Things you'll hear in Newcastle.
Since I named this blog The Geordie Dictionary it would be absurd if I didn’t write a post that focused on the actual words spoken in Newcastle. Today’s post will list ten Geordie words, the Standard English equivalent (S.E), their origin (O), and an example sentence...
*And a little bit of Geordie knowledge on the word…
Aye
(S.E) Yes.
(O) Unknown origin. It could be a variant of the pronoun I meaning “I assent” (I agree) or it could be an alteration of the Middle English yai (meaning yes). The latter seems more likely. Some sources say that it derived from the Old Norse “ever, always”
Example: … Do you really need an example? “Aye.”
Bairn
(S.E) Child (of either gender)
(O) This word comes from the Old English bearn meaning “child, son or descendant”
Interestingly, this used to be a general English word but nowadays remains restricted to the North.
The reason why only parts Northern England and Scotland remember the word is not totally known but occurred around the 1700s.
Example: “He cannot go to war! He’s just a bairn!”
Bobby-dazzler
(S.E) Someone or something that is considered remarkable or excellent.
(O) The origin of the first element of this word is unknown but the second is from Northern dialects in the mid. 19th century relating to dazzle.
Example: “He’s not the best magician but his last trick is a right bobby-dazzler.”
*So if you get called a bobby-dazzler by a Geordie then hats off to you!
Claggy
(S.E) Sticky/Muddy
(O) Late 16th century. Scandinavian.
Example: “You’ve walked in here, haven’t taken your shoes off and trailed in all that claggy shite.”
Gadgie
(S.E) A man (not always, but usually an old man)
(O) Unknown. Some sources say it is from a Romany Gypsy origin.
Example: “That gadgie is looking at is funny.”
Hadaway
(S.E) Get away – you’re having me on!
(O) Unknown origin. Some sources say it derives from a navel term.
Example: A: “I saw the Queen yesterday” B: “Haddaway and shite!”
(On an unrelated note, it is also the name of the musician behind the 1993 hit “What Is Love".)
Hinny
(S.E) Term of endearment.
(O) Early 19th century. A variant on Honey.
Example: “How ya deeing, hinny?” (How are you, honey?)
*My Nan always ends her phone conversations with “Ta-ra hinny” but she says the two words quickly. So it comes out as “Ta-ranee” …It confuses Geordies never mind anyone else.
Knackered
(S.E) Tired.
(O) 1880’s. Past participle adjective from the verb knacker which was used to mean to tire out.
Example: “I’ve been up all night. I’m absolutely knackered.”
Midgey/Midgie
(S.E) Gnat
(O) Late 19th century.
Example: “I wasn’t looking where I was going and I walked into a load of midgies!”
Mortal
(S.E) Drunk. (More accurately, ‘Very, very drunk’)
(O) Unknown.
In English there are many synonyms for drunk and quite a few for drinking alcohol. And, they all have one thing in common, they all act as a cover, mainly because those types of conversations are on a need to know basis.
In the mid-14th century Mortal was used to describe something as ‘deadly’ or ‘doomed to die’, which if I’m being honest is rather like when one is mortal.
*If I'm honest if you have not been mortal in Newcastle, then you have never really been to Newcastle...