How to speak ‘Barrovian’

Maritime Team
September 10, 2019

So you‘re coming to Barrow? Shiny new job? Better get the lingo down..

Business language skills are critical needs in this modern era of globalization and cut-throat competition. And as this small town is fast becoming THE hot spot for Industry and taking a large contribution seat in the Northern Powerhouse; I figured it’s a language we should all be learning! Essential to your career and development in the Renewable’s or Defense sectors.. If we can’t communicate in Barrovian, yet we build Submarines, who even are we (Eh?)?

Gaining competency over this particular skill will allow you to communicate with your peers, subordinates, supervisors, and clients easily and clearly, and this will bring an increase in productivity that will ultimately result in higher profitability.

Here‘s a little lesson in Barrovian.. the Dialect used in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.. my home town – my native tongue..

DEAD GOOD

The words ‘dead’ and ‘well’ are often used in conversation to mean ‘very’ or make a strong point, for example “it was well good”, or “it was dead bad”.

AND THAT

The word ‘like’ is frequently used with little meaning, as is the term ‘and that’ which roughly translates to the use of the term ‘etc’ in a spoken conversation. For example, “I bought crisps and biscuits and that”..

Perhaps this will help also.. the list below contains common words and daily greetings in Standard English (in bold) and their Barrovian equivalent (in italics), and examples of use in a sentence or phrase (in parenthesis).

I – a (a went out last night)

Anything – aught/owt

Barrow – Barra

Clothes – clobber

Drunk – ratted, off your head, recked

Going on a trip or walk – going on a bod

Hello – iya

Him/Her – im/er

Here you go – e are

How are you – y’orite

Later – after

Me – us (leave us alone)

Moody – mardy

Mother – mam

Nothing – nowt

Playing truant – jigging

Saw – sin (I sin her yesterday in town)

Something – summat

Trousers – kecks, pants

Unfair – tight

Where are you? – where y’at?

Where are you going? – where y’off?

We – us (us two)

Information taken from wikivisually.com

So if you’re ever in doubt about how to pronounce some of the phrases in Barrovian you can always refer to Barrow’s most Famous Celebrity Danny Andrews to talk you through his diet. #fishandaricecake – ENJOY!