Haway

I was very happy to be learn that one of my books is being prepared for a US edition. This meant a few alterations were needed. The back garden where the children play is 'the yard', the shop became 'the store', and 'the post' is 'the mail'. All very exciting. The Mistmantle Chronicles have been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, Serbian, Russian, Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish.

One language that I've never been translated into is Geordie, which is surprising, as I'm fluent in it. There are various definitions of what a real Geordie is, but basically if you were born round about Newcastle or Tyneside, you're in. Northumberland isn't in Geordieland, it's much more rural, but the language is similar. Let me give you some vocab and useful phrases

Howay - or 'haway' - come on/come in/pull yourself together, anything like that. The variation 'hadaway' is usually come off it/I don't believe you/get lost. Also very useful.

Claggy - sticky

Clarts - mud, as in clarty', messy or dirty.

Bairn - child. Eeh, wharra clarty bairn!

Gan - go

Yem, or Hyem - home, as in 'Howay, I'm gannin yem. Are ye ganyem?

Chorch - church, or alternatively chepple, or chapel. You might gan to chorch to get wet, or to get the bairn done (christened).

Coos - cows. If working with coos you can get gey clarty and claggy at the same time, and caad, too, if it's winter. Your ears are your lugs, and if you gan on the moors it's caad enough to blaa yer lugs off.

Cuddy - horse or donkey. Or St Cuthbert, who is our local lad, should be the patron saint of England, and is affectionately known as Cuddy. 'Hadaway wi yer cuddy' is useful if the cuddy is in the wrong place.

Gadgee, or aad gadgee - an old man

Marra - friend (only seems to apply to men) An aad gadgee might like to gan with his marras to the pub, or if he lives in Ashington it's the purb. Or the clurb.

Whyaye - why, yes.

Weshing - washing. Ashington again - rurb a durb durb in the weshturb.

Plodge - paddle, as in plodging in the watter. Howay, we'll gan for a plodge.

Now is that clear as day or clear as clarts? Do you know how to tek the bairn to chorch, invite your marras to the purb or get the coos oot the clarts? Off you gan, then.