Talk Like A Brummie Day Dictionary
Add your favourite Brummie words or phrases to this page – in dictionary form if you can.
Please check if it’s already listed (expand if you’ve got a better definition!).
eg:
Yampi (yam-pee): Mad, in a fun way – like a cat chasing its tail.
NB. Brummie, Black County? A little note to stop people getting mad.
Talk Like A Brummie Day 
196 comments
Comments feed for this article
June 14, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Nick
“couple or three” – it wasn’t two, but it also wasn’t much more than that.
June 14, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Podnosh Blog : High Fibre Podcasting » Archive » Talk like a Brummie day
[…] mothers. Of course this has to be a global collaboration – fluent speakers can add to the brummie dictionary, whilst anyone can vote for this on upyerbum, add the date to their diary, pop this countdown […]
June 15, 2007 at 9:21 am
catnipmusic
outdoor: an off-licence
June 15, 2007 at 9:21 am
catnipmusic
go to the foot of our stairs: blimey, that’s surprising
December 18, 2009 at 8:17 pm
simone
This is used in Yorkshire too……..Its not really a Birmingham expression
April 12, 2010 at 8:16 pm
JohnO
Perhaps those in Yorkshire adopted the expression from some Black Country ‘transplant’ whilst employed in teaching Yorkshire ‘fowk’ how to rub two sticks together? (hee hee)
June 15, 2007 at 9:22 am
catnipmusic
island: a roundabout
June 15, 2007 at 11:47 am
Paul Barber
‘Guin round the Wrekin’ – Going the long way around
June 15, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Praguetory
Deaf – forget, abandon
i.e Shall we deaf it? = Let’s not bother with it.
June 15, 2007 at 1:47 pm
alf
bostin
June 15, 2007 at 4:15 pm
bounder
Love that one Paul – it’s one of my Nan’s. I’ve always wondered if the phrase is still used, but becomes to mean a progressively shorter route the nearer to the Wrekin you get – so in Shrewsbury does ‘going around the Wrekin’ mean a short distance?
June 15, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Mike
Goo an play up yer own end.
Buzz = bus
Ar (Ah?) = yes
Tara a bit = goodbye
June 15, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Phil Mc Carty
“It’s lookin’ a bit black over the back of Bill’s mother’s” – used by both parents, two Uncles – both sides (born Handsworth) from as early as I can remember.
Awroight? – ‘All right’?
My father (1927-96) used to say “Do that and I’ll chase you all the way round the Wrekin’
December 18, 2009 at 8:18 pm
simone
Black over Bills’s Mother is also a Yorkshire expression – its not just Birmingham
April 23, 2010 at 8:52 pm
fog
wrekin is actually a place in birmingham although is does mean long way round, it is a place too.
September 10, 2017 at 4:17 am
Chris
The Wrekin is a whopping great hill in Shropshire. It takes a long time to go over it and even longer to go round it! Hence the saying, “Gooin round the Wrekin” when referring to some long journey or a long winded explanation. The saying has now transplanted to New Zealand. My cousin out there uses it, learnt from her Brummie mom.
June 16, 2007 at 12:29 am
Ruth
Owamya? = How you doin’?
June 16, 2007 at 11:13 am
alf
all around the wrekin ‘ as in someone who takes too long to explain something ‘
June 18, 2007 at 10:13 am
Deano
eh’ar = here you are
June 18, 2007 at 10:14 am
grant
‘can’t get me hat on’ – similar to ‘i’ll go to the foot of our stairs’ for something surprising
December 18, 2009 at 8:19 pm
simone
Not just from Brummie – used widely ……
June 18, 2007 at 10:21 am
grant
and how about ‘looking like nobody owns you’ when you are a bit scruffy?
June 18, 2007 at 11:24 am
elaine barber (Pauls mom)
As long as Livery street, (a long way)….. Horse road (Road)…. Babbies (Babies)…….Yerr (Year)…..Gooing (going).
February 6, 2021 at 2:01 am
LYNN WINWOOD
All black country
June 18, 2007 at 11:26 am
elaine barber (Pauls mom)
How about Scraged your knee?? (scratched, grazed)
April 27, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Betty
Looking back, I thought it was only me that used to say scraged instead of grazed, how fantastic to know its a proper Brummie saying. I was born in Handsworth and left Brum way back in 1971
May 31, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Linda
I had forgotten ….I used that one!
June 18, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Nick
a Tot – an alcoholic drink/a pint
a Cob – a bread roll/bap – apparently unique to the West Midlands
Yampee – Crazy
Deaf it- Don’t bother
Mither – to fuss (not sure if this is just Brummie)
June 18, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Johnny Rafter
See you on the ice in the fish market.
A gambol. People outside of Birmingham don’t know wht a gambol is, if you don’t believe me just ask someone, a non-brummy.
Not ‘alf and Not s’bad (often just s’bad) are overused by Brummies.
Get out of town! Love that one.
June 19, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Pam
To “munch” – as in “stop munching the dog/cat/ your brother/sister” etc
My mum always used to say this to us kids when she wanted us to stop teasing any of the above – I still love that word today!
And what about “grizzle” – i.e to cry
June 19, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Pam
Just thought of another one – “piesal” (I think that’s roughly how you spell it) – my mother in law (Brummie through and through) uses the word a lot to describe someone who is mean or a bit tight with their money.
June 19, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Af
Nawse- as in someone who is nauseating and annoying (“You’re such a nawse”
Breeg- as above
Scrage- when you’re little and you fall off your bike and you put your hands out to stop yourself hitting your face, only to ‘scrage’ the heel of your palms so much so they sting for about three days afterwards
Tip-top- basically a cheapo ice lolly that costs 5p, or, if you’re in a newsagents in Solihull, 10p
June 19, 2007 at 7:08 pm
John
ar = yes (this is a favourite of mine)
the cut = the canal
June 19, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Johnny Rafter
Wunnarf an eyesore
Wasn’t too pretty on the eye
June 20, 2007 at 8:29 am
pete myring
Ayup: Heads up, I’m about to say something you’ll be interested in
Bostin: Something that is really very good. Eg: Ayup she’s bostin
Blinkin eck. An expression of surprise. Eg Blinkin eck, that’s a bostin pint.
Bloomin aida. Another expression of shock or surprise.
Kin aida: Intense shock or surprise (when you are unsure whether to use the full obscenity or not).
Owzabout?: how about?, here is an alternative view?, why not?
I’ll ave arf: mines a half, thanks.
For the umpteenth time: I’ll tell you again.
Tun Dish: A funnel
Its lookin grim: The outlooks not good.
Aint. Havn’t, am not or isn’t. As in I aint (havn’t) got it, I aint (am not) going, It aint (isn’t)
‘I Aint avin it’….I simply don’t agree
Barkin mad: You/she/he do not conform to my way of thinking.
A Yam Yam: Someone who comes from the Black Country.
Gonna: Going to.
He’s a little bugger: The origins fortunately lost in time, now an endearing term for someone normally young who it mildly annoying.
He’s a bugger up the back: Same as a little bugger. Why anyone would say this is unclear. Used by my late Grandmother who possibly had some unfortunate experiences in life.
The mind boggles: A knowing bemusement. Likely response to someone saying…he’s a bugger up the back!
By gum. You don’t say?
Its rainin in. (Close the window), the rain is coming in.
December 18, 2009 at 8:20 pm
simone
A lot of these are also Northern……………….
June 20, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Paul B
ooo stop yer ‘aggin: meaning will you please stop moaning/complaining/etc..
June 20, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Paul B
“Will you stop chobbling your sweets?!!” – stop crunching the boiled sweet that is in your mouth!
May 31, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Linda
Chobbling……..I have not heard that for years…still chobble sweets
June 20, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Swanny
Harley Barley ! a term used when one is coppin’ out in an argument/scrap.
June 20, 2007 at 3:36 pm
DrDaveHPP
“Steady past yer granny’s”
– something my nan used to say to her over-hasty/clumsy grandchildren to get them to calm down
“He’s a bugger for his […]”
– (a) he’s extraordinarily keen on/partial to […]
– (b) he insists on indulging in the annoying habit of […]
“Pack it in!”
– Stop it!
June 20, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Richard
YOU WHAT!! – were you talking to me? / what are you saying / shut your mouth or lets have it! The Brummie war cry. Usually aimed at anyone who might have said anything after a few drinks. Used by men and women!
June 20, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Richard
”lets 0121”. – lets do one – lets go.
June 20, 2007 at 5:25 pm
bounder
”lets 0121” – blimey that’s modern, I still think “021 in the area”
June 20, 2007 at 5:43 pm
tom.higgy
Fittle – food
By the cinema in Dudley is a restaurant by name of ‘Bostin Fittle’ – literally good food.
June 21, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Sue Byrne
Isn’t the word ‘pikelet’ a west midlands only term? It’s the bun with the holes in that you toast and put butter on – my husband, a Londoner, calls it a muffin.
June 21, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Rachel from Lickey
More lavatorial humour :-)
My father always prounces it “tor-lit”, but my mother (from Handsworth) refers to it as the “Lar-pom”, or just “out the back”, even though we now have a bathroom.
June 21, 2007 at 9:47 pm
Alison
Like – said after nearly every word in a sentence – as in you know like, I went to the park like, and I had a run like, and then I went home like….
Basically – as in ‘basically I just went to the shop’ or ‘basically, that’s what happened’
are these brummie sayings, or from all over?
Bab – as in ‘how am ya bab’ – how are you love?
June 26, 2007 at 1:33 pm
ouchmonkey
Pitherin’ – Faffing about, although faffing might be just as Brummie, taking a long time to achieve nothing in particular
Tara a bit, or run together as tararabit – see you later
June 26, 2007 at 2:45 pm
terry mulvey
What about ‘gully’ for a passageway between houses? No-one here in Oxfordshire has a clue what I’m talking about.
And round here they say pitchy-poll for gambol.
June 26, 2007 at 2:55 pm
bounder
oh yes, we always used to nip up the gully (gulley?) to the shops.
May 31, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Linda
We used double knack not gully
June 26, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Mark Dallas
My mom would always call sherbet ‘KAY-loy’.
July 6, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Rosemary Knutsen
All us kids in Shirley, south-west of Brum, bought kayli (sherbet) when we were growing up in the 1940s. I never heard it called anything else
Rosemary
June 26, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Holly
http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/slang.htm
Loads of Brummie dialect on there –
:D
Tara-a-bit – definitely a favorite of my mums!
xx
June 26, 2007 at 10:54 pm
Holly
Tuthbrush too!
June 27, 2007 at 11:15 am
Will
Diooorrr (Dire). Used by almost every Villa and Blues fan calling a radio football phone-in.
June 27, 2007 at 11:43 am
Mike
Stick – against (as in “versus”) in kids’ games. “Us lot stick you lot, OK?”
June 27, 2007 at 11:52 am
Mike
Hate to quibble, but a lot of Pete Myring’s suggestions aren’t particularly Brummie:
Ayup: This is more Yorkshire/Lancashire
Bostin: Yes. Brummie and Black Country.
Blinkin eck. Generic nationwide/Northern , surely?
Kin aida: Yep, I like this one.
Owzabout?: Generic northern (think Jimmy Saville)
I’ll ave arf: Mmmm, yeah, suppose so.
For the umpteenth time: Is this just Brummie?
Tun Dish: Don’t know this one.
Its lookin grim: Generic.
Aint. Pretty much nationwide working-class, I’d have thought.
‘I Aint avin it’: Yeah, maybe.
Barkin mad: Generic.
A Yam Yam: Yep.
Gonna: Generic.
He’s a little bugger: Generic.
He’s a bugger up the back: Never heard this one.
The mind boggles: Definitley generic!
By gum. Lancashire, without a doubt.
Its rainin in. Yeah, I think so.
June 27, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Pam
To”cut yer boot” – an expression that means to have trodden in some dog poo on the pavement. Used in my parents household in Brum when someone(usually one of us kids) came in reeeking of something unpleasant i.e. “Phew! Have you cut yer boot ?”
“Blown off”: suffered from a touch of flatulance.
Sorry about all the toilet references in this post!
June 27, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Pam
“gansey” – jumper, sweater
June 27, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Robin
DICTIONARY ADDITION
To ‘Crash’ a) transitive verb meaning to give or share, as in ‘Crash the rocks Nigel’ (give me a sweet Nigel)
b) to stay over, as in ‘Can i crash at your place tonight Nigel?’ (may I stay over at your house tonight Nigel)
June 27, 2007 at 5:09 pm
bounder
I’m sure the second ‘crash’ is fairly universal english – but the first one possibly…
June 30, 2007 at 9:06 am
Steve
A few favourites from an adopted Midlander of 14 years’ standing…
Firk (verb, also Black Country): To scrabble around, looking for something
Kipper tie (noun): ‘Ot drink enjoyed with a poiklet
Mardy (adjective): Grumpy
‘Ow am ya? (interrogative): Are you well?
What it is, right, … (phrase): Compulsory beginning to an explanation of any length
Wumtay (company name from initials WMT): Company which runs buzzes
And for the record, someone suggested it was a unique usage, but they also use “cob” for “bread roll” in Leicester. For some reason, midway from Brum to Leicester (in Coventry and Warwickshire), it becomes a “batch”.
July 1, 2007 at 8:44 pm
John
Bonce = Head
Blartin’ = Crying
Chompin’ = Noisy eating.
Babby. = Baby.
July 6, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Fiona Crabtree
“Mardy” isn’t Brummie it’s Yorkshire as in “She’s a reet mardy bum” and is more complex behaviour that straightforward grumpyness. It’s unappeasable low level whining with mild emotional blackmail and general contraryness. Possible to ignore in small doses but builds to a critical mass of extreme irritation.
July 6, 2007 at 6:57 pm
william
crash the rocks..
deffo….
deaf out (not to be confused with deffo)
bringing back great memories.
and i humbly suggest “up your end” – as in “where you live”
July 6, 2007 at 7:10 pm
william
…and of course – “tarrah a bit” – see you later
July 7, 2007 at 11:48 pm
Roy
Re Steve’s contribution:-
“What it is, right, … (phrase): Compulsory beginning to an explanation of any length”
The pronunciation should join the first three sounds thus:- “Worritiz, roight.
The phrase may be prefaced with ‘Only’:-
“Onlyworritiz, roight …”
Perfection loses the ‘l’ from ‘only’, thus:-
“Oneyworritz, roight ..”
R
July 10, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Pam
“Got a bob on hisself/herself” – thinks he/she is better than other people, has got an overblown idea of their own importance
“yer daft apath!” – affectionate term of admonition to someone who has said or done something mildly silly
July 10, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Pam
“Red ‘at, no drawers!” – colourful expression used by my mother to imply that a neighbour or acquaintance (usually female) had spent good money on maintaining an appearance of affluence, whilst (for example) secretly struggling to pay the gas bill. Similar to the expression, “All kippers and curtains!”
July 11, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Lola
“loike, yu now” – “like, you know?” – additional unnecessary padding often used at the end of a sentence or brief story.
“any row-ed up” – “any road up” – often used at the mid-point of a long drawn out story to signify the return to the main point of the story after additional unrelated waffle.
July 11, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Roy
He or she:- “Couldn’t stop a pig in an entry”.
To be said of someone, he or she, who has bow legs or is bandy legged.
R
July 11, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Nick
“Isn’t the word ‘pikelet’ a west midlands only term? It’s the bun with the holes in that you toast and put butter on – my husband, a Londoner, calls it a muffin.”
Wonderful word. As a child in the south I toasted “crumpets” – they only changed to pikelets when I moved here.
How about:
“Sherrin” – shiny new first year pupil (yes I know, now year seven – ridiculous system). Certainly applied in my Birmingham school – may have been unique to that school though?
Also love Williams “crash the rocks..” – share the sweets.
“Bostin Steve Austin” – 1970’s extension of “Bostin” (means good, but with a possible extra edge of approval and a hint of excitement?)
July 12, 2007 at 10:48 am
Zoo Brain
‘Def it out’ = leave it out
‘Deft out’ = been left out
‘face like a bosted arse’ = butt ugly
May 3, 2020 at 12:33 pm
mrhansonsenglish
This has to be my favourite one! My nan used to use this, often talking about my grandad. The connotations of ‘bosted arse’ are as visually explosive as a David Cronenberg scene. It seems the Black Country invented body horror!
July 12, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Matt
Sherrin or sherring, meaning fresh herring was exclusively a KES thing I think.
Had completely forgotten ‘crash the rocks’ until just now.
August 7, 2009 at 9:36 pm
woody
definately a KES thing (I’m an old boy, sorry)
July 12, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Claire
Thought ‘Ow am ya?’ is more black country than brummie?
I use round the wrekin and no-one in south knows what I mean!
Kay-lie was my fave, my mom still uses that. Tip-top seems to be a brummie thing… no-one outside of brum know what that is either… or jublee!
July 12, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Claire
And I mean jublee in the frozen ice pop sense of the word… not look at the pair of those…
July 12, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Nick
have we had :
“Bost” – broken.
July 12, 2007 at 11:11 pm
dave morgan
Love this but most of the contributions are certainly common in North Staffordshire. What is different is the unique Brummie accent, which some contributors have managed to represent so well, that even a native of the Potteries, with 40 years of living in Wales, Oxfordshire and Bolton, and no talent for mimicry, can make a passing stab at. Keep it up its bostin
July 13, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Roy Cane
A note on pronunciation, if I may.
The ‘o’ sound as in ‘boss’ and ‘mom’, both common in Brummie usage is a most beautiful sound.
It is formed with both the ‘o’ and the ‘a’ vowels, (as in bass and mam) blended together.
Speak ‘boss’ and ‘Bass’ making your vowel sounds very different. Feel how you form the two sounds with your lips and tongue, then make the vowell sound that is part way between the two positions
Good Luck
R
July 14, 2007 at 6:56 pm
JunkieNurse
Bostin Crab and Bostin Aggro – other extensions of ‘bostin’ used to emphasise just how bostin something is
Kin ‘ell man – expression of surprise/dismay/disgust
You’ll ‘ave it dark – get a move on or it’ll be night before you’ve done what you need to do
July 14, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Roy Cane
Another extension for bostin:-
Bostin that ain’t it.
Pronounced:- “Bostin tharrayit!”
R
July 16, 2007 at 8:43 am
Nicky Ricketts
Where ya bin, Where have you been?
How bin yahh, How are you?
Were yow goowin, Where are you going?
July 16, 2007 at 9:50 am
matt
Sweaty: Stress, Panic.
As in so and so had ‘a right sweaty’
July 16, 2007 at 4:05 pm
mark
What about “Basically” everyone in Brum says this – doh they?
July 16, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Sue
Leggin it – Running very fast
July 17, 2007 at 3:02 am
Daniel
What about “Rezza” as in the Edgbaston Reservoir
July 17, 2007 at 10:16 am
Kimberley Andrews
“Got one on her/him”:- For in a bad mood
“Back of Ted’s” :- For an unspecific place eg, ‘where does he live? ‘oh, over the back of teds’
“Cowin'” :- For a mild swear word similar to ‘flippin’….cowin’ hell
July 17, 2007 at 11:46 am
murph
“er’s got a face as lung as Livery Street”….down in the dumps/Miseryguts.
July 17, 2007 at 11:57 am
John Lester
“Its as black as yer hat an thats blue” – Its Obvious
“this aint gettin the baby a frock and pinney” – We are wasting time here
July 17, 2007 at 12:07 pm
David Ayres
Where is this strange place “Brummie”? Does it appear on any maps or how does one know how to avoid it.
The vernacular sounds rather strange, but will definitely go there just before hell freezes over.
July 17, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Katy Jay
Here’s a list of slang that I have picked up from my family – who are from Dudley, West Brom and Birmingham – hope this helps! Katy. xxx
‘Barmy’ – said to someone who’s insane – ‘Yo’m barmy’ – same as ‘Yampy’
‘Bint’ – a thick young woman
‘Blartin’ – crying incessantly… e.g. ‘Pack in blartin’ – ‘stop your crying now’
‘Cake-hole’ – slang word for mouth
‘Canting’ – slang for ‘talking’, verb: ‘cant’
‘Clarnet’ – a term used to call someone an idiot or fool (Tipton origins I think)
‘Fizzog’ – means ‘Face’ – so to tell someone to stop sulking – ‘Put yer fizzog straight’…
‘Yo gerron me wick’ – means ‘You get on my nerves’
Glarnies – another name for ‘Marlies’ – Marbles
A ‘Guzzunda’ – a bed pan
Kay-lied – slang meaning of ‘to get drunk’ – also you may hear ‘grollied’, ‘plastered’, ‘pasted’ etc… varies around the Midlands
‘Lard-‘Ed’ – means ‘Lard Head’ – which means someone stupid… you also her ‘Tater-yed’ – ‘Potato head’
‘Miskin’ – A dustbin
‘Mooch/Moach’ – to have a look around – e.g. ‘A mooch/moach round the shops’
‘Oss Road’ – used by mainly older Black Country and Brummie folk – it means ‘thoroughfare’ or literally ‘The horse road’… if you’re telling someone to go down the road you may say ‘Goo down th’Oss Road’…
‘On hop ‘n’ a catch’ – means ‘now and again’ – e.g. I only see ‘im on hop ‘n’ a catch…
‘Palaver’ – slang for a disastrous situation or a drama…
‘Reesty’ – dirty/filthy from playing outside – e.g. Yar clothes am reesty and need a wash…
‘Tittybabby’ – Someone acting immaturely or someone who’s a coward…
A ‘Tussock’ – slang for a bad cough – e.g. ‘Yo gorra right Tussock on ya!’
A ‘Wammull’ – slang for animal – mainly a pet like a dog or a cat…
‘Wench’ – terms of endearment used by men towards younger women or their daughters
‘Cocker’ or ‘Chap’ or ‘Aer Kid’ – terms of endearment used by anyone towards younger males or their sons/younger brothers
‘Bab’ – Term of endearment used towards women of any age by men of any age
‘Mucker’ – Term of endearment used towards men of any age, like ‘mate’
‘Lerrus see the babby’s yed!’ – Translates as ‘Let us see the baby’s head’ – means to give somene a chance to do something when someone is impatient
‘Let the dog si the rabbit!’ – same as above
‘A Jubbly’ – A frozen carton drink used as an ice-lolly
‘Tip-tops’ – Frozen ice in a long packet of different colours and flavours
‘A Brummigam Sponner’ – The Black Country explanation of a hammer
‘I bay as green as I’m cabbage lookin” – Mean ‘I’m not as stupid as I look’
‘The Ackidock’ – slang for Aqueduct
‘Ackers’ – Money (‘Ocker’ in Tipton)
‘Ar’l goo to Clent!/Ar’l goo to the foot of our stairs!’ – an exclamation of surprise, implying ‘No way! You’re joking! You’re kidding’
‘Bally’ – slang for stomach
‘I’ll gi yo such a cogwinder’ – what a parent says to their kids when being offered a clout round the ears… also used like the word ‘Pailin’ – ‘I’ll gi’ yo a pailin’…’
‘A right bell-oilin” – when someone give something a good seeing-to/thrashing… e.g. Yo gid that car a right bell-oilin day ya?’. Similar to ‘A gud Ommerin’
‘Bob ‘Owler’ – a large moth
‘Cack’ – slang used to profane ‘Rubbish’ (basically means excrement)
‘Caggy ‘Onded’ – Mean clumsy when working by hand, or used to relate to left-handedness
‘Chuffed’ – means over the moon, happy
‘Catlick’ – a quick wash
‘Shut your clack’ – said so many times by my Mum to me to tell me to shut up talking… or back-answering…
‘Coost thee?’ – means ‘Can you?’, the opposite being ‘Thee Coonst!’ – ‘You can’t!’
‘Yo’m a coddin’ ay ya?’ – mean ‘You’re joking!’
‘That sticks in mar craw’ – translates as ‘sticks in my throat’, in the terms of cannot believe it in a negative situation
‘Dollop’ – a large portion of – e.g. A dollop o’ tater – a large portion of potatoes…
‘Donnies’ – slang for small hands… also known as ‘Maulers’
‘Fittle’ – Food/meal – e.g. Bostin Fittle – good food…
‘Fun’ – means ‘Found’ – e.g. ‘what yo’ fun’?’ (What you found?)
‘Gammy’ – ill or lame
‘Gawkin’ – slang verb: staring at someone nosily e.g. ‘What yo a gawkin’ at?’ However if you’re staring in amazement, mouth wide-open, then you’re ‘gawpin’…
‘Ya sounds like a gleed under a door’ – A ‘Gleed’ is the ember of a coal that used to whistle as it jumped off the fireplace and they used to shoot quite far, mostly under the door from the living room to the kitchen… if someone is singin badly, whining or moaning in a high-pitched voice then this is said…
‘Grorty Dick’ – A local delicacy (!) of Groat and Meat Stew… I don’t like it tho… same as Grey Peas and Bacon… smells like tripe (yuck)
‘Ivverin ‘n’ Ovverin’ – to hesitate or dilly-dally
‘Kefflin’ – someone who’s awkward, lumering in their walk…
‘A right lampin’ – to give someone a hard smack…
‘Mardy’ – someone who’s bad-tempered/moody… also ‘Got the Meegrums’ – bad tempered/grumpy – and ‘got a cobb on’ – got the sulks or a bad mood…
‘Monty’ – someone who’s on their high horse about soemthing…
‘A Sly Munch’ – used by grandparents who want to give little grandchildren a cuddle – e.g. ‘Come ‘ere an’ lerrus gi’ ya a sly munch’
‘Morkin’ – someone who looks miserable
‘Mytherin’ – someone who’s worried about something… e.g. ‘Quit yer mytherin!’. Same as to ‘Werrit’ – e.g. ‘Stop werritin’!’
‘Nerker’ – A mischevious little child… my little sister was a right nerker…
‘Noggin Yed’ – Someone who is thick or acts dum… a Noggin is a lump of bread or dough.
‘Ockerd’ – slang pronuncaition of Awkward
‘O’thatnin/O’thisnin’ – In that way/In this way… e.g. Do it o’thisnin – do it in this way…
‘Pitherin’ about’ – messing about, wasting time, pottering around aimlessly – my mother used to shout at me to ‘Pack in pitherin’ about an’ ger ready fer school’…
‘Hotpotch’ – means random – to do something randomly – ‘doin’ it hotpotch’
‘Rile’ – Kids who are hyper who are all over the place, play fightine etc. are classed as ‘Rile-arses’, but ‘Riling’ means fidgetting and not keeping still…
‘Rutting’ – see above
‘Shommockin’ – means ‘shuffling along’
‘Slake’ – slang verb: to throw – e.g. ‘Do’ slake yer shoes in the cupbaord like that!’
‘Suck’ – sweets/candy – I used to be sent by my great-gran to the shop to get a ‘pound ‘a suck in perper bag’…
‘Swapson/Swapsom’ – slang for a large sized woman – e.g. ‘Er’s a bit swapsom’ (depends where you’re from how it’s pronounced). A larg sized man is a ‘Tunky’
Like a ‘Bibble in a Can’ – something jumping around in a confined space, like a restless child – a Bibble was like a spinning top and the can was the bucket… from late 1800s…
July 17, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Nick
There’s also the ever present “aktcherlee”
July 17, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Steve McKay-Salt
Some absolute classics:
“S’MARRAH” – What is the matter?
“YA DAY DID YA” – you didn’t did you?
“BORRAH” – To borrow (something)
“LENZZ” – As in “LENZZ A FOIVAH” – Please lend me five pounds
“GIZZA GOO” – May I have a go?
May 31, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Linda
I was always told if I said s’marrah……….a cucumbers uncle
July 18, 2007 at 12:03 am
Gary
“Your mom work’s at the bac’ a Rackhams” was used as an insult when we were kids in the 70’s
Not realising that it was mean’t to say she was a lady of the night.
July 18, 2007 at 12:29 am
The Blue
No-one’s said Cracking! Bloody brilliant that is
July 18, 2007 at 12:52 am
Nick
Dancers is old brummie for stairs (from rhyming with dancing bears) believe it or not there was once a Birmingham/Warwickshire rhyming slang all of it’s own which grew up round the markets.
July 18, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Adam Lacey
Care of the wonderfully Brummy Mr. Crowther…
This ay gettin’ the babi a new vest – This isn’t getting anything done (or words to that effect!)
July 18, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Lola
Don’t forget that its a real brummy-ism to get your “lenzz’s” and your “borrah’s” a bit confused. As in “can yu borr-us a foivah?”……
July 18, 2007 at 5:08 pm
Our Kid
“Mind out for the miskin” – watch out for the dustbin;
“Stay away from the suff” – Stay away from the drain;
“Ganzie” – Jumper
“Rocks” – sweets as in “crash the rocks”
“Morkin” – a no-gooder
July 18, 2007 at 9:38 pm
The Blue
Raz – Go Quick
July 18, 2007 at 9:40 pm
The Blue
Growler – Ladies privates (as in “Get ya Growler out!”).
July 18, 2007 at 11:22 pm
John Doody
“Oooh blimey ar.”
This is an incredibly rich,nuanced phrase which loosely means:
Thankyou for pointing out my error/omission.If you hadn’t drawn my attention to it,I would have been completely unaware of my mistake.
However,now that you have done so,I can put it right,and will do so!
July 19, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Pam
Further to one of Katy Jay’s suggestions about the “Tunky” man, I am reminded about the following phrase which I still use occasionally, as in ..if I eat all those chips I’ll end up as:
“..fat as a Tunky pig” or as an alternative “..like the side of an ‘ouse”!
“ruckled” – does anyone else say this to describe a garment or bedsheet for example has got annoyingly scrunched up or out of place(can’t describe it exactly)?
July 19, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Dan
Sick – Good,wicked,amazing – “Arrrr thats sick!”
Shafted – Bummed,sexually assaulted – “Yehh shutup man i’ll shaft ya”
Manz – Gangs,youths – “Im not goin ome that way, theres loads of manz”
Dippin – Going – “You dippin?” “Yehh in a bit”
Shank – Knife,or any sharp object – “Manz will shank ya”
Reppin – Representing, your area – “Im reppin b32”
July 19, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Crymes
Horse Pickle – Hospital
July 19, 2007 at 5:59 pm
CRymes
oooh and another:
“Face like a babby thrush” then pull a kind of downturned mouth face – seems to mean a very miserable person.
or “face like a strangled weasel” – ugly in a unique kind of way…
July 19, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Len Copsey
We called sparrows – Spug – Sparrow: Spuggies – Plural for more than one Sparrow: Mind how you go over the road – Moind ow yo go acrcorss the orse rode.
July 19, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Len Copsey
Working on piecework pay – Pudding Week – The pay you picked on the Friday you started your annual holiday.
July 19, 2007 at 8:35 pm
marian
‘rowad’ – as in up the ROAD
‘skoowel’ – as in the kids are at SCHOOL
July 20, 2007 at 11:20 am
Sue
As big as Bocker – someone who is rotund ( my Mother used this one, and I assume that there was someone large called Bocker around the Dudley area)
July 20, 2007 at 11:41 am
Diane
Dinna – a mid- day meal
Tea – the evening meal
Lunch – what posh people have at dinna time
Supper – what posh people have just before bed
A piece – A slice of bread. Do you wanna piece with your dinna?
A piece in the dip – a slice of bread dipped in the hot fat remaining after bacon has been fried
Get up them dancers – It’s timeyou went to bed
Garding – the enclosed land at the back of the home
Vittals – food in general
Lav/lavvy – toilet
Peaky blinder – a cap worn by working men
Pumps – footwear to do sport in school known elsewhere as plimsolls
May 5, 2009 at 11:32 am
Lloyd
re ‘Peaky Blinder’, that referred to lads who wore peaked caps with razor blades sewn into the peak edge, lethal when dragged across an opponent’s face in a fight. Birmingham / Black country / Potteries areas, possibly elsewhere too.
July 20, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Gav
Duke / Duchess of Derritend – someone putting on unwarranted airs and graces – i.e. Who does she think she is, the Duchess of Derritend?
July 30, 2007 at 6:20 pm
smartarse
wik =week
sid = seen, (‘ave yow sid ‘er)
August 2, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Pertridge
I was once working in a pub in Stourbridge, WM, during a women’s darts match. One of the opposing team asked for cider and I asked whether she wanted draught cider as it was on special offer.
“Arse chaper, aye it?”
For a moment I thought she was referring to my overly tight trousers (or “kecks”, if you will). Then I realised that she was saying “Arr (yes). S’chaper (it is cheaper) aye it (is it not)?”
There’s also “ow’s ya bin our mucker?” = “How have you been my friend?”
“Fether” = “Father”
“Banes in a pon” = “Beans in a pan”
August 2, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Pertridge
Oh – I forgot “Round the Wrekin” for taking a roundabout way to get to the point, eithe literally or metaphorically.
As in, “He went all round the Wrekin before plucking up the courage to ask her out to the pictures”
August 6, 2007 at 8:47 pm
karen
ham bag – hand bag
Also a saying my nan and aunt’s use to say “whats that got to do with the price of fish” – what has that got to do with anything we are talking about im not sure if this is just brummie or all over.
Alrite a bit – how are you
August 6, 2007 at 8:57 pm
karen
Can anyone tell me why the “pond” is called the pond as its the size of a lake its the one in Aston by the new football pitches on the lichfield road??
August 13, 2007 at 7:30 pm
dom
‘Have your arse in your hands’, meaning to be grumpy. As in, “Wossup with ‘er?” “Er’s got er arse in er ‘ands”.
September 5, 2007 at 6:14 pm
Paul
Yow ay am ya? – You are not, are you?
Oi day, d’yow? – I didn’t, did you?
Garry Glitter – toilet; anus (General UK slang?)
donnies – hands (Black Country?)
September 5, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Paul
garidge – petrol station
June 5, 2008 at 11:08 am
greasykid1
“She’s got a face like a trod-on chip!”
“She’s got a face like a smacked arse!”
Both expressions meaning “this person looks unhappy”.
June 12, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Tim
“on me neck” means you were laughing uncontrollably at something. “I was really on me neck at what he said”. I’ve never heard anyone outside of Rubery say this, but we said it all the time when we were kids.
July 17, 2008 at 10:10 am
Talk Like a Brummie Day - 2009 | Birmingham: It’s Not Shit
[…] Brummie Dictionary project is still going on the TLAB site, add your words or […]
August 3, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Dan
i dow think kno-wan az sed : kiddah ,, e’g how am ya kiddah … how are you mate
August 3, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Dan
and noggin : head
goz: goes e.g ,, i goz to her ow am ya bab
August 5, 2008 at 11:19 am
Shabba
Knock on – to call round at someone’s house, as in “I’ll knock on for ya ’bout 8”
August 31, 2008 at 8:09 pm
dale
Blartin’ for crying an wailing!
September 11, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Suzy Jarrett
A morkin is actually an idiot or ‘saft’ folk
October 21, 2008 at 3:37 am
Joe
Illegal now of course… but as a kid, I remember my dad “givin’ me a good hidin'” (a beating) for “playin’ up” (misbehaving)…
Happy days… :-)
October 21, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Aaran Aardvark
Bad ‘and…… eating a jam ‘piece’ or other desirable morsel i.e ‘av you gorra bad ‘and?
Sarnie….sandwich
Chimbley….chimney
October 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm
bluenoselouie
Wash ya donnies !! (Hands)
November 9, 2008 at 9:07 pm
aphrodite
I’m trying to verify the origin of an expression which I’m told by Brummie friends is in common use, spelling not known, but sounds like “fenage” – to opt out due to exhaustion or lack of motivation. Has anyone else heard of this one or am I being wound up? It has been suggested that it is a corruption of a foreign word and was brought back from either the First or Second World War.
May 5, 2009 at 11:10 am
Lloyd
“Fenaig” is how I remember it pronounced – to fail to do / finish something, or make an excuse not to do it.
January 12, 2021 at 12:04 am
Matthew Cross
My wife was just saying how she used to sometimes ask her parents if she could “fenage her teeth” when she went to bed :). I used to use it when I was young in the sense of dropping out of something. Feels natural to me, but doesn’t appear to actually be a word…….😁 We’re both Brummies.
December 19, 2008 at 9:57 pm
linbadd
Gooin ‘Up the wooden ‘ills to Bedfordshire’ = going upstairs to bed.
Arse Like that? – meaning ‘How do you like that’, but only used in connection with seeing someone with a large or over-exposed posterior.
December 19, 2008 at 10:05 pm
linbadd
‘Dressed up to the nines’ and ‘Dun up like a dog’s dinner’.
Not sure if these are Brummie, Midlands or more universal.
December 19, 2008 at 10:08 pm
linbadd
Stir y’ (your) stumps = Get moving! (i.e. move your legs)
December 19, 2008 at 10:12 pm
linbadd
Snap = packed lunch
My Grandad was a miner and took his ‘snap’ to work in a ‘snap tin’.
December 22, 2008 at 9:52 pm
andybarr
I’ve always said ‘Ent’ instead of ‘Aint’ i think.
Also, “ennit” or ain’it instead of isn’t it.
December 22, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Barry Van-Asten
I remember my dad saying whenever I was naughty as a child that he would ‘spiflicate’ me, or either ‘pole-axe’ me. Never really knew what that involved but sounds nasty! Other things he would say are:
‘Never in a rain of pig’s pudding’ to express surprise at something.
‘I’ve give me neck!’ like wash your hands of something and give up.
‘guzgogs’ (goose gogs) goose berries.
‘I don’t boil me cabbages twice!’ not wanting to repeat himself.
‘pull yer biscuit straight!’ meaning stop looking so miserable.
August 5, 2009 at 7:13 pm
barry asten
hi my name is barry asten so i thought i would drop you a line to say hello barry from barry
January 3, 2009 at 6:20 pm
anna
I was shocked by this but apparently no one else in the world plays “tig” instead of “tag”.
February 19, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Rich
Awroight, worrabout these:
Have the bags on with someone – to have a row
Have your arse in your hand – to be in a mood
Have a cob on – ditto
Chronic – awful
Paraletic – drunk, paralytic
Month of Sundays – not ever
Be knocked into the middle of next week – having your ears boxed very hard
‘Ers/’es gorra gob on ‘er/’im – to be a loudmouth
Livid – really angry
Slumocking – walking out without care for appearances
Dim as a toc-h lamp – thick
Wench – a nice young woman (usually with ‘mi wench’)
Nunk – nothing, as in ‘I ‘ent got nunk’
B’aint and B’ist – (going way back to my old Uncle Will) meaning not…
Just a word on food:
Lunch – mid morning snack, usually a biscuit or apple
Dinner – Lunch
Tea – Dinner
Supper – glass of milk and biscuit to go to bed with
Corporation Hair Oil – water to smooth your hair down
Backfriends – when the skin peels back on your fingers by your nails.
Nits – hair lice
Acting the goat – playing up
Good init?
July 22, 2009 at 11:35 pm
PaulG
re: “Just a word on food:
Lunch – mid morning snack, usually a biscuit or apple
Dinner – Lunch
Tea – Dinner
Supper – glass of milk and biscuit to go to bed with”
I live in France now (with a frog ax-shully) an my wife speaks better English than I do and is FOREVER trying to correct me about this mixup.
I dont care cuz um just gerrin Kay-lied on the local wine at 1 euro a litre.
March 18, 2009 at 12:51 am
vince
Livin’ in Way-uls now, missin me ow-um in Walsall.
ears a cupul for ya:
council pop – water (out the tap)
knee high to a grasshopper (as in “i have known him a long time”)
ark at im (listen to him)
sweatin’ buckits (sweating profusely)
knuckle sandwich (fist in the mush/cakehole/maarth/chops/bonce)
March 19, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Louise
stoim? – (question) A phrase used by Brummies when they want to know what time it is
April 7, 2009 at 1:21 am
cockneynutter
LOL some of these bring back memories. Used to live in oldbury with the yam yam from hell but enough about psyco ex missus who can FOAD…
Reesty? -Dirty/Filthy
Chobbling -Eating Loudly
Yowarrrrrrrrrrr (often going into a high pitched screech) -You What?
Youm a Wammal – You animal
May 14, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Ted
‘why-I’ – general greeting, as in ‘why-I’ mate, how ya doin?’
‘ark at him/her’ – listen to him (usually to refer to someone talking rubbish or bragging!
‘Can’t be arsed’ – not bothered.
May 15, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Bev
These are FAB, have loved reading it all!
A lot are what i’d say are Black Country or Walsall….I realise the differences when I moved and lived over there. Had to learn the new lingo!
I have found that often I don’t realise i’m using a Brummie phrase until I’m somewhere else in the country and people don’t understand what I’m on about LOL!! Saying “island” when giving directions was deffo a classic – people hadn’t a clue what I meant.
I hadn’t realised a lot of what I say was Brummie until reading this thread.
San Fairy Ann? is this Brummie? I’ve only ever heard my family say it and it seems to be Brummie-ised French!
I have french connections, but not on the side of the family which used it.
July 22, 2009 at 11:40 pm
PaulG
Ca fait rien (french: literally ‘that means [or will do] nothing’ also used as ‘so what?’ usually use to mean ‘screw that’)
June 26, 2009 at 8:53 am
Tambo
I was born and lived in Handsworth for the 1st 11 years of my life. Then moved and lived in Burntwood, Hednesford, Lichfield and Stoke on Trent. I thought I had lost the Brummie accent, until I recently went on a training course where my voice was taped. On play back I swore I was listening to Frank Skinner. I was actually quite chuffed I (almost) still sounded like a Brummie.
July 8, 2009 at 12:07 pm
rob
its a big lorry wiv big driver will need good brakes to stop that ,dont go for second hand pads cud be lethal,
my friends wife who was a brummie always said this to her husband another brummie said it was a brummie saying, she wouldn’t explain and it cant for the life of me know know what she meant, i can guess, but would like to know the brummie meaning
tks
July 12, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Talk Like A Brummie Day — This Fri - Birmingham: It's Not Shit
[…] for some of you, harder for others, but there are pages of words and phrases to use n the TLAB dictionary and accent tips too. If you don’t speak to people much, feel free to “type like a […]
July 12, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Careful past yer grannies, this friday is TLAB Day 09 « Talk Like A Brummie Day
[…] TLABD Dictionary […]
July 16, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Julia Larden
I am not convinced about ‘yampee’. The first time I ever heard that was in Sheffield! On the other hand, I do recall that after a year of working in Sheffield, and hearing Yorkshire, it was lovely to get in the taxi at New Street and hear the taxi driver start to give an example of something or other like this: ‘Tike my brotha now – ‘ee works oop The Ostin.’ Trans: ‘Take my brother, now, he works at The Longbridge Works’ – then still owned by Austins. Where I grew up, near Northfield, ‘Austins’ was frequently rendered as ‘The Ostin’. People who worked at Austins were often, to my recollection, described as working ‘Oop The Ostin’.
July 16, 2009 at 11:49 pm
About Brum » Ow yam doing moite?
[…] to TalkLikeABrummieDay.co.uk. There’s a section on the accent and even a quick ‘n dirty dictionary to help you get started. If you’re struggling to get started, whoohoo’s had an English […]
July 17, 2009 at 7:48 am
Jayne Howarth
Not sure how Brummie the following is because it was said in Walsall, which, as everyone knows, is NOT Birmingham!
Well, I’ll gu to Cannock … said when expressing surprise about something
July 17, 2009 at 8:32 am
juliagilbert
mom = mother, as opposed to the more common mum.
Possibly used in other places too.
I’ve picked it up after 10 years living in Brum.
July 17, 2009 at 11:22 am
Charberto
MARDY – meaning ‘moody’, ‘in a mood’, ‘grumpy’, ‘sour faced’.
Nobody outside of the West Midlands has ever known what I meant when I said mardy. I didn’t even realise it wasn’t a real word til I moved out of the area!
July 22, 2009 at 11:28 pm
PaulG
Not true – never heard this till I go oop north. (madchester)
July 17, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Martin
taraa-bit – good bye
lough that – forget about it
island – roundabout (ppl outside Brum dont know what this means)
iss a birr ot – its a bit hot
missus – wife
I was born in Malvern and lived there till I was 11 when I moved to Handsworth, now I live in Small Heath.
July 22, 2009 at 11:52 pm
PaulG
“Oi’ll give it Foive” one of the original UK catchphrases taken from the sixties TV Pop show “Juke box jury” as said by the splendid Janice Nicholls.
As kids we used to say that if some suggested we “goo the shops fer a Jubbly”.
“Oi’ll give if Foive”
Meant “Oh, I say, rather, lets do”.
I thought it was global? Was it just UK-wide then, didn’t some cheapskate comedians pick up on it and make it a catchphrase, Jimmy Tarbuck, maybe?
July 22, 2009 at 11:57 pm
PaulG
Kay-lied, or kah-lied or K-lied where did that term come from?
I have a feeling it is a military term, dont ask why, because I am not sure – I just have a hunch – hence at 1am k-lied on local wine I sought out the answer to this question.
Yow-aw-rite, arekid?
August 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Don
“Ar” for “yes” is (or was) pretty widespread north of approximately Swindon. See Bill Bryson’s “Mother Tongue, the story of English” for how “yeah” for “yes” was originally limited to a very small part of England, yet became universal as the United States developed, finally making it back here.
“Mardy” I would associate with Staffordshire and northwards.
Many of your “Brummie” words have obviously been borrowed from Black Country usage. Does anyone still say “miskin” for “dustbin”?
August 5, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Don
“Oi’ll give it Foive” originated with Janice (Somebody) from I think Wednesbury – certainly from the Black Country – who appeared on a TV show judging new entries to the popular music charts. Was it Six-Five Special?
“Kay-Lie” for sherbert was from “alkali” which is from the Arabic Al-Kali – I’m guessing that Kali (spelt that way) was an alkaline powder. It was sold in a triangular paper bag, and for real luxury you had, not the usual straw, but a stick of licorice root which you alternately sucked and then dipped into the Kali. Heavenly!
Totally Black Country was the request for a loan of something: “Gizza lend on it” (Give me a lend of it), and the alternative “Borrow me (a fiver or whatever)” for “Lend me … “.
August 7, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Don
To “have the bag on” someone was to set them up as the victim of a joke.
“Let’s have the bag on Tommy.”
“Awroight)”
“Look at that sumbarine*, Tommy, a-floyin’ over the school!”
If Tommy looked up, you’d had the bag on him.
*Oldbury pronunciation of “submarine”. Nobody ever got a certificate for swimming or academic excellence: it was always “a susstifficut”.
August 7, 2009 at 9:31 pm
woody
‘ark at ‘im/’er
meaning listen to that person brag
and a pint o’ sterra
as you could once only get sterilised milk on the doorstep in the Midlands. can you still get it? It keeps for ever.
Ex brummie, now in wiltshire,
August 14, 2009 at 1:58 pm
AK
To lamp someone = beat them up or “knock their block off!”
August 19, 2009 at 1:04 am
GlenB
Laughing my head off (or should I say loffin me yed off) and some of the stuff on here.It’s certainly brough some memories back from my childhood,my granny was from Cradley and as a kid I couldn’t understand anything she said it was like a foreign language and I’m from West Bromwich.
One thing that has always puzzled me is why Brummies called people from the Black Country ‘yamyams’.I’ve lived in various areas of West Bromwich and Walsall and have never heard the word ‘yam’ for you are/am.It’s always been pronounced yome ( rhymes with home).
My granny used words like bin,bay ,bist, thee, lots of olde anglo saxon words,she died when I was 10 and would love to have been able to speak to her now.
A lot of people don’t realise the Albions nickname ‘The Throstles’ is a derivation of the German word for song thrush ‘Drossel’.
Glad I’ve found this bostin site.
October 13, 2009 at 3:16 pm
amanda.burke@live.co.uk
Bostin – The all round word for brilliant,fantastic,great ,better than fantastic
Goo en round the corner — Going round the corner
Royce- Rice
Wyne – Wine
A bit of black round the back of bills mothers – Likely to rain(also indicates this was Stratford way)
Having a Benny — To throw a strop
October 19, 2009 at 10:50 pm
RachelB
Old brummie joke – what’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison? Answer – yer can’t wash yer ‘ands in a buffalo.
A wasp is a jasper (pronounced jaspa)
October 26, 2009 at 8:25 pm
PerkyP
Anyone remember playing Acky/Acki 123 at school? I have never come across this name anywhere else bar other versions of the same game. 1 poor bugger at the pole and the others leg it to hide without being spotted and try to save their mates who have been spotted, touch the pole before being caught/ seen and shout Acky 123 save all :)
July 6, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Rosemary Knutsen
yes, we played this in the 40s and 50s in Shirley.
November 6, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Pat Neenan
Love the sight. I´m from Chasetown/Burntwood and mi dad useda lot of them expressions.
In our family we have Neenanism (Neenan is my surname)
Some neenanisms are
Rorming not stop moving
“Stop rorming and riling!!
Baum Borm Don´t touch anything your baumed in grease
i got all baumed up playin football.
I cant think of other things right now but when i lived in London had loads of probs with words like
COB – a bread roll
Island – roundabout
Mini island – Mini roudabout
Bread an scratchit What ´s for dinna? Bread an scratchit
Hot sauce piece – Sandwich with Daddies or HP sauce on.
November 6, 2009 at 9:00 pm
Pat Neenan patrickjohn43@hotmail.com
I now live in Spain and when i speak to any English people here they say You´re a brummie but I´m not i was born in Lichfield and bought up “On the Chase”
The tip – Rubbish dump.
Up the suff – broke
Snap–my miner dad´s lunch
Jairzy – jumper/ sweater.
April 12, 2010 at 8:07 pm
JohnO
Sister to ‘Terry Neenan’ ???
January 28, 2010 at 12:43 am
Phil Ward
Tranklements
When I worked in West Brom a sign in a shop said “Tranklements 50p” I had to ask my Baggie supporting work mates to learn that this meant bits and pieces.
Glad to see “riling” on the list. I used to be told off all the time for “riling on the chair”
April 12, 2010 at 8:10 pm
JohnO
We had a ‘tranklements’ drawer – used for odds and sods etc.
July 6, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Rosemary Knutsen
So did I! We used tranklements as well
January 30, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Rachel
“Entry” is what we used for a passageway between two houses
“Pop” – any soft drink
“The Rezzer” – Edgbaston Reservoir
“The Accy” – The Accident Hospital that used to be on Bath Row I think
Not sure if they are all limited to Birmingham, but I did get some strange looks when I referred to “pop” in London.
February 7, 2010 at 1:18 am
Andy
“Any road” or “Any road up” for Anyway. When someone is silly, or acting mad, you would say ” Yowm yampy yow am”
I don’t know if a ball is called a “Pill”, only in the black country.
Another local term (I am from Oldbury) for a large amount of something was a “Rook” Ar, I got a rook of them planks if yow wan any.
April 12, 2010 at 8:09 pm
JohnO
‘Rook’ comes from a measure of coal….mining terminolgy etc.
February 7, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Lottie
I remember Acky 123 too – and yes, I’ve never heard the name outside of where I grew up.
Pop to us was the fizzy stuff (still soft drinks were squash) and we only got pop if dad was earning lots!
Tranklements I’d never heard of till I went out with a lad from the Black Country and he called it Tronklements (well that’s how it sounded). That was Dudley way.
February 7, 2010 at 1:06 pm
PaulG
My mates would call the ball “the pill” – “Oi, pass us the pill then” and we lived in south b’ham – but it could’ve been something we picked up from big school near the town centre.
Pop generally meant the stuff from the weekly Corona lorry. Cordial was the still stuff.
The Alpine man was another source of pop – some wicked colours as I recall.
Talking of drinks, anyone remember “Brown and mild”, that was my fave, a small bottle of Manns brown ale mixed with half a mild.
When I returned to my old watering hole a few years ago I asked the barmaid for a “brown and mild” and had to explain it to her.
Dunno if Brown and mild was a brummie thing or not.
February 28, 2010 at 10:44 am
Tielhard
How about ‘bad’ used for ‘ill’ as ‘she ain’t comin’ to school today she’s bad’.
Not sure if the exclusively Brummie but it was common when I grew up there and no one in London seems to have heard it.
And what about ‘jebend’ to mean either ‘cigarette butt’ or someone useless and usually annoying ‘that bloke’s a complete jebend’. Again, not sure if that’s exclusively Brummie but it seems unknown in London and also unknown to some Northerners I speak to that are now in London.
Found this site as people in London refused to believe that ‘donnies’ was a term for hands. So I suspect that may be genuinely Brummie too.
April 12, 2010 at 8:04 pm
JohnO
A ferce lyke last wiks washin’ – a sour expression etc.
April 22, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Salvatore
Being a Scots lad, I was intrigued when my Brummie lover said goodbye last night with ‘Mind how you go’. 3 times! I wondered if it was a genuine ‘Tarra’, or a more pointed ‘Farewell’, never to be seen again. The jury is still out 24 hours later.
July 15, 2010 at 11:51 pm
Steve
Where’s the bogs? – Where’s the toilets?
July 16, 2010 at 9:34 am
PaulG
Squid – a quid, one pound
Half a squid – ten bob
(always comes back to me when eating Calmari)
February 8, 2012 at 3:35 am
Gertrude Sandberg
I got this site from my buddy who shared with me regarding this web site and now this time I am browsing this web site and reading very informative articles or reviews at this time.