Sheffield Accent

[upholder 10]

I worked in Scotland for a couple of years, the local bobby thought I was from France:o No body actually told him that I was From Sheffield, poor lad.

[cosywolf 10]

My father (Texan) and my partner (Yorkshire thru and thru) could never understand one another over the phone - I reckon both were trying too hard to outdo each other with their ridiculously strong accents. Soon as they met, though, they seemed to understand each other perfectly (could have been the international language of two men uniting against being surrounded by women:lol: )

[glasgowgal 10]

Originally posted by Dr Feelgood

I have always found accent and dialect most fascinating concepts. I often wonder why and how it is that only by travelling a short distance (eg. Sheffield to Manchester or Liverpool) you notice people pronouncing the same words differently or using different words for the same common things. On the international level why is it that the English accent differs from that of Australia, New Zealand, America and South Africa? Anyone have any theories?

 

Anyway, as far as Britain is concerned all I can say is that the great diversity of accents and dialects in such a small country is to me one of the most wonderful things about it.

 

As I am a Yokshireman currently living in Glasgow I thought I'd give give you some tips on Glasgowspeak:

 

Aye = Yes

Naw = No

Nae (pronounced nay) bother= Don't worry/ don't mention it

The noo= Now

The Wean (pronounced wain) / Bairn= The kid

First please = Next please

Where do ya stay? = Where do you live?

How ya doon? = Hello

Fish Supper = Fish 'n' chips

A cannay = I am unable to

Ma hoose = My house

Ma heid (pronounced heed) = My head

 

Ain't the English language just great!

 

What a fab topic - as you can tell from the username - I'm a Glaswegian currently living in Sheffield. I LOVE the way folk down here call you duck back home its hen. Why the bird link??

There are also some quality insults in Glasgow too so if you are ever called a 'Heavy Dafty' or a 'Slabber Cabbage' DONT take it as a compliment. Also included in this list is ya rocket, ya bunnet, ya nugget, ya trumpet, ya bawbag (which is a term relating to the male scrotum!) These can be used in jest as terms of reference or as a prelude to a 'Glasgow Kiss'.

We also tend to mix up our vowels too so 'my arm' would b pronounced 'ma erm' in Glasgow jacket becomes 'jaicket' football becomes fitba pronounced fitbaw etc etc

 

 

[GHaywood 10]

p.s. Just remembered. I was quite thrown on first arriving in Sheffield being referred to as 'Luv' or 'Luver'.

Getting on a bus and being told 'That'll be 2p luv'. I thought he was taking the ****.

 

When I was at uni I had some mates from Leeds and Halifax. They kept insisting that all Sheffielders called each other 'Duck' all the time.

 

I kept telling them that I'd lived here all my life and never heard one person call another 'Duck'. I think they were getting it confused for 'love'.

[GHaywood 10]

After reading this thread I've come to the conclusion that it's amazing that anyone outside of Sheffield understands a single word I say

[GHaywood 10]

On the international level why is it that the English accent differs from that of Australia, New Zealand, America and South Africa? Anyone have any theories?

 

I don't know about Australia or New Zealand but I think the American accent has developed more from an Irish accent than an English one. As for South Africa their accent developed from the Dutch (Boor) accent I think.

[Susana 10]

As a person born near Huddersfield, I was surprised to find that in Barnsley they have three varieties of teacake, just as we had in my local village. There's brown, white and currant. We also used to lake out and I knew people who lived near a ginnel. Incidentally does anyone know of the term 'agate' (as in he's agate mendin the fence) meaning - he is occupied mending the fence As I remember Barnsley used to be part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, perhaps that's why the dialect is similar. Now if Sheffield was also in the WR that will blow my theory. Can anyone remember?

[Funke88 10]

My dad's originally from Penistone and he says "lets get agate" which to him means "lets get going" He comes out with all sorts of gems like that.

Thinking about it, do you think agate has something to do with gait? "gait" as in a way of walking or running? Maybe I'm thinking too hard. Hmm?

[Tony Ruscoe 10]

Originally posted by GHaywood

When I was at uni I had some mates from Leeds and Halifax. They kept insisting that all Sheffielders called each other 'Duck' all the time.

 

I kept telling them that I'd lived here all my life and never heard one person call another 'Duck'. I think they were getting it confused for 'love'.

 

Really!?! I think maybe you just don't realise it because you're used to it.

 

For a fine example, go to the bakery in the transport exchange! The women there call everyone "duck"

[katndee 10]

You're all mad!

[XADRIAN 10]

Originally posted by Sidla

Bread cake: Why the hell do you people call a cob a bread cake? I've heard many other words for the humble cob, such as roll, bap and even batch, but before I came to Sheffield I'd never heard the expression 'bread cake'.

 

9 while 5: Where does the 'while' come from? We just settle with 9 to 5 or more correctly 9 until 5, but 9 while 5? Does that even make sense?

 

spice= sweets

chip oil = chippy

shois= shoes

beer off = off license

 

the list goes on!

[waxy chuff 10]

When it isn't too broad, the Sheffield accent is one of the sexiest.