Geordie Born and Bred

​

Am not a Geordie lass but cannet help it,

mam brought me here when a wus just a kid.

She telt me, girl, will you watch your language,

speak without an accent, a wus bid.

 

At forst the kids at school thought me a posh lass,

Said, Hi lass lets hear the way yer taark.

It wasn't long before me midland accent,

Began to take it's poshness for a waark.

 

Me aes began turnin inta e soonds,

and a divent took the place of I do not.

Once I was going out quite often, but

soon a was gannin oot, a lot.

 

A divven nah if ye can understand me,

cos sometimes a divven nah mesel,

Me taark noo hes a kaind a sing song,

but really soonds much berra than a yell.

 

I thowt ad write this ditty for granddowter,

Cos she's getten jest as broad as broad can be.

A really want grandowter t taark proper,

cos the think wu taark like this on the TV.

 

A thowt ad write it doon so sh can see it,

then sh might be posh too, divvent yer see?

A divvent laik grandowter t taark Geordie,

cos the emphasise the fact on the TV.

 

A keep sayin, Hi Emma, watch yer language,

or yer soon will be as Geordie broad as me.

Well! sh' said, hi man, nana, yer a posh girl,

ye can nivver be a Geordie lass like me.

 

Yer soond mare laik a midland Northern nannie

yer divvent hev a singen Geordie lilt,

Cos yul nivver truly lose yer midland accent,

When a real true Geordie accent is inbuilt

 

Yul nivver change the way that a taark nan,

so divvent put the accent on fer me.

Yer me hybrid midland Geordie nannie,

an am Geordie born n bred, de ye not see?

 

 

“Hi man, yl get rang if ye taak laik that!!”

 

 

Copyright December 2002

Carole A.M. Johnson