TLABD Dictionary

‘Guin round the Wrekin’ – Going the long way around

bostin

Goo an play up yer own end.

Buzz = bus

Ar (Ah?) = yes

Tara a bit = goodbye

Owamya? = How you doin’?

eh’ar = here you are

and how about ‘looking like nobody owns you’ when you are a bit scruffy?

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.

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.

ar = yes (this is a favourite of mine)
the cut = the canal

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.

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/slang.htm

Loads of Brummie dialect on there –
:D

Tara-a-bit – definitely a favorite of my mums!
xx

Diooorrr (Dire). Used by almost every Villa and Blues fan calling a radio football phone-in.

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.

“gansey” – jumper, sweater

I’m sure the second ‘crash’ is fairly universal english – but the first one possibly…

Bonce = Head

Blartin’ = Crying

Chompin’ = Noisy eating.

Babby. = Baby.

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”

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

“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!”

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

‘Def it out’ = leave it out
‘Deft out’ = been left out
‘face like a bosted arse’ = butt ugly

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!

have we had :

“Bost” – broken.

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

Another extension for bostin:-

Bostin that ain’t it.

Pronounced:- “Bostin tharrayit!”
R

Sweaty: Stress, Panic.
As in so and so had ‘a right sweaty’

Leggin it – Running very fast

“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

“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

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…

wik =week

sid = seen, (’ave yow sid ‘er)

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”

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??

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?)

“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”.

and noggin : head

goz: goes e.g ,, i goz to her ow am ya bab

Blartin’ for crying an wailing!

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… :-)

Wash ya donnies !! (Hands)