D
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ARTON’S IALECT
UN-PACK
NORFOLK DIALECT
*AHIND - behind
*ATWIN - between
*BISHY BARNEY BEE-Lady Bird
*BOR - neighbour or boy
*BRED AND BORN - Norfolk purists insist this is the proper order not"born and bred"
*COR BLARST ME! - favourite Norfolk expletive along "Well,I'll be blowed!" lines
*DEW YEW KEEP A TROSHIN! - carry on with the threshing - but is another way of saying "goodbye" or "look after yourself"
*DUDDER - to shiver "all of a dudder"
*GUZUNDER - CHAMBER POT(guzunder the bed!)
*HOLD YEW HARD! - Hang on a moment
*JIP - aggravation,annoyance in the sense of pain
*JOLLIFICEARTIONS - fun, joviality
*LEND US A LUG - asking someone else to listen into a conversation for you(this is one of my father's expressions!)
*LOKE - lane or alley,usually enclosed
*LOLLOP - to progress slowly
*LUMMOX - clumsy or ungainly person("git yew out o'the way yew gret lummox!")
*MARDLE - 1.to gossip,chat at leisure;2 a village pond
*MAWTHER - girl or young woman
*OLD YEAR'S NYTE -New Year's Eve
*ON THE HUH - awry,slanted or not level
*RUM - curious,strange,funny
*SQUIT - talking nonsense
*TITTY-TOTTY - Very small
*WARMINT - varmint or vermin,troublesome person "come here you young warmint I'll sort yew out!"
POTTERIES (STOKE-ON-TRENT) DIALECT
Afe CrineHalf Crown (Pre-decimal coin)Back RoadToilet
Bay Chum SpidersBeecham's Powders
Bill Joe NiceBuild your own house
BowBall
Chaise 'n' PittlesCheese and pickles
Fow staithFalse Teeth
Goose lowGo slow
GrainGreen
Grey niceGreenhouse
Kine SliceCouncil house (housing rented from the local government)
MalesMeals
Now tell sinNothing else in
Rind abiteRoundabout
WaiteWhite
WokeWalk
WossWorse
A BITEas in "A bite tarm they gotst a job!"
ARMPart of the verb "to be" as in "Arm owrate Jack"
BACK ROAD"Weer thee goost when they't bostin"
BOWRound object. The most familiar Potteries catchphrase is: "Chuck a bow aggen a woe, yed it, kick it an bost it!"
BROCKBost, Unusable. In need of repair
CROGGIN'INJumping the queue
DRUG UPThe way we were reared "Weer wost they drug up?"
FANGED OWTGrabbed, with a view to inflicting injury or punishment.
GIZZITHand it over!
JEDLifeless
STOON JEDAbsolutely lifeless
KICKY SHED ITInflict injury
OMMERUseful tool, often referred to as a 'Birmingham screwdriver'
OWE RATEMighty fine!
PACKER DAFTLoad of rubbish
SHOT A PINK 'UN ITEGave birth
SNAPPIN WRAPPINLunch paper
WOSSnot better
United Kingdom English
for the American Novice
DAFT AS A BRUSH phrase. 1. Foolish or crazy, as in, "He's DAFT AS A BRUSH".DEAD ON adj. 1. Exactly (when said of time), as in, "The meeting will start DEAD ON 9:00".
DECKO n. 1. A look, as in, "Have a DECKO and see for yourself".
DIARY n. 1. Appointment calendar.
DIGS n. 1. Long term rented accommodation in a private house, often used by university students and itinerant workers. Typical DIGS comprise a bedroom and access to a bathroom and toilet. The bathroom and toilet are normally shared with the family that own the house. The bedroom may be shared with other tenants. Some meals or cooking facilities may be provided. Meals are often shared with the family. Cooking facilities are often masterpieces of miniaturisation beside which the achievements of calculator makers pale into insignificance.
DIP v. 1. To lower, as in, "DIP your lights for oncoming traffic".
DOSS AROUND v. 1. To slum. A DOSS house is for vagrants to stay the night at. As in, "I wanted a year off before university, but I also wanted to do something positive and not just DOSS AROUND."
DOUBLE DECKER n. 1. A two-level bus.
DOUBLE GLAZING n. 1. Storm windows. Windows in the U.K. are notoriously poorly designed and seldom close tightly. In an attempt to make them less drafty, DOUBLE GLAZING may be installed on the inside of the window. A dead air pocket is created by installing a thermal glass "door" to the window casing. A rubber seal ensures a close fit with the rest of the casing. Most DOUBLE GLAZING windows slide like a patio door, but some must be opened inwards before the regular window may be opened outwards. During warmer weather the DOUBLE GLAZING may be removed.
DRAWING PIN n. 1. Thumb tack.
DUAL CARRIAGEWAY n. 1. Divided highway.
DUSTBIN n. 1. Trash barrel.
ELASTOPLAST n. 1. Band aid. The term was originally a brand name. The term PLASTER may also be heard. This is taken from the old fashioned PLASTERS used before the days of the band aid.
ELEVENSES n. 1. Morning coffee (TEA) break.
FAG n. 1. Cigarette. This term has no sexual preference connotations. Imagine the reaction an Englishman gets on HOLIDAY in the United States when he innocently asks for a FAG. 2. A schoolboy forced to do menial tasks for another. 3. Hard work, as in, "I can't be bothered to do that. It's too much of a FAG".
FLYOVER n. 1. Overpass.
FLOOR n. 1. The British (and Europeans as well) start counting floors of a building with zero. The first floor is the GROUND FLOOR, the second is the FIRST FLOOR etc.
FOOTBALL n. 1. Soccer. Football is looked upon as dull and mystical.
FORTNIGHT n. 1. Two weeks. This term is used quite commonly. The term has its origins in the phrase "fourteen nights". Armed with this knowledge you will not be surprised to learn that SEVNIGHT is also used in English and means ... (guess).
FREE HOUSE n. 1. Not the greatest land deal since the Indians sold Manhattan, but a PUB which is actually owned by the PUBLICAN. Most PUBS are owned by a brewery whose name will be found on the outside of the building in large letters (e.g. COURAGE or WHITBREAD). A brewery-owned PUB will serve only their own brand of drink. A FREE HOUSE has no such restriction and will probably offer several different brands.
In a similar context there are also FREE OFF LICENCE shops to be found.
FREE RANGE EGGS n. 1. Not eggs that are given away, but eggs layed by uncooped chickens. Hens which are cooped are referred to as BATTERY HENS.
FULL STOP n. 1. A period. The thing at the end of this sentence.
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Last Revision: Jul 10, 2000
HAWAII
Pidgin English Dictionary
Pidgin English
An English dialect that was derived from the multi-ethnic origins of Hawai'i. Pidgin was developed during the time before Hawai'i was a state of the U.S., for the purpose of communication between all the people of different ethnicities that lived and still live in Hawai'i. Pidgin is still widely spoken in Hawai'i, especially among the younger people.
Word/PhraseDefinitionExample
Babooze / Word for clown or dummy. / Da guy ova dea is one real babooze, 'cause he went wet himself and ack like he neva know.Broke da mouth / Expression used for describing delicious food. / The food at UH is broke da mouth.
Bu lai ya / Name for a person who is a liar. Not to be confused with Bu La'ia, who is a popular local commedian. / Prof. Takaishi is one bu lai ya 'cause he wen give us one test, when he said wasn't going get one.
Bummahs / Term expressing one's feeling of disappointment. / Bummahs man, Clifford stay sick so we no more ride to da beach.
Bumbay/Bumbai / I am not sure on the spelling of this word but it's pronounced "bum-bye". This word of Filipino origin (I think) means - later; some time in the future. / I can not come over right now, but I can come over bumbai.
Choke / Term meaning plenty, lots, etc. / UH get choke cute chicks.
Da kine / There is no exact English equivalent that I can think of for this phrase. But it is often said when a person cannot put to words what comes to mind. Also used as a hesitation phrase. / There were no example that I could think of.
Eh, brah! / Excuse me, sir. / Eh brah! I no can see da movie screen.
Gala gala / Term meaning phlem. / Watch out! No step on da gala gala on da ground with your bare feet.
Hamajang/busup / Term meaning broken, worn out, or screwed up. / My car all busup.
Howzit!/Wassup! / A greeting meaning: How are you; Nice to meet you; Hi. / Howzit, Bob! Long time no see.
Lilibit / Term meaning not much. Pronounced almost like, "little bit." / I only have lilibit money.
Loco moco / Local dish usually consisting of rice, hamburger patties, egg(s), and all topped with brown gravy. It's broke da mouth good. / We go order one loco moco at da drive in.
Okole / Term of Hawaiian origin meaning buttocks. / Ooh dat chick ova dea get one nice okole
Pilau / Term in Hawaiian origin meaning dirty. / No eat da candy, it's pilau. Da thing wen fall on da ground.
Shaka / Hand gesture meaning hello. It's like waving "Hi" but with the pinter, middle and ring fingers closed, and with the thumb and pinky sticking outward. / It is a hand gesture.
Shoots / Term meaning alright; of course. / Shoots. I can go to da beach with you guys.
Wassamattayou / Phrase meaning: What's your problem? / Wassamattayou. Why you wen step on my dog for?