Folk-Speech of Cumberland and Some Districts Adjacent / Being Short Stories and Rhymes in the Dialects of the West Border Counties

by Alexander Craig Gibson

“They hed barnes an’ bits o’ flesh persirv’d i’ bottles as fwok does berries.”—Ritson. The Borrowdale Letter.

Barken’t, S and C, encrusted.

“For God-seak put that barne in t’ dolly-tūb an’ scrūb’t: it’s fairly barken’t ower wid mūck.”—Said of a rarely washed infant.

Barrow-back’t, C, bent by heavy work, such as wheeling loaded barrows.

“He’s gitten bow’t an’ barrow-back’t, an’ wizzent sair o’ t’ feàce.”—Heard at Ullock.

Batt, S and C,

“At ya batt he fell’t me flat,

’Od dye! he’ll be a darter.”

Mark Lonsdale. The Upshot.

Baul’, S, bold, fierce.