.

I always understood it to be someone who is always rushing around, hyper-active possibly, never sits down fo a second.
If I have been a bit busy myself I still say that I have been "tear arsing" around all day trying to get stuff done.

Timbuck
I think the word trazzing is the short form of tear-arseing.

There was an old saying referring to anyone who rushed about without thinking.

'He Dunt know diffrence between tearing his arse out or having a good s**t".

A lot of the old sayings were a bit basic and appear to be crude today but they were descriptive and put the point over with no ambiguity.

Happy Days!

Moderator

The postings on this thread is becoming a repeat of another thread 'Sheffield Dialect'.

Don't you think these two threads should be merged?

Here's another one, rather rude, my nan, bless her, used to use, "You don't look at mantlepiece while you're stoking fire" use your imagination.

Has anyone mentioned " gradely " - that used to be a common word meaning " well done " ? And Joanl you are right about " tear arsing ".

When I worked in London, what amused my Cockney colleagues was when I referred to someone who was ill as being "badly" or even "off o' t' hooks".

How poems rhymes and songs stick in your mind !
I remember in the early '50's [Must have been ] , when Derek Dooley was doing so well for Sheffield Wednesday. A group of office girls made up a little song to be sung to the tune of , "Rudolph the Red -Nosed Reindeer " and they published it in the Star.
I can't remember much of it at all , but it started out ,

Dooley , the Centre Forward ,

Has a very awkward style ............etc.......

Tragically he'd only been playing for a very short time when he had the bad accident at Preston North End 's ground.
I don't follow football at all but I always recall the , "song ".
It would be a long chance now if anyone else remembers it .........or even composed it ..! They would have to be about 70 years old now .
I also remember the song "Dooly Fair" based on the popular hit tune of the day called "Truely Fair"..a Guy Mitchel hit I think.

just a couple I remember from the Schoolyard at Shiregreen when I was a scruffy lad...
See my finger
See my Thumb
See this fist
An thaaall get some.

Eeny Meeny Miney Mo,
Sit the baby on the poe
When it's done
Wipe it's bum
Eeny Meeny Miney Mo.....

Ever hear or use the word 'slawmin' or 'slaumin'. Like in the phrase 'He's always slawmin' round her'. Or 'he's been slawmin' roun't gaffer again.' The meaning to creep around somebody, or to ingratiate yourself with someone.
Never heard it outside of Sheffield, found myself using it today.

I often think of words that are not in use here in Canada and I think' Is that local to Sheffield ,I must remember to put it on the Forum and see what Forumers have to say'.
Inevitably I forget.
Bur here's one I remembered "Danny" for hand

A bloke that I used to know often said that there were only three important people in one's life:-

1. Me
2. Myself
3. and I.

Mind you, he was always a bit cynical.

Whenever I was rushing to get my jobs done so I could go out to play Mam would say 'For God's sake gi oer rushing tha'll meet thissen coming back'

has waggin it been mentioned i was always doing that
missing school and going fishing in the pond in the park at the back of western park museum

My Sheffield-born mother used an expression that I don't recall hearing elswehere. If someone (usually my dad) was perfectly happy surrounded by things he liked, perhaps by chance, mum would say "he's in his eye-holes" or, more phonetically, "he's in his eye-'oils". Is this a Sheffield expression? I can't think how it can have originated.

Danny's, yeah, took me straight back to my childhood, that one. And 'he's in is eyeholes', bloody hell, I use it all the time. Great.

my mother use to say taw cars int drive n no snap in fridge thall catch the death get some cloowers on
wait till thee father gets hom its strop fur thee
get coil arter coil oil
she use to say dont call it a great coat call it an iderdown yer posh aunt ivys here
wich was ok till i had to shout and tell her our david had pulled the sleave off our iderdown
fost up best dressed
ift wind blows tha face ill stay like it
tha fingerl get stuck up theer one day
if that too badly t goo t scoil that too badly to goo art

Is there no end to these colloquialisms? I found myself using 'thraipin' or 'thrapin' today.
Can't really say I know the exact meaning. Is it Sheffield speak?

my dad says these 2 ..
whenever i left a door open he would shout after me... put wood int oyal, wa tha born in a barn

My nan used to say that too, but instead of saying wa tha born in a barn she used to say wa tha born in a field and we would reply yeah Sheffield.

Is there no end to these colloquialisms? I found myself using 'thraipin' or 'thrapin' today.
Can't really say I know the exact meaning. Is it Sheffield speak?

Isn't getting a thrapin' same as getting a pastin'? For example: In a game of football -or- Saturday evening outside the pub after shutting time.

Is there no end to these colloquialisms? I found myself using 'thraipin' or 'thrapin' today.
Can't really say I know the exact meaning. Is it Sheffield speak?
If my memory serves me well, ''thraipin'' meant a beating, hammering or fisting ( although in the latter case not what it can mean these days).

My grandma used to refer to cheap-and-nasty food items (often sweets) as being "rammy". I've never heard this anywhere else - is it a Sheffield expression?

My family still use the expression "Tha mornt" instead of "you must not", as in, "Tha mornt gu darn theer at this time of neet". They also went to the cemetery every week and would pronounce it Symmetry. My partner is from London and loves my accent, i do it all the more to make her laugh!!!

I vaguely remember a rhyme from Sheffield ..always ended in "Me Missen and thee"...Somthing like ..We went down the town "me missen and thee" we drunk a pint or two "me missen and thee"..and so on ...does it jog any memories.

I seem to remember something similar, starting like 'Thee, me, and us two'.

My family still use the expression "Tha mornt" instead of "you must not", as in, "Tha mornt gu darn theer at this time of neet". They also went to the cemetery every week and would pronounce it Symmetry. My partner is from London and loves my accent, i do it all the more to make her laugh!!!

quite!

My parents and grandparents always used "Yer moan't" for "You must not..." or "You'd better not...!"

and our family also had "yer wain't" for "you won't/ you will not"

what about "Yer durstn't" or "yer durn't" for "you daren't"

snd "yer Shun't" for "shouldn't" I won't even go there for "you couldn't..." :hihi:

Where do you think the following phrases come from?

'It's all Wonky'

He's nought but a manker.

Never put thi' finger where tha' woudn't put thi pinkle'

He's Daytal.

It's bull week.

She'd skin a fart!

Hee'ad as big as a fifty bob cabbage.

Can anyone else remember these?

Happy Days!

Having been born on Parsons Cross, moved to Ecclesfield, then Hoyland, taught in Doncaster and now an emigre in Brum it was great to read this thread. Sadly, due to mass culture, we are losing local idioms. I used to sit in local bars and revel in the different accents I could spot. I used to like the Barnsley tea - r for tea. I'd forgotten daytal!
When teaching we used to give foreigners (ie outside yorksha[I use that cos down here they say yorksheer]) the list of words so they could understand the kids. Students on teaching practice were told "Don't let them dee and dou ya" I can remember gettin belted by mom if ever I said dee n dou after goin to grammar school.
Recently we had a pupil from Hull and we had a great time talking. We shared the the Yorkshire twang and dwelt on the differences between us.
Remember Joe Cocker at the Mucky Duck? (aka Black Swan).
My neice has married a Spaniard and we love to try and teach him Yorkshire.
Surprised "fair to middlin" didn't get a mention!
Anyone remember the Sheffield Folk Festival when Tony Capsticks spot was interrupted by a drunk?
Sitthee.

Where do you think the following phrases come from?
He's Daytal.

My mother used "datal" a lot, from "lackadaisical" which was pronounced "lacksadatal"

It's bull week.
My dad often spoke of "bull, cow, and calf weeks". I seem to remember it was something to do with the run-up to the "works- week" when the entire firm closed down. It was something to do with bonuses/ overtime paid IIRC in the weeks running up to the break.

She'd skin a fart! well! I don't know about the origins of the phrase... (In our house we use tight as a camel's A-- in a sandstorm or tight as a Crab's/ duck's A---) having said that, I've a brother in law who is "tight" like that, he can peel an orange in his pocket, ne'er mind skin a fart!

Hee'ad as big as a fifty bob cabbage. if you could afford a fifty-bob cabbage then I'm sure you'd have been as rich as croesus! lol It meant someone was a "big-ee'ad" or had an over inflated view of " th'sens".

Here we go again-

If there was doubt as to the truth about what someone had been told, a popular phrase was, "It's all mi eye an Fanny Martin"

Who was Fanny Martin?

Come on Plaintalker & Texas, let's be knowing.

Please don't tell me I've written something rude again.

Happy Days!


My Mum still says- 'its all mi eye and peggy Martin'
must be a relation of Fanny :hihi:

They were sisters, Betty and Fanny. And Peggy.

To all -

Geeoer willtha!

They were sisters, Betty and Fanny. And Peggy.

:hihi: texas

My dad often spoke of "bull, cow, and calf weeks". I seem to remember it was something to do with the run-up to the "works- week" when the entire firm closed down. It was something to do with bonuses/ overtime paid IIRC in the weeks running up to the break.

As far as I know calf, cow and bull week were the 3 weeks running up to Christmas: the 3rd week before christmas was calf week, the second before christmas was cow week and then the week before christmas was bull week. It was when workers would try and increase their workload and get more done than usual so they could have a good christmas dinner (at least that's what I've been told) :)

jenc, that is more than likely correct.

The context my father used the term in, was in the run up to our holiday:- he'd get his holiday pay, in with his wage packet, and he used to say that it was "bull-week"
I assume it was pretty much the same thing, a kind of a bonus, for the holiday.

Thats not quite right. As I remember it a bull week was the week you worked as much extra time, overtime, or double shifts as possible because as you were paid a week in arears, the pay for that week would be given to you on a holiday week. I don't remember getting any bonus pay. You had to work for every penny. I still have my first pay packet as a ladle lad at English Steel. £2.15.0 (Old money) FOR A WEEK !! Mind you, we got free clogs and sweat rags.

Complete this well known kid's rhyme,'Anybody's butter but Gillots bread,*** * ***** *** **** **** ****. Careful of litigation. It used to be well known many years ago.

Has anybody mentioned

'Sop mitherin"

or

'ee's wide as wicker arches'

I meant 'stop mitherin' (meaning stop complaining)

and another one is 'ee's orlaid' (meaning he's overslept)

Thats not quite right. As I remember it a bull week was the week you worked as much extra time, overtime, or double shifts as possible because as you were paid a week in arears, the pay for that week would be given to you on a holiday week. I don't remember getting any bonus pay. You had to work for every penny. I still have my first pay packet as a ladle lad at English Steel. £2.15.0 (Old money) FOR A WEEK !! Mind you, we got free clogs and sweat rags.your right arundel,and i also worked at the english steel, for thirty seven an sixpence a week..;):) thats £1.10 shillings and six pence for the youngsters on here ;)

Thirtyseven and sixpence is £1.17 shillings and sixpence. My very first weekly wage was twelve and sixpence (62and a half pence)

Can someone explain where twig came from? As in " He didn't twig on"( didn't understand )

Someone I work with came out with "He's a funny ossity" the other day. I'd not heard that for ages. Or should I say 'in yonks'?

What about, 'tha'll get thee cumuppence" Meaning you won't get away with it!

and "God dunt pay debts wi money" Meaning you won't get away with it!

Speaking of cows, calfs and bulls!

When my mum said 'ther avin a bull an a cow' it meant they were having a domestic!

"God dunt pay debts wi money" Meaning you won't get away with it!

if someone crossed my mother, that's what she always used to say.

Not sure if this is Sheffield or not. If tha's all o'er shop it means you are all over the place. May have heard it elsewhere.

If my dad wanted to indicate a large quantity of something, he would say "there were more ... than t' parson preached about". Is this just a Sheffield expression?

unfotunately i aint frae sheffild but i frae cumbria an its suprising how many words are said the same, summetsupere, gizit, itintinbin, and the age all faviourite from all over country teenagers "WHAT".

summetsupere = something is up here
gizit = give me it
itintinbin = it is not in the bin

and what! well it dont matter how its pronounced all teenagers are fluent in that, x

unfotunately i aint frae sheffild :roll:but i frae cumbria an its suprising how many words are said the same, summetsupere, gizit, itintinbin, and the age all faviourite from all over country teenagers "WHAT".

summetsupere = something is up here
gizit = give me it
itintinbin = it is not in the bin

and what! well it dont matter how its pronounced all teenagers are fluent in that, x:hihi:

How about, oh aye hes got deep pockets n' short ahms (arms), anyone one who is a bit slow in paying.

I've been trying to track down the origins/meanings of this phrase for a while.
This is one of my great grandmothers sheffield sayings but none of our family actually know what she was saying! but we do know the expression means 'to be amazed'
it sounds like:

'well, I'll gutter me tea'
originaly could this mean whilst talking in the street and finding out some amazing or suprising news you actually throw the remainder of your cup of tea in the gutter in amazement!!

or it could be:

'well, I'll go to my tea'
similar in meaning to 'go to the foot of our stairs'

My grandmother is still alive and uses this expression regularly but she is not actually certain which words her mother was using she just knows it is used to suggest amazement.

hope one of you can throw some light on this!!!
thank you:)

i have never heard that one but the one i have heard was well i'd gu ta foot o our stairs meenin you was quite surprised don't know the origin of it though

As a southern married to a Sheffielder I spent 18 years in Sheffield and this has brought back some 'right' good memories - particllay of his mum who was broad - I remember my first conversation with her when she said ' tin tin tin' WHAT!!!! I said...... 'It its in the tin' - still makes me smile:hihi:...... keep em coming.... miss you all loads.:love:

Saturns wife

Oh just asked hubby about that one and his mum used to say that and he says 'it is going to have my tea' - as you had to have a cup tea when you were in shock, he thinks it is not that old and is somthing from the war.

I've been trying to track down the origins/meanings of this phrase for a while.
This is one of my great grandmothers sheffield sayings but none of our family actually know what she was saying! but we do know the expression means 'to be amazed'
it sounds like:

'well, I'll gutter me tea'
originaly could this mean whilst talking in the street and finding out some amazing or suprising news you actually throw the remainder of your cup of tea in the gutter in amazement!!

or it could be:

'well, I'll go to my tea'
similar in meaning to 'go to the foot of our stairs'

My grandmother is still alive and uses this expression regularly but she is not actually certain which words her mother was using she just knows it is used to suggest amazement.

hope one of you can throw some light on this!!!
thank you:)

my mum said that i'll gutometee yesterday when she was talking to me and i asked her what she meant i think she wasnt sure but said its what you say in amazement. she told me she said it to my aunt

they were coming back from holiday and they had stopped off and there were a lot of shops and some went for a look round but my aunt said she did not want to go as it was too cold. when they got back in sheffield my mum felt cold and shuddered and my aunt told her its not cold

my mum said well i'll gutta me tea.

i asked her about the de dar one but she said she as never heard of it as i had not either only the lar de dar which is said when someone is talking/ acting snobbish

i asked her about other saying but she said she does not know any but i can bet before long she will be coming out with something.

thick as 2 short planks go to foot of our stairs put wood ih oyle

Speaking of cows, calfs and bulls!

When my mum said 'ther avin a bull an a cow' it meant they were having a domestic!

That sounds more like cockney slang for Row

:thumbsup: Where are you from Sian? (sorry a dont have a little accent to put above the 'a' in your name) My husband is American and I have just got him to have a look at these weird 'foreign words', he couldn't work any of them out and 'e's not at back ot doer' either (he's not stupid) He thought tintintin had somethine to do with Tintin, the cartoon!:D

My Dad's 2 favourite ones were

Everyone is queer except me and thee and even thee's a bit queer

The other one I always fell for

Is it a true lie or a dam lie

I always used to say it is a true lie dad, honestly a true lie.

Sammy32ann, I read that you're from Cumbria. Well, a long time ago I worked in Carlisle and the Penrith area. By that time my Sheffield way of speaking had modified a bit but sometimes a 'thee and tha' would come out. A kid I was working with once said to me ''Hey, thee thou them that thee thou's thee''. Interesting when you think about it.
Another time me and the same guy were working over the border in Dumfries. We were walking to the bus station, following a couple of locals. They were talking away and he whispered to me ''Listen to them broken tongued c****''. The border wars are still alive.

my grandma used to stay stop ruwerin when we were crying

Pewlin, Puelin no Idea how you spell It was another name for crying when I was a kid, also we wore Wello's not Wellies, and If you asked what's for tea? S**t wi Sugar on would be the usual reply. Ee's gorra eeard like a Set Pot was the term for a big head.

my grandma used to stay stop ruwerin when we were crying

In my family, if we were Roo'erin, (roaring = crying) we'd be told "Roo-er more, (*shrug*) tha'll pee less" in a very unsympathetic tone. :hihi:

Sweatshop boy, it might have been that your mum was saying "mewling" (like a kitten crying)

We always said pewling for crying when we were children.
Another one was He wants to know everthing that adds up to a fart.
And another one is.
It's A poor Hen that can't scratch for her own Chicks.

We played a game a form of Hide and Seek (Hiddy) called Deleevo again I've no Idea how you spell It, but one kid would face a wall cover his/her eyes and shout Two, four, six, eight, ten coming ready or not, while the other kids dived down entry's, jumped over walls and just got hiddid. When the seeker found someone he tagged them and shouted Deleevo and they joined the seeker in finding the others. Was this game and highlighted phrases played, and used in other parts of Sheffield or just confined to Daawn Rudyard.

hi just found this thread , husband and brother in law always say "I can`t get my breath"

When I was growing up there was a saying in my family: "she's too fond of dropping her handkerchief."

It was meant in a derogatory sense to imply that the woman in question was promiscuous.

I looked this up and I find that the practice of picking up handkerchiefs goes back to the upper classes in Shakespearan times. A woman would drop her handkerchief to signal to a nobleman that she wanted him to pick it up and thereby start a romantic relationship. (There's also a childrens' game of tag, no romance, that involves dropping a handkerchief, but that's not relevant here).

The expression was probably rooted in the above-mentioned practice. From romance to promiscuity is not a big stretch over time.

What I'd like to know is whether anyone else has heard of this expression and its usage. Is it a Sheffield expression? Or, was it just my family that gave it the uncomplimentary spin?

Let me be the first to say that it's the strangest way to spell 'knickers' I've ever seen.

have been reading thro this had a great laugh cos my mother despaired of ever being able to hold a civilised conversation she was not a sheffielder like wot i am is chuntering asheffield word and spadge grumbleing and sparrow aterm of endearment

This thread seems to have withstood the test of time so I don't mind bumping it up so that I can get response to the following:

Does anyone recall the phrase "good 'arrer," used by young boys (probably not girls) to compliment a friend who had just farted?

And any idea where the 'arrer could have come from?

Just thinking of old Sheffield sayings and this one leaves me scratching my head.

Hi Rog,

I thought this was used to compliment a person's prowess at the oche, for a well aimed arrow, rather than a schoolboy's flatulence - I don't see the point!

:confused:Mike

I remember that was more to do with playing darts. Good Arrow being the compliment after a good throw. Translate that into Sheffieldish and you get the answer. It was probably borrowed to compliment ones farting skills.
Might be wrong though. Correct me somebody.

This thread seems to have withstood the test of time so I don't mind bumping it up so that I can get response to the following:

Does anyone recall the phrase "good 'arrer," used by young boys (probably not girls) to compliment a friend who had just farted?

And any idea where the 'arrer could have come from?

Just thinking of old Sheffield sayings and this one leaves me scratching my head.

When my father broke wind, he'd say "Good ars*!" rather than "Good arrer".

Hi PT,

Now that you mention it, I do recall "Good Arse" in that context.

Mike

If I dont see you thro week I`ll see you thro window!! always used to make me laugh, still does.

Yes, I do remember it being used in the context of throwing a well aimed "arrer" at the dart board in the pub.

But I distinctly recall it being used in the cruder context mentioned. I remember going into a cave (probably a mine) on Winnat's Pass. Caving was a hobby of mine. A group of youngsters formed a circle just inside the entrance to the cave. Undoubtedly they had filled themselves with baked beans ahead of time. They were taking it in turns to fart and shouts of "good arrer" echoed within the chamber.

Funny what you remember isn't it?

Could the phrase have gone out of use? That was back in the late 50s/early 60s.

Let's face it it was hardly a phrase that served any useful purpose.

Oh, and I wasn't one of those kids in the circle btw.:P

I don't know if this saying is local. My workmate in Rotherham, regarding having a mate with you to discuss how to do the job, rather than have to work it out on your own, would say " Two heeads are better than one, even if they are only sheep's heeads " Does anyone else know that one ? or where it comes from ?

when i was little we used to say a rhyme called ar sals new bonnet .it went something like this ar sal got a mew bonnet last satday it ad a reeaph of roses reyt round front an a feather reyt down back.ar sal went to church last sunday all fewarks stud up and laughed .parson sed ere sal churchs a place of worship not a flower show. ar sal got ret ratty sed to parson thas eads reyt bald nowt in it nowt on it would tha like a feather out of my new bonnet.



My Nan taught me this poem and the version I knew was as follows:

As tha sin ar Sals new bonnet
Its a stunner a no mistak
Got Red rusers reyt rand it
and a feather stuck rite dan back

Tuther day ar Sal went t church
Parson sed
"Ey Missus this aint a flower show but a place of worship"
Ar Sal said
"Thas gor a bald ied, newt in it an nowt on it. Wilt av a ruse ata my new bonnet

I don't know if this saying is local. My workmate in Rotherham, regarding having a mate with you to discuss how to do the job, rather than have to work it out on your own, would say " Two heeads are better than one, even if they are only sheep's heeads " Does anyone else know that one ? or where it comes from ?

a slightly belated reply, but my mum in law uses this sayng, but says

"two heads are better than one, even if one's a sheep's !"

My Grandma always used to tell us not to sit on cold steps or warm pipes-
'Cos you'll get kinkoffs.'

Anyone got any ideas what they are as I assume they may be haemmoroids:huh:

"Kinkoff" was a termed used for whooping cough. It was thought that you ran the risk of picking up the germ by becoming cold i.e. sitting on cold stone steps.
Another term used was "getting kinkoff in your potmould" (don't know how it's spelt but, that's how it's pronounced).

"Kinkoff" was a termed used for whooping cough. It was thought that you ran the risk of picking up the germ by becoming cold i.e. sitting on cold stone steps.
Another term used was "getting kinkoff in your potmould" (don't know how it's spelt but, that's how it's pronounced).

Thanks for that explanation - I too remember my grandparents saying this to me as a child - and I'd always wondered what it meant!
My husband just assumes my family are mad....but at least I now have an explanation for him!!!

My gran always used to say another job dun fer ferm when she'd finished some sort of housework.

Today a friend and i was having a conversation with an elderly lady, she said someone was obstropulous, and that they could stop a nine day clock! is it old sheffield twang or what!

not sure if its sheffield twang but ive heard of it....think it means awkward,stroppy ect

owles chick is right

The dictionary-correct word is "obstreperous" ... whether this is a case of mispronunciation or a genuine dialect alternative, I do not know.

heard some funny sayings from older people, i used to work with them, one lady used to say cheek and chelp, still dont quite know what it meant.

It's like sh***ing in bed waken. Is a way of describing something you're doing that's rather unpleasant :gag:

heard some funny sayings from older people, i used to work with them, one lady used to say cheek and chelp, still dont quite know what it meant.

In what context did the lady say 'cheek and chelp'? Could it have something to do with food? I think that cheek and chelp are edible parts of animals like tripe or cowheel.

When asked her age my mum always used to say that she was 'as old as her tongue and a bit older than her teeth'.

When I worked in the steelworks,if you were looking for a workmate, and nobody knew were they were, they would say "He's gone for a Sh*t with a rug round him"
It always made me smile.:-)

The saying cheek as i understand is being cheeky to your elders and chelp is backchating your elders.

As I remember it , if some one is being OBSTROPULOUS or ANTAGERNISTIC,their were being down right BLOODY MINDED....

As I remember it , if some one is being OBSTROPULOUS or ANTAGERNISTIC,their were being down right BLOODY MINDED....

spot on grinder

I always thought it was OBSTROPULOUS and that's where the word stroppy comes from.

Two of my Mums favourites were "Tranklments" for articles left laying around , and " rammel" for rubbish. As in "the dressing table was covered in tranklments but most of it was rammel".

Can anybody enlighten me as to what 'the cats cods' are? is?.Apparantly my hands,when i was a child,was like them..:huh:

Two of my Mums favourites were "Tranklments" for articles left laying around , and " rammel" for rubbish. As in "the dressing table was covered in tranklments but most of it was rammel".

Rammel :hihi:My Mum used to say that about food if it wasn't very good or poor quality :hihi:

What about 'Mouching' about. Stop 'mouchin abaat' and sit thee sen dahn :hihi:

heard some funny sayings from older people, i used to work with them, one lady used to say cheek and chelp, still dont quite know what it meant.

I allwas thought the meaning ao Cheek and Chelp, is as follows, Cheek is backchat and Chelp was a quick backhander to curb the cheek and nip it in the bud.
It goes back to old fashion displine, stop the cheek now before it continues and becomes a problem.

You could recall it respect to your elders.

Nesh and loppy are two words I remember
when a player pulled out of a tackle he'd neshed it
loppy was when somebody was dirty

Nesh as i knew it was when you complained of being cold, nan used to say stop being nesh.Loppy was when you were dirty also the saying ;you look like the black hole of calcutta, was when you had been playing out and came in filthy.

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

Just remembered my favourite Mum saying . She would say " she were cut out to be a lady but got spoilt int mekkin!" This about someone who put on airs and graces and werent perhaps as "posh" as they thought they were , Hyacinth Bucket maybe.

Tha' beats cock feightin'.

what about when you had been cheeky and your mother would say I will knock you into the middle of next week! my grandad used to say if you look o're yonder you will see it, when looking somewhere.

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

Could he have actually been saying "sat on't form all afternoon " ?
That's a word that was often used for a bench.

Nesh as i knew it was when you complained of being cold, nan used to say stop being nesh.Loppy was when you were dirty also the saying ;you look like the black hole of calcutta, was when you had been playing out and came in filthy.

remember nesh as being cold as well,but used when it wasn't too cold if you know what I mean.

remember nesh as being cold as well,but used when it wasn't too cold if you know what I mean.

Nesh is a word used to describe someone who feels the cold much more than an average person would. The guy who wears a thick jumper in early September while it's still sunny, that sort of thing.

Nesh also means Scared

I can remember at school those long (about 2mtrs) low benches being called forms

FORMS in fact

Could he have actually been saying "sat on't form all afternoon " ?
That's a word that was often used for a bench.

You might be right there as my Dad used to be very broad Sheffield and would pronounce words like ward and farm with a very long "A" sound. I remember him talking to my son when he was small about his " waardrobe" "Grandad" says James " Is a Waardrobe where you keep your Waards?" He meant Wards beer by the way.

My Grandma used to say "Well I'll gu tert' foot of our stairs" and "Well I'll gu ter my tea" whenever she heard some astonishing news.
My Grandad used to say "Geeoer bein pizey yor two" when me and my sister were arguing.
After eating, they used to ask us to sidey t' table.

My Grandma used to say "Well I'll gu tert' foot of our stairs" ...

I've come across saying this in various places, though not, I have to say, in quite that accent. :cool:

You might be right there as my Dad used to be very broad Sheffield and would pronounce words like ward and farm with a very long "A" sound. I remember him talking to my son when he was small about his " waardrobe" "Grandad" says James " Is a Waardrobe where you keep your Waards?" He meant Wards beer by the way.

My dad was very broad too. I can always remember what he said if someone said Ah do (How do you do) to him. He would either say I'm champion (feeling good) or Ive been reight badly (not well) or Eee I'm umpty (not well). Never could finger out the umpty bit. Thought it must be rhyming slang for something, can anyone enlighten me?

Dors.

My mom still uses chelping, she uses it in the context of someone talking a lot. She also uses "Laking" meaning are you playing

What about "loppy" This seems to be a Sheffield word. None of my southern friends have heard of it.

What about "loppy" This seems to be a Sheffield word. None of my southern friends have heard of it.

My Mum used to say things or people were "mellor" if they werent very particular in the personal hygiene department but I have heard "loppy" used as well . Another funny saying was "offat ooks " for a bit poorly, as in "hows your Mester?" " Oh he's a bit offat ooks at minute" No idea where that would come from.

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

Actually it was a FORM, a long backless bench seat usualy either side of a table....

Of course there's the old.

Cast not a clout,
till May is out.....
or
If your Bob dunt gi our Bob that bob that your Bob owes our Bob our Bob el gi your Bob a bob on noors.

What about "loppy" This seems to be a Sheffield word. None of my southern friends have heard of it.

Possibly a Yorkshire word; certainly not specific to Sheffield alone. I've come across it chiefly in Bradford; according to my sources, 'loppy' is worse than 'manky' but not as bad as 'acky.'

If something looked a mess my mother would say "it looks like kasies? coat"

Nodens, we used to hear as "Casey's Court", and it was used when us kids were making a racket or being noisy.It dates back to an old Music Hall show featuring noisy and unruly kids

If something looked a mess my mother would say "it looks like kasies? coat"

When there was a lot of shouting, they used to say it was like Caseys court.

If I made a mistake my dad used to call me "a right PIECAN" , one for girls was "a right LIZZY DRIPPIN"..

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

hiya it's a wooden form like sat on a bench, it's the way you tell them.oreight so we owdens don't talk proper .i remember when i was young i once said thee in front of my grandfather and he pulled me up sharp asking if i meant you, i said yes sorry,he came from lincolnshire.

When there was a lot of shouting, they used to say it was like Caseys court.

My mother used to say this; the expression goes back to the music hall performer Will Murray. It was a kind of gang show with a bunch of unruly kids that Murray, dressed in drag as the long-suffering Mrs Casey, tried in vain to keep in order.

When there was a lot of shouting, they used to say it was like Caseys court.

Oh yes my Mum and Dad used to say that too and also "thas got more rattle than a can o'mabs " when I was going on about something or making too much noise.

i was talking to my sister the other day and we were on about a celebrity. I said "He'll do owt to get his fizzog on tele!" The lady who was sat nearby burst out laughing. She said she hadnt heard anyone use that word for years.

My mom still uses chelping, she uses it in the context of someone talking a lot. She also uses "Laking" meaning are you playing


my bold

could that be "laRking"

as " stop larking about" ??

Cd1965
Yes the word is LAKIN.
Around the Pontefract and Castleford area of West Yorkshire in kid's terms it means playing, whereas for adults it refers to being absent from work unjustifiably - " playing the system."

Quite right - it comes from an Old English word lācan which has Viking roots. "Loppy" meaning dirty has a similar origin; originally it mean "flea-infested" - cf. the modern Swedish LEK = play and LOPPA = flea.

If my ma had too many of something she'd say " I've got enough here to cobble dogs with..."
Is that a Sheffield saying?.I've never heard that said by anyone else...

My Grandad used to say ' get aat ot road and let dog see't rabbit ' This saying has amused me no end over the years
When I have a quiet moment to myself thinking of my beloved Grandad ( god rest him ) this is the phrase that always springs to mind

[QUOTE = mrs grissom; 5411456] And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) to farm? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say "bin Aahv sat on't farm all afternoon" [/ QUOTE]

I will translate for you, he meant 'Been out, sat on the form all afternoon', how about 'put wood int tole' and 'as tha gor oils in thee pocket'. There is many more.

If my ma had too many of something she'd say " I've got enough here to cobble dogs with..."
Is that a Sheffield saying?.I've never heard that said by anyone else... I never heard this in Sheffield but it's quite common here in North Lincs.

one I remembered this morning is yitten as in scared.
"Tha's yitten thee"

If my ma had too many of something she'd say " I've got enough here to cobble dogs with..."
Is that a Sheffield saying?.I've never heard that said by anyone else...

Ive heard of hobbling an animal, this means to tie its front legs together to stop it wandering off. It's mainly to do with horse.

What about "loppy" This seems to be a Sheffield word. None of my southern friends have heard of it.
my mate ,a cockney once told our pub landlord he was loppy,the landlord took offence,when my mate asked me why i explained he had just told the landlord he was dirty or mucky

my mate couldnt understand as he said loppy to him meant late on parade you
so different dialect's have different meanings i suppose

Another saying used very often by a mate of mine when someone did something he did not approve of, or a bit below the belt he used to say "Tha'll worry rats"

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

I think he said form. "Sitting on't form".

Just remembered my favourite Mum saying . She would say " she were cut out to be a lady but got spoilt int mekkin!" This about someone who put on airs and graces and werent perhaps as "posh" as they thought they were , Hyacinth Bucket maybe.

Or....All fur coat n' no knickers.............:)


...What about clarty cake...........:)

Today a friend and i was having a conversation with an elderly lady, she said someone was obstropulous, and that they could stop a nine day clock! is it old sheffield twang or what!

hiya lillylager was the word obstroculous if so i've heard this used.
one or two more.
get the lugs wesht art- if you don't answer.
gerrint celler tu get sum coyl -go down to get some coal.
goointut chip oil. chip shop. workin clobber.. flooer cloth
tha cud grow tayters in the eeroils de dat mucky. what abart ummin an arrin. thingimajig. wotsisname thanose uameean, summataruther,
you don't see holes in heels of mens socks .we called them tayters.
what about- thar a barm pot, or thar a teacake, or thar a pikelate,
abaart- about. a scrubber or a scrubbin brush.anyone who's dodgy,a layabout,
naarden dee-now then you
odder gooin ter gerrup fer skoyal. are you going to get up for school.
an old neighbor in the 1940s who never swore would say"fizzin hummer"
what about, naar den de or deer.;;; now then you over there
working mens club seaside trip in't sharrabang
many years ago on a club trip my mate and me had a paddle in the sea at cleethorpes and when we took off our shoes and socks i said tha feet are muckier than mine, to which he said i didn't come last year.barnie ,, arguement. flippin heck. have a dickie fit. flippin heeley. get thesen aardovit. like blonk street lagger ;; if somethings untidy
sit de sen darn antek weit off the legs, ever heard of a game of tippit my dad was explaning to his mates in the local and before long four or six were playing it,
remember during the war having meight and tater pie with no meight.

Or....All fur coat n' no knickers.............:)


...What about clarty cake...........:)

HA HA! yes you never here that now do you? MY Mum would say if someone was putting on airs " Oh ,they've come over all Nether Edge" :hihi:

H i l think your dad was saying FORM AS IN A LONG SEAT without a back Arthur

When there was a lot of shouting, they used to say it was like Caseys court.

Nodens, we used to hear as "Casey's Court", and it was used when us kids were making a racket or being noisy.It dates back to an old Music Hall show featuring noisy and unruly kids

My mother used that one a lot when my sister and I, were playing with our cousins, and making a racket.

I use the phrase myself, and used it in front of a friend of mine who was originally from Birmingham. She was a bit miffed until I explained it was a Sheffieldism. her maiden name was "casey" (!!) Oops!

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

Just remembered my favourite Mum saying . She would say " she were cut out to be a lady but got spoilt int mekkin!" This about someone who put on airs and graces and werent perhaps as "posh" as they thought they were , Hyacinth Bucket maybe.

another say[ very old] was baywindows and bread and jam

your dad meant a form [ as in a long seat without a back]

My Grandad used to say ' get aat ot road and let dog see't rabbit ' This saying has amused me no end over the years
When I have a quiet moment to myself thinking of my beloved Grandad ( god rest him ) this is the phrase that always springs to mind

That's reminded me of my Dad who used to say "Gerron wit washing" when someone was going round the houses before getting to the point.

My Grandma (Sorry couldn't call her that it had to be Nan Nan)used to say " Blumin Hummer" if something was going wrong & and " I'll rattle thi arse" if tha were being a Divie !!

another say[ very old] was baywindows and bread and jam

your dad meant a form [ as in a long seat without a back]

Yes I think you're right Arthur , I think my Dad was just very broad. By the way his name was Arthur too and it would have been his 87th birthday yesterday ,the 12th) Oh I do miss them both so much but doing this thread has made me remember them and the old days with a smile , not a tear.:)

My Grandma (Sorry couldn't call her that it had to be Nan Nan)used to say " Blumin Hummer" if something was going wrong & and " I'll rattle thi arse" if tha were being a Divie !!

My gran used to say , if she told someone off, severely, that she'd "Played blummin' hummer with 'em!"

If we misbehaved for her, she'd threaten us that we'd "Catch a coppit" (I.E that we'd "cop it" if we didn't behave).

My Mum's favourite sayings were (if we were pestering for something) that "I want doesn't get!" and "them what ask don't get... them what don't ask don't want!" hehe.

What about- Mowching abart. Meaning wandering aimlessly

My mother used to say " Flaming Heeley" as a mild expletive when something
went wrong.

Today a friend and i was having a conversation with an elderly lady, she said someone was obstropulous, and that they could stop a nine day clock! is it old sheffield twang or what!

I still use the expression obstropulous when any one is being really akward unnecessarily my mother & grandmother always said it. Never heard of the nine day clock though.

HA HA! yes you never here that now do you? MY Mum would say if someone was putting on airs " Oh ,they've come over all Nether Edge" :hihi:

My mother & grandmother used all these saying - afraid I still think fur coat & no nickers is one of the best descriptions of certain people you meet. The best & most used was ¨peeing in bed awake¨ when there is No Point At All to what has happened.

When I couldn't get a comb through my hair my mother used to say it was luggy.

Haven't read all this thread - but I remember our older family members regularly referring to "Back o' Fosters" when not sure where som'at were, "It'll fit Carneera" when we as kids were wearing clobber too big for us as pass-me-downs and when the local annual fairground appeared it was always referred to as "The fierce wi' sick mekkin machines"! Grandma always went shopping for her 'Rations" - never food and the Northern General was always the "Workhuss" to her - a place she often begged our parents never to send her?

my mum used to say " ah well this wont get the baby a new binder or a new baby either" still dont know what it means, she would say it if she was sat but summat wanted doing.

my mum used to say " ah well this wont get the baby a new binder or a new baby either" still dont know what it means, she would say it if she was sat but summat wanted doing.

When we'd finished talking at work some of the oldens would say "Well this wain't get babby a new bonnet"........:hihi:

Another one if you swore was , "Where ignorance predominates vulgarity invariably asserts its sen ".....

Not one of my families or even a Sheffield saying but going to include it anyway. My friend from Apperknowle told me that whn she was little her Auntie used to say to her " Get off home quick now 'cos theres a man about with only one top lip" My friend said she used to scoot off down the road home terrified she would meet this monster on the way. She was about 14 before it dawned on her that EVERYONE has only got one top lip!

And can anyone tell me why my Dad used to call a wooden bench seat (like a park bench) a farm ? I would ask him what he'd been doing and he'd say " Aahv bin sat on't farm all afternoon"

a wooden bench(like a park bench) used to be called a FORM not farm. As in "she's sat on form o'er theer"

Think the word you want is form, not farm, l still call benches, a form.

My mum used to say, it's bedlam in here. Meaning too much noise and messing around.

Another one for having airs and graces is "Long curtains and short dinners"
My Gran used to tell us to "Stop rantyin' ont' chairs"

Whenever anyone tried to get the best o my mother or tried something dishonest she would say when she had got rid of them, "I may be cabbage looking but I'm not that green"

Whenever anyone tried to get the best o my mother or tried something dishonest she would say when she had got rid of them, "I may be cabbage looking but I'm not that green"

We were "not as green as we're cabbage-looking!"

in eyup knutty when bobby talks about sleeping with a girl he calls it fettling,whats that all about?

My mum used to say to a crying child, if the wind changes you face will stay like that!!!!

If you looked untidy Mum would say "yer look like summat cat's dragged in" or "tha looks as though tha's been dragged thru a hedge backards".

How about Titivate, when you smarten some thing up ?

in eyup knutty when bobby talks about sleeping with a girl he calls it fettling,whats that all about?

Fettling is a steelworks term. When an ingot is cast and cleaned up it's fettled So fettling something is to sort it out,clean it up.

My mother used that one a lot when my sister and I, were playing with our cousins, and making a racket.

I use the phrase myself, and used it in front of a friend of mine who was originally from Birmingham. She was a bit miffed until I explained it was a Sheffieldism. her maiden name was "casey" (!!) Oops!

Not just Sheffield:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A28505360

(And I've just wound back to earlier replies and seen that I'm not the first)

What about "black o'er Bill's mother's"?.

Who was Bill, and why was his mother's house the random benchmark for directions?

My mother & grandmother used all these saying - afraid I still think fur coat & no nickers is one of the best descriptions of certain people you meet. The best & most used was ¨peeing in bed awake¨ when there is No Point At All to what has happened.

the expression fur coat & no knickers was used at the time after ww2 it relates to a lady of the night when they were the ones ,apart from the rich. who could afford a fur coat by not wearing knickers;;

Does anyone remember as a child calling a "poo" a bobbar? my husband from manchester thinks i am mad as i now refer to this with my children .... go an have a bobbar! lol I hope it is a sheffield-ism and i'm not just weird??

Also, are Poppo (for horse) and Pappap(car) just Sheffield words? have asked around and I seem to be the only one who remembers them.

Also, are Poppo (for horse) and Pappap(car) just Sheffield words? have asked around and I seem to be the only one who remembers them.

I don't know of anywhere else that uses those words.

My nan used to say this no pockets in shrouds if you wouldnt spend your money,

"Lend us thi face,I want to go rattin'" and "Them were t'days when we were on neets"

Today a friend and i was having a conversation with an elderly lady, she said someone was obstropulous, and that they could stop a nine day clock! is it old sheffield twang or what!

hiya lily lagerl
when i was growing up in the 40/50 /60 we would all talk with the same twang that was so we all understood each other,i read a book a while ago the author called it sheffieldish. i remember this old saying mi dogs arr barkin(my feet hurt)and my feet are like ice arv got a boorn in me arm.arv gorra booern ter pik with thee. stop thee hummin an arrin and tork reight as tha wer lernt at skoyal.
.here are a few terms so to speak.reight, right;. feight, fight.; streeat, street;. rooad , road,or rooard cried.; maungy, crabby.; pikchers , cinema.; arrkid, my brother.;arrlass, my sister;.yorkid, your brother;. yorlass, your sister.;
skoyal, school.; mesen, myself.; thisen, yourself.; mankey, yuck;,, arrowdman,your father ; arrowdlass. your mother.; arowse ,,our house,;
odder gooin tut pub terneet, answer.. are; cooers i am,
odder gooin tu lane on satdi, neyow aarm not gooin theer ageean.
odder gooin aartuneet, neyow am skint. rantin an ravin, ar,tha oreight mate ?, dustha
no am fulla upsand darns, remember money called nennies,sweets were known as spice
eg boiled spice.
ps typing and reading this was harder than talking it

I read the Sheffieldish book as well it was published by Sheffield libraries. Anybody remember sarnies made with bread cakes being called banjos and money referred to as nems or nemo's. Bread cakes seems to be a Sheffield thing as well with most places calling them a barm cake.

I read the Sheffieldish book as well it was published by Sheffield libraries. Anybody remember sarnies made with bread cakes being called banjos and money referred to as nems or nemo's. Bread cakes seems to be a Sheffield thing as well with most places calling them a barm cake.

Yes darra, I can remember my Dad calling them bacon banjos, but why?

or in Barnsley a bread cake being a tea cake-pronounced "tear cake"

Yes darra, I can remember my Dad calling them bacon banjos, but why?

can only think it's because they're round like a banjo.

Not just Sheffield I know but where does MUM & DAD come from ?