For those not necessarily of a Nottingham persuasion, here’s a fail-safe guide to survival to help you through a stay in the Lace City. It’s not comprehensive or foolproof and please note that important tasks such as ordering a pint etc. can be performed quite adequately by pointing, talking loudly and s-l-o-w-l-y. With the help of local language expert, John Beeton, here’s a selection of Nottinghamshire sayings and phrases that may help when visiting the city:
The former Drury Hill, Nottingham
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A guide to Nottingham English
Prattinn abaht = Acting stupidly.
Ee-addizzedd dahn the bog = He had been sick.
Bogga that furr gaima soajiz = I shall not continue with this course of action.
korl yersenn a faiter? = I do not share your confidence in your abilities as a pugilist.
Eez tookizz battomm = He is sulking.
Annair doo = A hairstyle.
Gerrupp them stairs = It is time for bed.
Ee doant gerronn wee nobbdi = He is unsociable.
Nehmind ay = Don’t let it concern you.
Batt yersenn dahn = Dust yourself off.
Av podged missenn. I have had sufficient to eat. Wairvyerbinn till nah? = Did you get lost?
Yo-a prattannarf yo-are = You are a fool.
Faktreh = Industrial workplace.
Eezabitt finnikeh = He is rather choosy about his food.
Up the spaht = Pregnant.
Wottyo prattin abaht wee? = What are you doing?
Yent, aya? = I don’t believe you have done that.
Gerrineer = Please come in.
Adunno worritts all abaht = It is a complete mystery to me.
Oajer noise = Please be quiet.
Ahtahse = Garden shed.
Av ott missen = I am in considerable pain.
yor gerrin woas yo ahr = your getting worse you are
Skehf = dandruff
twitchel, or jitty (more common in Eastwood in my time than ‘jennel’) tundish = funnel
Eastwood = Brown Town
Cotch = To Sit Down and Relax
Mardy = somewhat disagreeable
im gerrin ona bus ngooin dahn tahn = I’m going to take the to the town centre
giz a guzgog = could i have a gooseberry
Gerrontkawsie = Walk on the pavement
bobbo = horse
Enny rowd up = Which ever way you look at it.
Causie = pavement,
Entry or ginnal = pathway,
mucker = friend,
smigin = small amount,
wagon = lorry
Awerre! – I believe your are lying to me
Chatty = In a mess
Cummoninnoutonnit! = take heed of the inclement weather children !
eesraytstuckup = He is a little reserved/not friendly.
yadenni tea-ye? = Have you eaten dinner yet?
oowarraweethen? = Who was I with then?
I’ll seeyu safto = I’ll see you this afternoon
gerumrappedupduk = I’ll take them with me ,miss
Yerrwot? = What was that last phrase you uttered?
shut yagobb = Be quiet
Oldyerorses = Stop right there
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See yer dahn the Bell Inn, yooth…
THE TEARS OF A CLOWN 
Great lexicon, I didn’t notice “Love” in the list.
It always comes as a suprise when a burly bloke calls me “love” meaning mate, pal, cocker…
Alan
Cheers Alan
How many of those have died out though eh? A pity in my view.
Re, use of the word ‘love’. Yes a difficult one but it could be worse I guess – like the Cornish use of ‘lover’!
Stu
I’ve always liked these:
ooworreewee?- Who was he with?
worreewiyo or worreewihissen?- Was he with you or was he alone?
Jagadahn?- Did you go to the Nottingham Forest match on Saturday?
It’s a bit black ovver bills moth-erz.- The weather appears to be a trifle inclement at present.
It’s lahke Jackie Pownall’s in ere.- This room is rather a mess.
Hello Gill
I understand we have a mutual friend in Margaret! Welcome to this little place and thank you for your comments.
These Nottinghamese expressions are a long-lasting source of amusement to my Canadian partner and her family. I really can’t figure out what they don’t understand can you?
I hope they never die out!
Stu
I lived almost a year in Nottingham as a French assistant some forty years ago and enjoyed getting used to that Yorkshire accent which tones through the devastatingly funny expressions you give to read.Icould not resist having a go at pronuncing them for myself(for missen!) the exact way I probably heard them said in town and in pubs where I indulged most evenings.(Is there still a pub named “the whistle stop” in the city center?) Indeed those expressions brought back vivid memories of the happy young time I spent in such lovable town and county.”Cheersluv”Jean Paul Zemmour
Hi Jean Paul and thanks for your very interesting comments. I’m glad you enjoyed your time in Nottingham and that certainly shines through in you words. Happy days.
‘The Whistle Stop’ is not a name I’ve heard before, I think I may have to do a little research on that one!
Thanks again, so good to hear your perspective from that time.
Stu
the whisle stop was under the now “Hilton Hotel” next to the old Vivtoria clock tower the steps on the right hand side of the hotel lead you down to the celler and the old bar the whisle stop this was back in 1967 to around 1974 . i had many a good night there, it was the place to be seen at.
Cheers Kevin, thanks for the info!
Sounds like a good place with some nice memories for you. I hadn’t heard of the Whistle Stop and I guess my drinking days started just slightly after the pub closed by the sound of it. I remember the ‘New Welback’ just down a bit near Jessops and the Milton’s Head at the corner of Victoria Centre. Ah, memories!
As a Nottingham lad, this is the best blog I have ever seen. Ever.
anybody remember that blackclock was a black beetle – frenchie a tortoiseshell butterfly – yitney was a coward – galley was a catapult….