Yorkshire Lass

The ladies at work have taken it upon themselves to turn me into a proper Yorkshire Lass. My training is quite extensive. I have vocabulary lessons, accent lessons, history lessons, geography lessons and behaviour lessons. Somewhere between all of that we find time to teach some student midwives. But let’s be honest, my Yorkshire training is really the priority.

The accent lessons generally involve my colleagues laughing hysterically while I try to say things with a Yorkshire accent. My geography lessons occur when my one colleague, Anne, and I drive all around Sheffield to see the midwifery students while they are on placement. This also usually involves some history and trivia. For example, last week I learned that the area in Sheffield called ‘Pittsmoor’ (dodgy end of town, commonly referred to as simply “Pitts”) got it’s name from the fact that it was a mining neighbourhood and there were literally mining pits on the moors. I also learned that Sheffield Wednesday – one of the football clubs in the city got its name because in the beginning all the players had other factory jobs, but their bosses would give them Wednesday off to practice with the team.

My vocabulary lessons are perhaps the most entertaining. My colleagues really do find it odd that I don’t know these very important and useful words. I thought I would share some of the vocabulary I have been learning. Some of it is basic British terminology, but some of it is regional vocabulary only spoken in Sheffield and surrounding area.


Ay-oop – friendly greeting. “Ay-oop, alright then?”

Brew – A cup of tea. “Want some brew?”

Bril – Shortened version of Brilliant. “The Sheffield United match last night were bril.”

Chuffed – pleased, happy. “I was absolutely chuffed about hearing Patti & Dave’s news!”

Could do – phrase meaning you could do that. “Should I mash some brew?” “Yes, you could do.”

Creased up – to laugh. “When Brent said that I completely creased up.”

Dodgy – suspicious, not on the up and up. “The Avonmore Hotel was a bit dodgy.”

Dosh – a lot of cash. “Just got me dosh today.”

Ginnel – covered alley between houses. “When Nigel came home drunk his wife chased him down the ginnel.”

Git – a geek or a bastard depending on the emphasis. “He’s a right old git.”

Give it a miss – To pass on something. “Hey Brent, do you want to try the bangers and mash?” “Umm, no I think I’ll give it a miss.”

Gob – mouth. “Shut your gob.”

Gutted – devastated. “Brent was gutted to find out the Leafs lost again.”

Have done – phrase meaning something has already been done. “Could you do the hoovering?” “I have done.”

Jack the lad – a wonderful guy. “That bloke thinks he’s Jack the Lad.”

Lurgy – cold/flu type illness. “Beth was off work with the lurgy yesterday.”

Mardy – easily irritated or hurt. “Teenagers can be so mardy.”

Mashing – brewing. “The tea is mashing.”

Mickey – to tease or pull your leg, can be used as ‘taking the mickey out on someone.’ “Brent was taking the mickey out on Beth when he said she would never be a Yorkshire lass.”

Naff – terrible, no good. “My first draft of my thesis were naff.”

Nesh – easily chilled. “Beth was feeling a bit nesh, so she put on her jumper.”

Nick – to steal. “Someone nicked me pen.”

Not Bothered – not concerned. “How do you feel about the test tomorrow?” “Oh, I’m not bothered.”

Nowt – nothing. “You’ve done nowt all day.”

Owt – something/anything. “Brent said he’d mash the tea, but he hasn’t done owt.”

Parky – chilly. “Parky today ain’t it.”

Revising – to study. “I have been revising for the test all week.”

Shattered – exhausted, stressed out. “When I got home from work yesterday I was shattered.”

Sixes and Sevens – at wit’s end. “Brent was at sixes and sevens trying to put together the IKEA bookcase.”

Snog – kiss. “Brad probably got glandular fever (mono) from all that snogging.”

Sod it – screw it. “This revising is stupid – sod it!”

Spice – sweets, candy. “I am craving some spice today.”

Suss – to figure something out. “Brent sussed out me desire not to do the hoovering.”

Ta – thanks. “Here’s your tea.” “Ta.”

Trousers – pants. Pants are what men’s underwear is called so it is important not to say something like “nice pants.”

Untrue – unbelievable. “He were so shattered, it were untrue.”

Were – was, used in verb form. Was is not said in Yorkshire. Hence all the silly uses of were in the previous sentences. “The Sheffield United match last night were bril.”