The language in the North East is loud and constant

The language in the North East of England is as colourful and vibrant of the different dialects of the United Kingdom. Certain phrases can be inpenitrable when you first arrive but they grow on you and many have a certain charm. I'll take at individual phrases in another later blog as it's the communication that interests me in this edition. It may seem strange to split the two but there are two distinct things happening here. Language itself has many different facets and the part of language that uses no words is often quoted as carrying the majority of the communication message.

Upon moving to the North East of England, for the first few months my family and I thought that there were far more arguments here than in other parts of the UK. Raised voices and what sounded from a distance as aggressive conversations had me believing that people were often at each other's throats. If you add to this either minimal body language or quite animated body language then you'll probably believe that there's trouble brewing. North East inhabitants tend to have one or the other of these traits - either wildly gesticulating as they are talking or talking loudly with no real body language and both can have quite a disconcerting effect on the uninitiated.

It takes a little while to get used to the volume of life here. People shouting across the street at each other would pass as trouble brewing in many parts of the country but it's usually a friendly gesture here. Starting a sentence or conversation with a loud "Now...." seems odd to most of us but is actually commonplace in North East parlance. And volume is here in cafés, shopping centres, restaurants, pubs, the streets and homes. Communication happens at high speed and high volume and it all adds to the vibrancy of this part of the world.

You don't have to be afraid of the way that people speak. If you think that there is an argument going on then wait a few seconds to see what is being spoken about. I will bet you that it isn't an argument at all but just two people speaking in their normal voice.

And it isn't just the way that people communicate but the words that they use that will catch you off guard if you are not from this part of the world. If you thought you knew English then spend a little time in the North East and you will find a whole new vocabulary that you had no idea existed. In fact there are dictionaries available that will help you navigate ordinary daily conversations that you might have.

Three phrases in particular have really go me and I'll give you a quick run-through of these here.

"It's hoying it down"

This actually means that it is raining heavily. I love this phrase as it captures the insensitivity of the rain shower for me. I like to use this as often as I can. Even when it isn't raining.

The word "hoy" can also mean to throw, as in the phrase "hoy me that pencil" so you can start to seethe origins of the phrase.

"Ket"

This is a word used to mean sweets or candy. Ket is the general phrase that covers all of the sweet things that kids shouldn't be eating.

"Boils my piss"

I love and hate this phrase in equal measure. It means to make someone very angry. If you have done something to upset someone in the North East then you could be said to "boil their piss."

I love the anger that goes with this but I also have the image in my head that makes me dislike the phrase too. I most often hear it from working class people and I've never had the inclination to research if it is used in other parts of the country. I'd love to hear from you if it is.