It's Only Words

I’ve not written anything for a couple of weeks, work and a holiday have meant I’ve not had time, so what better way of spending a rainy Sunday afternoon than in the company of Stanley Thomas and Henry Mason? 

  I’ve spent some time re-reading what I’ve written and trying to decide if my writing is Nottinghamshire enough.

  In 1991, when most of the world was swooning over Kevin Costner in a pair of green tights and applauding Alan Rickman for his performance as the Sheriff of Nottingham, whilst humming “Everything I Do”, my Mum was in the midst of a one-woman campaign to avoid the film, she categorically refused to see it! Being incredibly proud of her Nottinghamshire roots, she was incensed that none of the publicity for the film took place in Nottingham, and she was equally outraged that Kevin Costner didn’t even attempt a Nottinghamshire accent, she said and I quote;

“I’m not going to sit and listen to a bloody American say he’s gaaaing to Nottinghaaammmm, he can gu to Nottinghum like everybody else!”

She never relented on her stance, although she did succumb to the charms of Bryan Adams. 

 But my Mum’s views set me thinking, it’s really important to me that my book is set in Nottinghamshire, in particular, Mansfield, Kirkby, Sutton, Huthwaite and one character is the vicar of a church in Edwinstowe!

So today, I set about making sure there a few Nottinghamshire phrases in there, the obvious ones are the characters greeting each other with a jovial “Ay-up mi duck” or a “Ay-up yoof” – fairly standard!

But then I started making myself laugh with other ones I could use, which would probably make no sense to anyone who doesn’t have an NG postcode. 

Just in case they do make the book, here’s a quick guide to speaking Nottinghamshire.

·     Tabs – Ears

·     Corsey – Pavement.

·     Bobbo – horse.

·     “Am telling ya Mam” – “I shall be informing your mother of your actions”

·     Mardy – Moody.

·     “I’m mashing, ya ayying one” – “I’m making a pot of tea, would you like to join me in a cup?”

·     “Giz a croggy” – “Would you be so kind as to give me a lift on your bicycle?

·     Nobby greens – Brussels.

So, if at any point Stanley asks you for a croggy or instructs you to get mashing, you’ll know what he’s on about. But, because Stanley Thomas is a very bad man, no one will ever get him to eat his nobby greens!