On Ilkley Moor B'aht at

Coming from a town in England called, Leeds (found in Yorkshire), and with my husband coming from West Virginia, you can imagine there is a huge language barrier. Now that we have been together for over 6 years it isn't too bad. I mostly speak with a more American directed language and George with a more Yorkshire directed one. I have had to curb my slang and actually pronouce letters like "t" and "h", and I use American words like "gas" and "sidewalk" and "store." George on the other hand seems to have picked up more of my Yorkshire-isms and speaks more Yorkshire than I ever did it seems!

However, now and then I still throw him for a loop and it drives him barmy! Like for instance, alot of English people use the word Mantel (for mantelpeice) and I find this a common place to leave notes for George if I'm ever going out somewhere. Often, when I get home he will be pissed and all "Where were you? Why didn't you leave me a note?" and I'll be all "I left one on the mantel". He just looks at me like he wants to wring my neck! According to George, Americans don't do this!!! (I'm waiting for a bunch of Americans to now disprove George in my comment section!)

Sometimes, if he's looking for something, I tell him it's "on the side". Now English people everywhere know that if something is on the side, it is on the side! Probably on the kitchen counter - the side! Am I wrong? I tend to leave alot of things on the side.

Stuff like this drives George mad, especially when he starts picking this up and speaks like this at work.....

I remember the first time I went into work the day after a night of heavy drinking, and I told the girls "I got so pissed last night" and they were all like "ooooh, why? what happened?" and I was like "er....well, I drank alot?" If you are pissed over here it means you are angry at something/one. I'm telling you, this language barrier thing takes a lot of getting used to.

So, for you Americans out there (Kim and George especially), here is a little quiz you can take, to test your "English Knowledge". Let me know your results. Of course I got 100% but I laughed my arse off coz I hardly use these words anymore......

Here is a translator! (Kim, the next time we meet, I expect you to have the Yorkshire terminology down pat!)

And here are a couple of words that I say often that we English folk like to say.

Bloke - man.
'John is a nice bloke to know.'

Botched - poor quality repairs.
'He made a botched job of fixing the television.'

Bottle - courage.
'He doesn't have the bottle to ask her.'

Cheesed Off - fed up

Chuck it down - to rain, often heavily.
'It is going to chuck it down soon.'

Chuffed - If you are chuffed, you are happy with something.
'I was chuffed to win a medal!'

Daft - Crazy / stupid

Dosh - Money / cash 'I haven't got much dosh to give you.'

Gobsmacked - Incredibly amazed.
'I was gobsmacked when I saw my birthday presents.'

Gutted - Not happy because of an event that has occurred that didn't go your way.
'I was gutted when I didn't win the race'

Jammy - Used in place of lucky when describing someone else.
'He was very jammy winning the lottery'.

Scrummy - Delicious. Shortened from scrumptious.
'The food was very scrummy'

Skint - Broke. No money.
'I'm skint, I wont be able to buy the DVD today.'

to Snog - to long kiss

Telly - Television
'I watched the news on the telly last night.'

to smooch - to slow dance.

So there you have it. Some Yorkshire stuff from a Yorkshire lass. Make the most of it......