| Newry |
English |
Example |
| if he had the measles he wouldn't give you a spot | (of an) extremely selfish/mean person | doan ast him for a lenda money - if ee had the maisles ee wuddn gi'ye a spot |
| if we're living and spared | God willing (d.v.) | a'll see ya again nix summer if we're livin an spared |
| I'm not at myself | I'm feeling unwell/under the weather | a'm stayin in thenight for a'm not at misself all day |
| in for it | going to be in trouble/punished | Paddy's goanna be in for it whin is da gets home (also used without 'in') |
| Inglann | England | ee's gone te work in Inglann |
| in your figure | scantily clad/nude | it's goin ta be hot theday so a suppose ye'll be out in the gyardin in yer figger (BD) |
| it gives.... (weather) | the weather forecast is.... | it gives thunder an lightnin this evenin |
| it would skin you | it's extremely cold (weather) | ye'd better take yer top coat for it wudd skin ye outside |
| It's a long lane that has no turning | philosophical statement when something goes wrong for someone who has been doing well | Paul got away with his tricks for a long time but it's a long lain that has no tornin ... equivalent term from the Lisburn area is it's a long lane that has no ashcans i.e. nobody's perfect (thanks to Jane Maze, Edmonton, Canada) |
| ivry | every | a visit ma oul doll ivry week |
| ivvryroad | everywhere | whin a dropt the box there wuz nails ivryroad |
| ivry day in life | every single day | ee suffers wi'is stomach ivry day in life |
| ivry fart's end (vulg) | repeatedly/at every excuse | ee's comin roun this house ivry fart's enn |
| I will in my hole (vulg) | No - I certainly will not | Woark overtime all weekenn for the money's he's offerin? - a will in ma hole! (PS) |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| lady | effeminate man (well, it is Ireland we're talking about!) | ee asked me ta go out wi'im but a said 'no' coz a think ee's a rail lady |
| lack (v) | like | wuddya lack a wee whiskey? |
| lack a dog wi two dicks (very vulg) | really proud (of himself) | ivver since ee gottis new job ee's bin lack a dog wi two dicks |
| langel | halter used to stop animals wandering. | putt a langel on that goat - it'll ait ennythin |
| got the langel on him | used to describe a wife who has succeeded in 'persuading' her husband not to go to the pub every night (equivalent of 'under the thumb') | ye needn ast him ta come out thenight - Mary has the langel onim |
| lashin | raining very heavily | it's lashin so ye'd better take an umberella |
| lass | last | you're the lass one t'arrive |
| lastic | elastic | putt a lastic bann roun the neck a the beg |
| le(a)pin(g) | dirty (as in 'leaping with fleas'?) | ee wuz ony there for a week an ee leff the whole place leppin (PS) |
| learn | teach/show | m'da's gonna learn me how ta drive startin nix week (learn also has the same meaning as in English) |
| lectric | electric/electricity | a cuddn pay the bill so they cut off the lectric |
| leff | left | take the nix tornin on the leff/a've oany (only) (got) two shillins leff outa ma wages |
| leff (v) | past tense of verb 'to leave' | ee leff me here on ma own ta face the rentman |
| the length a | as far as | the fog wuz that thick ye cuddn see the length a the futtpad |
| let a (big) roar outa (him) | shouted very loudly/angrily | whin ee saw what Jemmy didta is cyar ee let a big roar outa him |
| let her/him run there | forget it ... don't try to persuade her/him | if she says she doesn't wanna come wi us, juss let er run there (also 'let her go there') |
| let in | leak | ma feet's soakin for ma shoes is lettin in |
| let on | tell (anyone) | whin the rentman comes doan you let on a'm in |
| let the hare sit | let's wait and see what happens/don't rush to judgement | a dunno what's happenin here so we'll juss let the hare sit |
| lick (n) | ingratiating person/toady | he won't say a woard agin the manager coz ee's ony an oul lick |
| lift (pref) | harvest/dig up | a'll need three men ta liff them spuds nix week |
| lifted | arrested (also used specifically for the process of seizing (Catholic) men when Internment - imprisonment without trial - was used under emergency powers in Northern Ireland)) | Seamus wuz lifted lass night in Kildare Street |
| light onf | attack verbally/reprimand angrily | Kate lit on me coz she thought I'd accused her of stealin the money |
| like a lilty | full of life/with a spring in the step | ee's supposed ta have a bad ankle an ee's away down the road lack a lilty |
| line yer stomach | prepare for drinking bout by drinking e.g. glass of milk | if yer gonna spenn the night in McGrogan's Bar yed better line yer stummack wi sweet milk |
| live horse an ye'll ait grass | philosophical comment when a favour is not returned | ee niver gie ye back the money ee had a loan of? - live horse an ye'll ait grass |
| have a lend of | borrow | cin a have a lenn of a poun till Friday? |
| live in your ear | take advantage of you | don't trust him - ee wudd live in your ear if he gotta chance |
| have a loan of | borrow | cin a have a loan of a match ta light ma feg? |
| loanen | lane | ee lives along the Bell Man's Loanen |
| lobby | landing at top of stairs | ee's upstairs paintin the lobby |
| lock of | a few | wudd ye take a lock a chips wi yer fried egg? (BD) |
| looking (to) | wants | P.J.'s luckin ta come withus ta Dundalk themarra/Willie John's luckin in (wants to come in) |
| lose the bap | lose control/lose your head | Harry lost the bap an started the fight |
| lost wi the coul | freezing | a leff ma gaberdine in the house an ah'm lost wi the coul (BD) |
| luckpenny | traditional giving-back of a small amount of purchase money to the buyer | ee gotta real good price there and haddn even the dacency ta gimme a luckpenny |
| lug (pref) | ear | ee gotta good cuff on the lug for arguin |
| luk (pronounced 'luck') | look (n) | a didn lack the luk ee giv me |
| lukkin | looking for | a'm lukkin a good bargain at this sale/is it me ye're lukkin? |
| lukks lack imself | (looks like himself) - polite comment on the departed at a wake | God restim, ee lukks lack isself |
| needs is head looked at | needs examining by a psychiatrist | the way he behaves, ee needs is head lukked at |
| lukkin-glass (pref) | mirror | they've got a lovely lukkin glass over their fireboard |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| mait | food | siddown at the table an ait yer mait lack a Christian |
| mait | beef/pork etc | a allus go ta Moffat's for ta buy ma mait |
| make the place a bit more Protestant-looking | get the house more neat and tidy | if the daktar's cummin theday a'll have te get the house a bit more Protestant-luckin (RC) |
| man | husband | ma man's on the broo again |
| marlie | marble (small glass sphere) | a hadda game a marlies in the park |
| yer head's a marlie | you're really stupid! | if ye think ah'm gonna do that, yer head's a marlie! (DMc) |
| master (pref) | school-teacher (male) | ee's a master at Windsor Hill Primary |
| messages | shopping | a went down the town ta do ma messages |
| do a wee message | go to the shop/take something somwhere for someone | will ye do a wee message for me, son? |
| mine (mind) (v) | remember | a doan mine askin you for yer opinion! |
| mineral | soft (fizzy) drink | a'm off the drink so a'm just takin a mineral |
| mingey (pronounced 'minjey') | mean/tight-fisted | give us one of yer fegs an doan be so mingey |
| mitch | play truant (hookey) | you shud work hard at school instead a mitchin |
| mitt | mitten (in standard English, a 'mitt' doesn't cover the fingers, but a mitten does) | Brian droppped one of is mitts at Sugar Island Bridge an we nivver foun it |
| mizzlin | drizzling (rain) | ye'd better take yer umberella for it's bin mizzlin all mornin |
| mockie | muggy/humid/close (weather) | a hate these mockie days cos a sweat allatime |
| more brains in a false face | describes someone who is not overly intelligent (in the eyes of the speaker) | Charlie thinks he's smart but there's more brains in a false face (e.g.. a Halloween mask) |
| morr | mother | my morr wuz one a five sisters |
| motor | car | tha's a brave good motor ya got there |
| mouth | braggart | nobody lacks Trainor for ee's only an oul mouth |
| murphies | potatoes | get us a stone a murphies in the markit |
| my head's light | I don't feel very well/I feel dizzy | ah've woarked that longg theday ma head's light |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| naggin (corruption of 'noggin'?) | double measure of whiskey/rum etc | a'll have a glass a stout an a naggin a whiskey |
| neb | nose | keep your neb outof it! (i.e. mind your own business!) |
| neck on(h)im | brass neck/cheek | ee's got no shame - ee's gotta neck onim for ennythin |
| neither drunk nor wet shod | absolutely sober | ee's got no excuse for thye argument - ee was neither drunk nor wet shod whin ee insulted me |
| nights are drawin in | darkness coming earlier (autumn) | the nights are drawin in - it'll soon be winter |
| nipper | boy who brewed tea for gang of workmen | a wuz watchin thim diggin up Arthur Street an the nipper gimme a cuppa tay |
| nix | next | ee lives nix door te the wee shop |
| gimme the nod | indicate | gimme the nod whin yer ready ta go |
| no depth in him | innocent/n�ive/harmless | same as no harm in him |
| no addition | not a worthwhile person/not up to much | Frankie wanted to come with us but we said no cos ee's no addtion |
| no goat's toe | not stupid | Davy mightn have much education but ee's no goat's toe |
| no harm in him | innocent/na�ve/harmless | ee's s'posed ta be spiteful but John sez there's no harm in im |
| no livin(g) with him | someone who is continually grumpy | there's no livin wi him whin is lumbago's playin im up |
| none of your back cheek! | don't be rude! | do what yer toul an none a yer back cheek! (PMcK) |
| none of your guff! | don't try to fool me! | a'm not stupid, so none a yer guff! (PMcK) |
| no road | no way | there's no road yer goin to get ta Kilkeel by three aclock |
| no word of a lie | true | it wuzn me that toul (told) Jim about it, an that's no woard of a lie |
| not a stitch across his back | very badly dressed | a cuddn believe how how bad ee lukked - ee hadn a stitch across is back |
| not as bad as ee lets on | pretends to be less (whatever) than he really
is | people say ee's mingey, but ee's not as bad as ee lets on |
| not as slow as he's easy | not as unintelligent as he may appear | people hink Paul's a bit stupid, but ee's not as slow as ee's aisy (BD) |
| nothing strange nor startling | nothing unusual/no news - common reponse to 'how's everybody?'/'how are things?' | Well, since ye were here lass there's nothin strange nor startlin |
| nyeuk | nook/any small alcove in a room | a hink them shoes is in the nyeuk |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| of a (day of the week) | on (e.g.)Thursdays | a allus do ma messages of a Thoresday |
| oilcloth (pref) | linoleum | a've putt a new bit a oilcloth down in the front hall |
| on | about | a got in trouble coz ee toul a lie on me |
| on the box | unemployed (the 'box number' (counter position) where you signed on at the broo for unemployment benefit)) | how does ee afford ta run a motor lack thon whin ee's on the box? |
| one of the other side | of a different religion (Protstant/Catholic) | doan talk politics wi him - ee's one a the orr side |
| ony | only | a hadda bad dosa flu but a wuz ony off woark for two days |
| ony | but for | ony for you a coulda gone te the pictures wi'im |
| ony | just | ah'm ony going ta Inglann for a week |
| orr | other | Joe an me went te Camlough Lake the orr night fishin (interesting word order?) |
| oulder/ouldest (pronounced 'owld-') | older/oldest | he wuz the ouldest one a the famly |
| oul biddy | unpleasant woman/woman you have a reason for disliking | some oul biddy that woarks in the broo saw Kevin woarkin an ee lost is dole money |
| oul fella | father | our oul fella's drinkin very heavy at the minute |
| our fella | brother | our fella's (my brother's) gotta new job in Belfass |
| out | made | d'ye wanna cuppa tay out? (probably as in "put out on the table") |
| out on the tear | out on the town/ (night) on the tiles | a wuz out on the tare lassnight an a feel awful |
| out on the rip | out on the town/ (night) on the tiles | a wuz out on the rip lassnight an a feel awful (PMcK) |
| over the head of | because of/as a result of | Harry lostis job (all) over the head of turnin up drunk fer work |
| oxter | armpit | a grabbed him unner the oxters an pulled im out |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| painted with the same stick | tarred with the same brush/seemingly identical in public opinion | if you write that in a poem on the internet, the whole family will be painted wi the same stick |
| pan | large loaf of bread | a'll have a sliced pan an a pouna butter |
| papish | Catholic (from 'Papist') - perjorative term used by some Protestants | she's a good-luckin girl, but a wuddn go out wi'er for she's a papish |
| pare (pref) | peel | if ye pare them apples ah'll make us a tart |
| pass (prep) | past | go down the street pass the pub an ye'll see the picture house |
| pass yerself | behave as (socially) expected/do the mannerly thing | a didn railly wanna drink but a tukk a wee Bush ta pass misself |
| pass any remark | pay any attention/take any notice of | if ee starts ta get annoyed don't pass any remark |
| pataitees | potatoes (despite Dan Quayle!) | Boyle's have lovely flowery pataitees at the minute |
| physic | laxative (hands up - who remembers California Syrup of Figs?) | ee was bound up so a giv him a good dose a physic |
| picture/pixture of | looks very like/almost identical to (in looks) | d'ye not think Sean's the picture ofis da? |
| picture house | cinema | the picture/pixture house wuz packed thenight |
| pictures (pref) | cinema | there's a grate fillum on at the pictures/pixtures thenight |
| piece | sandwich (in packed lunch) | a had nothin te ait all day coz a forgot te take ma piece te work |
| drink the piece out | drink excessively | Paddy's bin drinkin the piece out since the wife leffim |
| not a pick (n) on'im | he's extremely thin | a feel sorry for that wee boy for thay cyant be feedin im proper - there's notta pickon im |
| pick (n) | scrap/morsel | a wudn ait a pick she touches for she niver washes er hanns |
| pinny (pref) | apron | putt on yer pinny an wash them dishes |
| pipes | (heating) radiators | there's no hate in the pipes a-tall theday |
| pishthebed (vulg) | dandelion | thon lawn a his is covered in pishthebeds |
| pishmire (vulg) | ant | the yard outside the back door is crawlin wi pishmires |
| a pity of him | very sorry for him | a felt an awful pity offim whin is morr died |
| a pity of him [exact opposite!] | not at all sorry for him (sarcastic tone in voice) | ee's bin fined for smugglin diesel across the border again? - it's a pity offim! |
| plain loaf | unsliced loaf of white bread | givvus a plain loaf an a pounna butter |
| the Pledge | Roman Catholic practice of foreswearing ('goin off') alcohol ('the drink') with a solemn oath; you could wear a 'Pledge Pin' in yor lapel to tell the world of your new-found sobriety | ee tukk the pledge a-Sundy an wuz back in Grogan's a-Wennsdy |
| poke (n) | ice-cream cone/cornet | a bought two wafers an a poke from the ice-crame van |
| poke (n) | paper container made by folding rectangle of paper around the fingers and forming a cone twisted at the bottom to close it | a gotta poke fulla Dolly Mixtures (child's sweets) at Annie Loy's we shap (shop) |
| pooley | urine (child's term) | wee Liam needs is nappy changed for ee's done a pooley! |
| powerful | amazing/exceptional | a gotta powerful surprise whin ee walked in outa the blue |
| press (pref) | (kitchen) cupboard | the good plaits is in the press |
| Press-button-bee | Presbyterian (the old public phone boxes (booths) had a button 'A' to press when your call was answered, and a button 'B' to get your money back if the call was not answered)) | a thought ee was a Methodist, but ee's a Press-button-bee |
| promised to | engaged to be married to | she's promised ta young Burns the butcher |
| puke (pref) | person whose behaviour/attitude sickens you | a doan lack him a-tall - he's an oul puke |
| put his/her/their arm into you | cheat/overcharge | if she charged ye thirty pound for the wreath, she didn't putt her arm inta ye |
| put the blink on | prevent/interdict | Conor wanted ta come withus te the match in Dublin but the wife putt the blink on it |
| put (you) in mind of | remind (you) of (appearance) | Yer man Murphy wudd putt ye in mine of Bill Clinton wi thon big nosa his |
| put (your) head astray | drive (you) to distraction | Ernie's got ma head putt astray wi all this talk about futtball/Sean is puttin ma head astray astin for new trainers (sneakers) |
| put off the mark | distract someone from the point they are making by interrupting them | ah diddn agree with her atall but ah diddn putt her off the mark |
| (not) put (someone) past their notion | when you do not correct a misunderstanding by someone else | Lizzie thought it was me that fixed the washin machine an ah didn putt her past her notion |
| put yourself away | commit yourself voluntarily for psychiatric hospital treatment | if yiz doan give ma head some peace ah'll putt myself away |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| rake (of) | large number of | Eddie leff a rake a tools lyin in the gyardin yistery |
| reared up | objected strongly/became very annoyed (based on horse rearing up?) | a thought ee'd agreed ta do it but then ee rared up and wuddn |
| raisin | reason (Elizabethan pronunciation - as in Falstaff's pun ' raisins as plentiful as blackberries...' - it doesn't work without the pronunciation) | a suppose ye musta hadda good raisin for doin it |
| rebel | anyone suspected of having active Republican sympathies (used mainly by Protestants) | ye have ta watch what ye say ta him - ee's a rail rebel |
| redbreast | male stickleback | a've got four spricks an one a them's a redbreast |
| redd | clean | a redd out the whole house yisterday |
| reddin | clearing | that room needs a good reddin out |
| refuge man | man who collected food scraps ('skins') (refuse - but corrupt form) from house for feeding pigs | putt all then scraps in a beg for the refuge man |
| regman | rag-and-bone man | a giv them oul jumpers ta the regman |
| ridiculed | gossiped about | a wuz reddiculed all over Newry for hangin ma washin out onna Sundy |
| rift (v) | belch | a got toul off fer riftin in fronta the teacher |
| right ye be! | that's fine!/I agree/OK! | ye'll be there at seven? - right ye be! |
| rings round his neck | doesn't wash very often | thon boy a Pat's has rings roun is neck |
| rippin(g) (n) | furious | a wuz rippin whin a saw the state ee leff the house in! (BD) |
| road | in which direction? | what road d'ye torn (turn) the tap ta putt on the gas heatin? |
| road | way/method | what road does that computer connect ta the internet? |
| rook (v) | cheat | see clean |
| root | apple core | ee threw the root of an apple at me in the classroom |
| rottin | very drunk | a got that rottin in Dunster's lass night a nearly fell in the canal on the way home |
| roughness | spare cash/saved cash | a'll lenn ye the money ye need an ye kin pay it back whin ye've got a roughness |
| rubbige | rubbish/garbage | ther buildin new houses on the Rafriland Road where the rubbige dump wuz |
| take the rust | become apathetic/lose interest | ee usedta injoy is job - whin did'ee take the rust? (BD) |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| salute (pref) | acknowledge/greet/wave to | ee saluted me across the street yisteray |
| same | that one/particular one (derogatory) | a wudn trust im an inch, the same boy |
| sanitary man | public health official | the sanitry man come roun about the rats we saw in the loanin |
| scaldie | nestling | there wuz three scaldies in the blackbord's nest |
| scallions | spring onions | bring us back a lettuce an some scallions |
| scandalized | gossiped about/slandered | ivver since we had the row ee's got me scandalized over the whole town |
| scobe/scope | gnaw | have ye iver scoped a raw turnip? (don't ask! - one of my da's!) |
| scraic (n) | screech/unpleasant scraping noise | the scraic a that file makes ma back shiver |
| scraic (v) | make sound (e.g. metal on metal) | there's somethin scraicin in thon injin (engine) |
| scraic-a-day | dawn | a wuz up this mornin at the scraic-a-day |
| bad scrant | bad luck | bad scrant te ye for doin that! (like bad cess!) |
| screech (v) | weep/cry | they musta hadda big row cos whin I saw er she was screechin |
| scringe (v) | grind/make grinding noise | the ba's scringin is teeth that much a'm shure ee's got worms |
| scringe (v) | shiver/shudder (spine tingling) | ee makes me scringe ivry time ee uses thon rasp in the garridge |
| scud | slap | the teacher gie me a scud on the ear |
| scullery (pref) | kitchen | nip inta the scullery a make a cup a tay |
| scundered | annoyed (by someone)/irritated | ee's got us scundered always lukkin for attention |
| scut | worthless person (equiv. of perjorative bastard) | O'Reilly's ony a drunken scut! |
| shade (n) | hair parting | boys shudd have their shade on the left an girls on the right |
| sheugh (pronounced 'shuck') | muddy, boggy ground | a went through the gait an got upta m'ankles in the sheugh |
| Shinner | used to describe member of political party Sinn Fein/anyone with Republican views (particularly by Protestants) | the Shinners won't rest till they get a united Ireland |
| sickener (n) | someone/something which makes you feel disgusted | a doan wanna be in his company - ee's a real sickener |
| sickener | state brought on by a liberal overdose of (usually) alcohol | a gotta real sickener on the 'Paddy' lass night |
| sick-line | sick-note (doctor's certificate declaring you unfit for work) | a've gotta sick-line for three weeks so a won't be at woark till nix month |
| sick, sore and tired of ... | absolutely exasperated with.../completetely fed up with... | a'm sick, sore and tired of all these argumints |
| .... side of a turnip | the ultimate comment on a nagging woman (see example) | er mouth cudd take a quair bite outa the side ofa tornip! |
| sifer (v) (pronounced as 'cipher') | swagger | ee annoyed me the way ee sifered in as if ee owned the place! |
| singlet (pref) | vest (undershirt) | ee gotta dose a coul (cold) cos ee didn putton a singlet whin ee wennout |
| not a sinner (n) | absolutely nobody | a hadda drink in Billy Nummy's lass night an there wuznt a sinner in there! (BD) |
| sixes | just the same/identical | ivrybody sez Bernie's nicer than Paul, but the two a themz sixes if ye ask me |
| skelp (n) | smack | if ye doan behave you'll get a good skelp! |
| skiff | very light scattering (of rain) | ah thought it wuz goin ta be lashin but there's only bin a wee skiff |
| skin a flea... | be totally mean/grasping | she's so tight-fisted she'd skin a flay (flea) for a hide of talla (tallow) |
| skins | household food scraps collected by the refuge man (for pigswill) | have ya any skins theday, missus? (SRS) |
| skite (v) | run about | thon bloody dog does nottin but skite aroun the gyardin an bark all night (BD) |
| skite (n) | slap/glancing blow | enny chile that talks till his morr lack that diserves a good skite roun the ear! |
| skitter | not likeable/treacherous | thon son a the Smith's is just a wee skitter |
| skitter(s) | diarrhoea | a drunk a bad pint a stout an it give me the skitters |
| skin of his skitter | used for very tight-fisted person | doan ast him te lend ye the money - ee wudn give ye the skin of his skitter |
| slack (n) (pref) | mixture of coal dust and very small coal fragments | putt some damp slack on the fire ta keep it goin durin the night |
| slap of | considerable amount of/plenty of/excess of | a had a rail slappa drink a-Tuesday night |
| slasher | (huge) Lambeg drum used by Orange bands | ye'd hear them slashers a mile away |
| slasher | billhook | ye'll need a slasher ta thin out thon hedge |
| slate-cutters | wood-lice | there's a big pile a slate-cutters unner thon stone |
| slider | small block of ice-cream between two thin crisp biscuits | d'ye wanna slider or a poke? |
| slim | (thin) potato-bread cake | a'll have a piece a slim an a fried egg |
| slipping | letting things go/losing his grip | Andy wuz a good woarker but ee's slippin since ee had the accident |
| snatters | snot (nasal mucus) | that chile's face is covered in snatters |
| snattery | nasty/annoyed | I niver touched yer money so ye needn be snattery wi me! |
| snead/sned | trim roots/foliage off a vegetable, especially turnip | a nearly broke ma back sneddin tornips all day in thon field a Durkin's |
| snib (pref) | catch on door lock | a cudn open the door coz the snib was on |
| so he ... (you name it!) | used at the end of sentences to emphasise what went before | Sean didn take it, so ee didn/Roisin cuddna done that, so she cuddn/Billy wuddn a sed that, so ee wuddn/I locked the door misself, so a did - etc. |
| sody bread | soda bread (flour, buttermilk and baking soda -no yeast) Click here for recipe | d'ye want sody farls or sliced pan? |
| soul (rhymes with 'howl') | sold (past tense of 'to sell') | a hear tell ee soul the motor for three unnerd poun |
| spare | flies (zip/buttons on front of on trousers) | yer spare's open!! |
| specky four-eyes | standard insensitive nick-name given to any young person wearing spectacles | (sensitive absence of example) |
| spittin | 'trying' to rain/a few spots of rain | a thought it wudd be dashin but it's just spittin |
| splaw (footed) | splay (footed) - describes feet turning outwards when walking | yer man Malone walks awful splawed |
| split (v) | punch/damage (person) as in 'split head open' | if ya doan stop arguin, a'll split ya! |
| spoutin | guttering below roof | that drip's comin from a hole in the spoutin |
| sprick | stickleback | a caught three spricks an putt thim in a jam-jar |
| spunk | sperm | the internet's supposed to be relatively interactive - make up your own example! |
| stay | heed/notice | that's what she said, but a wuddn putt much stay on it |
| steeple (n) | staple | ye'll have ta use steeples ta fix that chicken-wire ta the posts |
| step | distance/journey | a'd walk te the bus station, but it's a brave step |
| sticking out | fantastic/really good | a wauz in that new hotel in Newry lass night an it's stickin out! |
| sticks | kindling | ee's sellin bundles a sticks for thruppence |
| stook | 'tunnel' of (eight) sheaves of corn leaning together, left to fully ripen | putt them sheaves in a stook and we'll finish for theday |
| stop you | stop (you/ye/ya/y' is often inserted after the verb in a command, for extra emphasis e.g. go you out!) | (to child) stop you cryin!/stop you tryin to cause an argument! |
| store | smell/stink (may be based on Eliz. "horse urine") | the store a him wi whiskey wudd nearly make ye throw up |
| stoshious | drunk | ee's stoshious six nights a week |
| strainer | colander | wash them peas in the strainer |
| don't be a stranger | come back/visit us again | it was great havin ye here, so don't be a stranger |
| sun splittin the trees | really hot summer day | the sun wuz splittin the trees an it wuz too hot ta work |
| sure | used at beginning or end of sentence to mean 'don't worry'/be re-assured that...(no pause before or after 'sure') | sure I'll givver a lift home so ye needn worry/I've got anuff money for us both sure ('sure' pronounced 'sher' with very short vowel and 'r') |
| sweet milk | i.e. not (sour) butter-milk | a'll have a drop a sweet milk in ma tay |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| take a hand out of | make a fool of | a know that cyant be true - are ya trying ta take a hann outta me? (GH) |
| take the arm off you | has a huge appetite/always eating | ee wudd take the arm off ya but ya wuddn see the wait (weight) onim (GH) |
| take for | want for (price)/charge for | what'll ye take for two bottles a Bush? |
| take out | start acting unreasonably/go 'off-beam' | a'm fed up wi' Pat for ee's railly taken out since Mary leftim |
| tanic | medicine ('tonic') | a wuz bad all lass week till the dacter gimme a wee tanic (DMc) |
| tap (pref) | solicit money/a drink | ee was broke lass night an tried te tap me for a drink |
| targe | aggressive/outspoken/nagging woman | that oul targe give off ta me for walkin oner grass (SRS) |
| tay | tea | d'ye wanna wee cuppa tay? |
| tay you could dance on | stewed tea (over-infused) which tastes unpleasantly strong | she allus leff er tay that long ye cudd dance onit |
| teemin (pref) | heavy rain | the match wuz called off for it was teemin |
| telegraph pole | telephone pole | the Post Office is goanna putt a telegraph pole up right fernenst my big door |
| tell me this and tell me no more | common preface to an enquiry (especially seeking gossip) | tell me this an tell me no more - who fergot ta lock up whin y'all left the office? |
| terrible | very | a really injoyed the concert - the music wuz terrible good |
| the | often used where it is omitted in English | ee's awful fond a the drink |
| the | how | a cyant believe the quiet it's got since the childer leff |
| the (number) | used where it is omitted in English | a've only got the one feg leff/there wuz only the two dacters on duty |
| theday | today | are ye goin te school theday? |
| the guts of | almost | fixin the front wing on yer cyar will cost the guts a fifty quid |
| thenight | tonight | a'm stayin home thenight |
| themarra | tomorrow | a cyant come thenight but a'll see ye themarra |
| theirselves | themselves | a hope them childer are gonna b'have thereselves thenight |
| the door went | the door was knocked/doorbell was rung | a hadda rail bad day yistery - an ta crown itall, the door went an me sittin in the middle a ma dinner! (PS) |
| the road | how to | a wuzn't able ta plaster a wall until da showed me the road ta do it |
| the same... | used when indicating that someone would do to you what he resents you doing to him | ee wudn be long reportin you te the p'lice, the same boy! |
| the Twelf | the twelfth of July (Orangeman's Day) | are ye goin ta watch the parade on the Twelf? |
| the wunnst | once | the whole time a lived in Belfass, a only went ta see Linfield playin a futtball match the wunnst |
| there's the sun out | the sun has just started to shine (after rain) | there's the sun out now - ye woan need yer umberella |
| this lass while | recently | there's bin a lotta bad weather this lass while |
| this weather | now/nowadays/these days | how'r ye gettin on this weather? |
| thon | that (over there) | he's sittin at thon table (thonder) or referring to a third person known to the listener e.g. 'thon son a Turley's is always in trouble' |
| thon time | a specific occasion which you expect the listener to remember in detail when you mention it | d'ye remember thon time ye lost the dog in Armagh? |
| thonder | yonder (over there) | he's over thonder at the gate |
| thrapple (pronounced 'trapple') | throat | a hadda grabbim by the thrapple ta stoppim hittin Jemmy |
| thrifty | child's money-box/piggybank | if ye do the messages a'll gie ye tuppence for yer thrifty |
| throw off (amount of money) | reduce the price by.... | the oil shudda cost me sixty-five poun' buttee threw off five poun' |
| tig | children's game of tag | are ye comin up the park for a game a tig? |
| throughother | topsy-turvy/very untidy | by the time ee'd finished lukkin is glasses the whole room was threworr |
| throw | bring/give | just bring us one more round (of drink) and throw us the bill (U.S. check) as well |
| till | to | a'm goin till Armagh themorra |
| time ye wuz spittin in yer own ashes | time you went home | it's past midnight so it's time ye wuz spittin in yer own ashes |
| titter | modicum | Belfass isn in County Down - have a titter a wit! |
| to (h)er own name | her maiden name was .... | she's married to Brian Connolly - she was Hughes to er own name |
| hair trippin im | hair much too long | thon fella needs a barber - the hair's trippin him |
| snatters trippin im | needs to wipe his nose (!) | ee ad the flu an the snatters was trippin im |
| totey (wee) | extremely small | a need a toaty wee screw ta houl the cover on the connector |
| a real Turk | someone who is rough and insensitive (cultural sensitivities aren't high on the Irish agenda) | ee traits ('treats') is wife rail bad - ee's a rail Tork (GH) |
| turn you | make you sick | whin a saw the cut on the chile's leg it railly toarned me |
| twenny | twenty | giveus twenny Gallahers Blues (cigarettes) an a boxa matchis (matches) |
| Newry |
English |
Example |
| wafer (pref) | small block of ice-cream between two thin crisp biscuits | d'ye wanna wafer or a poke? |
| wants (v) | needs/is in need of | thon motor wants washin |
| was a week | a week (before) last .... | ee leff for Inglann Tuesdy wuz a week |
| waterboots | Wellington boots/rubber boots | it's lashin so take your waterboots |
| wee | small | thon boy's awful wee for is age |
| wee | used when expressing admiration, not referring to size | that's a nice wee job ee's got there |
| wee bit wanting | not very bright/mentally challenged | there's no harm in John - ee's just a wee bit wantin (also expressed as there's a wee want innim (in him)) |
| wee-er | smaller | that's too big - have ye nothin wee-er? |
| wee man | salesman/representative (rep)/collector | a wuz juss goin out whin the wee man come ta colleck the rent |
| wee minute | almost immediately | houl on - a'll be there in a wee minute |
| wee shop | corner shop (neighbourhood shop) | all the boys useta hang aroun outside Noel Scott's wee shap |
| wee small | extremely small | a doan want much - just gimme a wee small bit |
| wee while | soon | a hef ta finish this job so ah'll seeya inna wee while |
| wee while | quite a long time (just to confuse non-Nyucks :) ) | thon door hasn had a licka paint inna wee while |
| well (pronounced 'will') | then (at the end of a sentence) | e.g. statement: 'a doan lack wine' : response doan drinkit, will |
| well got | respected/looked up to | Conor will do well for ee's well got at woark |
| it's well seen | it's not hard to see/know | it's well seen ee's got plenty a money or ee cuddn afford that new cyar |
| wet | add boiling water to tea leaves to make tea | get the milk an a'll wet the tay |
| what (are you) looking for ... | how much do you want for ... | what are ye luckin for two bottles a Black Bush? (see take for) |
| what's the craic (crack)? | what's the news?/ latest?/what's going on? | what's the crack w(ith) Willie's new job? |
| what's the word on...? | what have you heard about .... | what's the woard on the time th'll (they'll) arrive? |
| wheaten bread | wholemeal bread made without yeast | ye cyant get better waitin bread than McCann's |
| when it comes to the bit ... | in the last analysis/when it comes to the crunch | whin it comes ta the bit, ye cyant depenn on Paul if things go wrong |
| when you were running about | when you were young | ye must mine Eddie - ee lived in Arthur Street whin you were runnin about |
| whins | gorse | up roun Altnaveigh the mountin's covered in whins (see poems here and here) |
| (to be a ) whole draw | (to be) extremely annoyed | Mary wuz a whole draw coz Ernie didn go ta see er whin he wuz home from Inglann. This can also be expressed as 'Mary wuz a whole draw wi(th) Ernie...' |
| widow-woman | widow | Ye muss knower - she's the widda-wummin nixt door to the McGuire's house |
| wind that would cut corn | very cold wind | the wind theday wudd cut corn |
| windy (n) | window | ee was jeukin out the windy |
| wit (pref) | intelligence | thon boy hasn't much wit about im |
| wi(th) | by | ee wuz stung in the arm wi a wasp |
| wi(th) | because of | ee died wi a heart attack |
| with company | in a group (used to politely decline the offer of a drink from someone you meet in a pub when you're in the company of others - custom would demand that they offer everybody else a drink as well) | no, a'll have one the nix time - a'm wi company |
| with two arms the one length | without any money | Jim come back from Inglann wi two arms the one length (also used when a visitor doesn't produce an expected gift) |
| woman | wife | yer man Kelly traits is wummin real bad whiniver ee's drunk |
| won't be long out of my bed | will be going to bed soon | a'm that tired a won't be long outa ma bed |
| worse than mad | completely mad/crazy | if ye pay that much for a motor lack thon yer woarse than mad! |
| would you take a wee drop? | will you have a (quick) drink? | wudd ye take a wee drap afore ye go? |
| wouldn't be long | would soon.../wouldn't hesitate to ... | Paul wudn be long complainin if you spoke ta his father lack that |
| wouldn't have a baldy | hasn't a clue | Davy wanted ta know how ta install a hard drive but I wouldn't have a baldy |
| wouldn't look at it | won't fit in it/won't fill it | a tried fillin the gap wi thon bitta timmer ('timber'), but it wuddn luck at it |
| wouldn't put a fox out.... | wouldn't be so mean | ye wuddn putta fox outta a henhouse on a night lack (like )this |
| wouldn't spend Christmas | is mean/tight-fisted | a wuddn have a drink wi Barney for ee wuddn spenn Christmas |
| wouldn't spend daylight | as above | a wuddn have a drink wi Barney for ee wuddn spenn daylight |
| would take the eye out of your head and come back for the lash | is very dishonest/is a real thief | thon boy wudd take the eye outa yer head an come back for the lash |