Are you chunnering? Ever seen a tarnack? Love the sound of nurdling? Maybe only if you come from Derbyshire.
According to the Yorkshire Dialect Society, because of the influence of the internet, social mobility and globalisation, terms which were once commonly used are now a mystery to younger people.
In Derbyshire, however, an effort has been made to document the dialect of a small village, Earl Sterndale, in a new book. Author Phillip Holland says phrases like "as lesh as a pig trough" or "flinkerin wi snow" could become unknown within a generation.
He is using his book Words of the White Peak as "a passionate plea to save part of our history".
But what about the rest of the country? The Today programme makes its own attempt to remember some of the more obscure terms still used around the land.
Earl Sterndale
Am mithered deeth - I'm worried to death.
Anyroadup surrey, ar mun mek tracks fer wom, al sithee! - Anyway mate, I must go home, I'll be seeing you.
Ay wur raight gloppendt, thi o' threaped 'im airt as it wurn't raight, 'e wur fair sneeped - He was really lost for words, they all bamboozled him that what he was saying wasn't correct, he was very crestfallen.
Chunnering - Mumbling disagreeably but not really wanting to be heard.
Eet's no use thi' gostering, tha'll ayther aft' arter, or ilse thart 'affert flit! - There's no point in staring stupidly, you'll either have to alter your ways, or else you'll have to move out of the house.
Faightin' an' scraightin' allis gyets kyat i' kittle! - Fighting and crying always gets the cat pregnant! Said of married couples that are going through a tense time of readjustment or consideration towards each other.
Na then, surrey, 'owat? I anna seed thee fer wiks! - Now then, friend, how are you? I haven't seen you for weeks!
Nurdling - The sound that babies make when gently grumbling.
Tarnack - a good for nothing, a wastrel or profligate
Th'art as lesh as a pig truff! - You are as smooth as a pig trough, complimenting your girlfriend on the smoothness of her skin.
We'en gyet uz sittin' dairn dun fust! - We'll get our leisure time done first.
North Yorkshire
Yorkshire dialect poem
We're down in't coyle 'oyle Where't muck slarts on't winders We've used all us coyle up, And we're rait down't t'cinders. But if bum bailiff comes, Ee'll nivver findus, Cos we'll be down in't coyle 'oyle Where't muck slarts on't winders
We're down in the cellar, Where the dirt has collected on the windows, We have used up all our coal, And we are now down to the cinders. If the rent man comes, He will never find us, For we will be down in the cellar, Where the dirt has collected on the windows.
Abroad - broken to pieces
Belve - shout or sing loudly
Bless vore - a "charm" or "spell" usually used to cure disorders such as warts or ringworm
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What are these?