Probably the most interesting fairground-related thing I know
... "How man, are ye gannin to the hoppins?" is broad Geordie for "Hi there, are you going to the fair?" (The Hoppings is properly the name for the fair on Newcaste's town moor).

I find it interesting because you could say exactly that phrase to someone who was Anglo-Saxon and they would understand you perfectly. It's an amazing survival, I think.
(richardm, Thu 9 Jun 2011, 14:04, 5 replies)

Shirley it would be just "gan", no "to" and "the" would be pronounced "tha"?

/learnt all I know of The Grim North from Viz blog
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Thu 9 Jun 2011, 14:09, closed)

I think "Gannin'" is right*; "to" is needed and the is probably nearer to "th'". But it's a bit difficult to get the phonetics right without having a Geordie in front of me, and there's never one around when you need one.

* See also: Blaydon Races
(richardm, Thu 9 Jun 2011, 14:16, closed)

I thought
"The Hoppings" was my favourite Geordie, Heather Mills', house?
(Rsoles, Thu 9 Jun 2011, 15:24, closed)

Wa Wa Waaaa

( scarpe We Stole Bikes, Thu 9 Jun 2011, 15:27, closed)

cumbrian dialect
is pretty hard to understand. My pa found it difficult until he started to hear it like norwegian and after that he said it was a whole lot easier. fascinating stuff!
(DreddPirateBob has watched every scifi film ever on, Fri 10 Jun 2011, 8:33, closed)