Language/Accents

[Fleetwood Mac]

I can remember my dad and grandad eating pigs trotters. I’ll eat pretty much anything but lines have to be drawn. I remember saying “but your just eating fat!” But all I got was “you don’t know what your missing!” Yet when I tried to get them to try a curry you’d think I’d asked them to eat a dead dog.

Ive got to say though, I’d rather eat pig’s trotters than go down a mine. Hats off to miners. Whatever they were paid….it wasn’t enough.

On the whole, they probably ate better than we do, Herlock. Fair enough pig's trotters is hardly a culinary delight, but they did grow all of their own vegetables, kept hens for eggs; sourced their meat from the local butchers. Unlike our age where food is transported all over the show and God only knows how long it stands in a basement in Asda.

As for working down the mines, it depends. We're all aware of the mining disasters. In fact, my mother's uncle was blown to small pieces in a mining disaster in 1955. He went right through WW2 in the navy, survived being on a ship that was torpedoed and sunk; only to lose his life down the pit.

But, by the time you were at say 1980, the machinery down there was of a good quality, from all accounts it wasn't a bad job at all. When you add in the camaraderie of working with your mates, the same lads who you grew up and went to the pub with; it may have been a lot better than today's call centres with some Hitler running 'round shouting about percentages. In fact, semi and low skilled workers had a better standard of living than today's equivalent.

[Sam Flynn]

If you like linguistic confusion, take a look at this.
Does the guy want to buy fork handles or four candles?
https://youtu.be/0CmaLgxLDE0

One thing that always (slightly) bugs me about that legendary sketch is that, once Barker tells Corbett that he wants "Handles (plural) for forks", Corbett doesn't ask "How many?", and then proceeds to serve his customer with just one of them anyway.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Two good old Black Country meals are faggots and peas and grey peas and bacon. Or, if you’re a local it’s “faggots and pays.”

[Herlock Sholmes]

Ok Londoners….when I was about 20 the seafood guy came into our local. Cockles and mussels etc. I decided to try jellied ears. They were freezing cold and completely tasteless. Surely they aren’t always like that?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Ms Diddles - I'm glad you said ''cat'' rather than venturing into Mrs Slocombe territory.

Sorry, I'll get my coat.

OneRound

I thought it…..you said it.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I always thought tripe was a Yorkshire and Lancashire thing.

But, let me tell you this.

My grandad, who was a coal miner, used to eat pig's trotters. Honestly. With salt, vinegar and pepper on. Fat dripping down his face, or, getting back to accents and dialect, 'pyat' (which is the colloquial term for face in the mining villages of County Durham).

You couldn't get them these days, but back then all of the butchers stocked them.

I can remember my dad and grandad eating pigs trotters. I’ll eat pretty much anything but lines have to be drawn. I remember saying “but your just eating fat!” But all I got was “you don’t know what your missing!” Yet when I tried to get them to try a curry you’d think I’d asked them to eat a dead dog.

Ive got to say though, I’d rather eat pig’s trotters than go down a mine. Hats off to miners. Whatever they were paid….it wasn’t enough.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Count me in.

Apart from those pickled eggs.....!

Nothing wrong with a pickled egg Ms D.

[Aethelwulf]

Well you do now, Aethelwulf. In the 1970s, my mum served us up tripe in bowels of vinegar probably once every couple of months. It is without any doubt the most disgusting thing I 've ever had to endure.

Still ate it, mind.

That sounds grim. Serving it with vinegar sounds a lot like Herriot lathering every slice of his fatty ham with picallili to make it edible!

[Iconoclast]

I know we're getting off accents here, but as a northerner, something that has always baffled me is tripe. What is that about? ... Do people actaully eat the stuff? I have never seen anyone buy the stuff, or know anyone that eats it.

Well you do now, Aethelwulf. In the 1970s, my mum served us up tripe in bowels of vinegar probably once every couple of months. It is without any doubt the most disgusting thing I 've ever had to endure.

Still ate it, mind.

[Ms Diddles]

That's funny!

I was just talking about tripe with a colleague yesterday.

Her lovely gentle spaniel had shocked her by eating a live mouse while they were out for a walk.

Apparently the mouse squeaked and everything.

She was horrified!

The dog was raised on a farm and fed tripe as a pup.

She theorised that it had developed a taste for anything absolutely disgusting as a result!

[Dupin]

"tripe is the stomach lining of a cow". It is. It can be eaten cold preferably with vinegar and salt. Or it can be stewed in milk with onions. Tripe and onions was a popular northern dish. There is also pig's tripe which is very tasty but not for the squeamish.

[Wickerman]

...I know we're getting off accents here, but as a northerner, something that has always baffled me is tripe. What is that about? I've tried a few weird things - pig cheek sandwhich being one. But everytime I see a tray of tripe in the market I feel like I'm about to bring up my last meal. Do people actaully eat the stuff? I have never seen anyone buy the stuff, or know anyone that eats it. But there it always is - the minging tray of tripe. Always makes me think of that scene in one of the James Herriot books where to be polite he eats a whole load of really fatty ham with a couple of jars of piccalilli.

Back in the early 70's when I was living in England I worked for Dewhurst Butchers, we sold tripe, seemed to be quite popular. I only set the stuff up for display, never ate any of it. I don't know if you boil it or what, it didn't look the most appetising thing. If I'm not mistaken it is the stomach lining of a cow. I could be wrong it's been a few years now.

[Wickerman]

haha. i was pronouncing the thames with the "th" sound and long a when we got to london. you know, how it looks.

me: wheres the Thames river from here.
local: never heard of it.
me: youve never heard of the river that this city is on??
local: You mean Tims?
me: whos Tim?
local: Tims, its pronounced Tims.
me: no kidding, i always thought it was pronounced the way its spelled. thanks!

(pub laughs)

If you like linguistic confusion, take a look at this.
Does the guy want to buy fork handles or four candles?

https://youtu.be/0CmaLgxLDE0

[Fleetwood Mac]

I recently saw an episode of "Sister Boniface's Mysteries" in which an old chap in coveralls, who was apparently the gardener, offered up a witness account in an unintelligble accent. A young policewoman who was native to the area was required to translate for him.

Aye, there are a lot of accents and dialect in this country, spoken by anyone of any age, that people from abroad would not recognise as being the English language.

Glaswegian is probably the hardest to understand, Northumberland and Durham probably behind that, Scouse would be a struggle as well.

Herlock's Black Country accent would cause a few problems also.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Count me in.

Apart from those pickled eggs.....!

You'd be a guest, Ms Diddles, and so whatever you'd like.

I've never eaten them either, but in the local pubs someone will come round now and again selling pickled eggs.