Hear Say: Is the only ‘writing way’ Essex?
A SIGHT for sore eyes last week was the story of how a school is rising up against slang – with the headmistress telling parents not to teach their youngsters a string of mispronunciations.
The stance by the Sacred Heart Primary School, in Middlesbrough, certainly gladdens the heart.
They spell out 11 incorrect phrases: “I done that”, “I seen that”, “gizit ere”, “ I dunno” and “it’s nowt” being blacklisted, while parents were reminded that “yous” should not be permitted because “you is never a plural”.
There’s one I’d very much like to add.
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It sounds like the rude four-letter word beginning with “c”, which I hate, when trying to say they “couldn’t do it”.
The school uses the very valid argument that they want to equip the youngsters for the world of work by helping them to speak properly.
But it has sparked the debate over whether Queen’s English is proper, and whether slang, dialect or accent have an equal place in British language.
In which case, let’s explore the Essex accent, which came last in a recently popularity poll.
See if you can work out these recently published Essex terms ... and whether you think they have a rightful place in modern English.
Ab sloo ny mare
Affeck shinit
Bangow da vorder
Ig stench urn
Lay misrarb
Lye po such shurn
Marr bayer
Nob overrd
Peddy kyaw
R B yoniz wivya
Rushtov marfee
Shah arp
Spee day tin
Tess mess itch
Wozbin app nin
Read all of Michelle Hurst’s Hearsay column in the Grimsby Telegraph today
4 Comments
by Rambling_Sid
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 11:06AM
“A fink the fing in modern speech
That really bovvers me
Is when the' won't pronounce "th"
The way tha' it should be.
Sometimes it comes our as an "f"
As in "one, two and free"
Sometimes as a "W"
"I'm off to Wivvensea."
It really is a fanckless fing
Trying to teach the young
And fill their first for knowledge
When they speak a different tongue.
I often find I ask myself
As I strive Frough fick and fin
Wevver its all worf it
Or should I frow it in?
We have "th" challenged presenters
All over our TV
And fespians in the featre
Who speak like kids of free.
It makes me want to freaten them
Or grasp them by the froat
To really frash and frottle them
I'm getting foroughly distraught.
I'm sure you have picked up my fread
I fink its such a pain
Now I'm writing up a fesis
My feory to explain.
Rambling Sid”
by Big-Hat-Harry
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 10:16AM
“Dialect, and accent are not a problem in the real world. However, spelling, grammar, and punctuation are significant issues. Being unable to write intelligibly is of major concern. Without this basic communication skill there is a lessening chance of many of today's students being employable. The situation is not helped when newspapers, e.g. this site, allow such dreadful use of English in the articles.
If you listen to the queen you will notice that she tends towards a more estuarine accent nowadays. This, over many centuries, has tended to be the nominally English accent. If you trace RP (received pronunciation) back, you will find that this was the case when it became more important to have a more standardised language.
This must be a low news day if this article is considered to be worthy of report, especially with so little research into the general subject.”
by davendogs
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 9:50AM
“You could add a few more. Examples. Innit, nuffink, bovered. All well and truly rampant among our local inhabitants.”
by davendogs
Wednesday, February 13 2013, 9:46AM
“Don't know about the Essex stuff, yous however is valid. Common in Scotland. As in 'see yous'. Or, yous brandnew.”