@eric_plant Like Wendoverman, I'm pretty sure wotcha is just a London & SE thing.
@Wheresthechips Great stuff. I used to hear "boy" all the time growing up in Bucks and even when I became a Wycombe regular in the early 90s, you would still hear it routinely on the terrace as part of those proper Bucks accents. It was just what many regulars called eachother (the men, obviously, but there were even fewer women on the terraces in those days). But it was with that characteristically minimal vowel sound. Your spelling of it is excellent. It saddens me that it's so little heard now and the estuary has expanded to drown it.
I struggled to find a good Wycombe-ish accent on the web, but this Coleshill one, recorded in 1957, wasn't far from the ones I remember, both in the town and in the villages around.
@ourfrank Before moving to Wycombe I had no idea words could be pronounced so much like the West Country. I did ask a fella in a local pub if he was from the West Country, after hearing 'Awright Boi', to which he replied firmly 'No'.
I think Berkshire can be quite similar, I remember hearing Ricky Gervais' Mum on one of the old xfm podcasts and it was really strong and quite similar to the Bucks twang.
@eric_plant I've never heard watcha. What context is that used in?
Wotcha mate! I have a recollection of Danny La Rue shouting 'Wotcha Cock!' in a heavy cockernee accent on TV specials at at time when men in dresses on stage making double-entendre jokes felt obliged to prove they were a bloke at some point.
@our_frank said: @eric_plant Like Wendoverman, I'm pretty sure wotcha is just a London & SE thing.
@Wheresthechips Great stuff. I used to hear "boy" all the time growing up in Bucks and even when I became a Wycombe regular in the early 90s, you would still hear it routinely on the terrace as part of those proper Bucks accents. It was just what many regulars called eachother (the men, obviously, but there were even fewer women on the terraces in those days). But it was with that characteristically minimal vowel sound. Your spelling of it is excellent. It saddens me that it's so little heard now and the estuary has expanded to drown it.
I struggled to find a good Wycombe-ish accent on the web, but this Coleshill one, recorded in 1957, wasn't far from the ones I remember, both in the town and in the villages around.
This link is absolutely wonderful , thanks Our Frank. Remember a few old boys in Penn / Knotty Green talking just like this back in the late 60’s.
On YouTube there is a sketch by Bernard Miles ‘Over the Gate’ which is a theatrical version of the old Chiltern accent.
@our_frank said: @eric_plant Like Wendoverman, I'm pretty sure wotcha is just a London & SE thing.
@Wheresthechips Great stuff. I used to hear "boy" all the time growing up in Bucks and even when I became a Wycombe regular in the early 90s, you would still hear it routinely on the terrace as part of those proper Bucks accents. It was just what many regulars called eachother (the men, obviously, but there were even fewer women on the terraces in those days). But it was with that characteristically minimal vowel sound. Your spelling of it is excellent. It saddens me that it's so little heard now and the estuary has expanded to drown it.
I struggled to find a good Wycombe-ish accent on the web, but this Coleshill one, recorded in 1957, wasn't far from the ones I remember, both in the town and in the villages around.
Got called "Love" a lot by bus drivers when a student in Leeds in the '80s. Liked it.
My local in Little Missenden as a youth resounded with apparently West Country accents. The landlord of the Crown, Trevor How (ex-Watford) has a blend of that with a hint of Estuary London, a product of his upbringing in the area and his very Bucks parents. His father, Ron, the previous landlord and a lovely bloke, rode speedway for England, I think.
@our_frank said: @eric_plant Like Wendoverman, I'm pretty sure wotcha is just a London & SE thing.
@Wheresthechips Great stuff. I used to hear "boy" all the time growing up in Bucks and even when I became a Wycombe regular in the early 90s, you would still hear it routinely on the terrace as part of those proper Bucks accents. It was just what many regulars called eachother (the men, obviously, but there were even fewer women on the terraces in those days). But it was with that characteristically minimal vowel sound. Your spelling of it is excellent. It saddens me that it's so little heard now and the estuary has expanded to drown it.
I struggled to find a good Wycombe-ish accent on the web, but this Coleshill one, recorded in 1957, wasn't far from the ones I remember, both in the town and in the villages around.
Sounds like nearly all the old boys, I worked with when I was a youngster in the furniture factories. The only difference is they would squeeze the phrases 'Rub aits' and knee tremblers into every other sentence.
“Hev yew gotta loight boi” in a song of that title by The Singing Postman - Allan Smethhurst (1966) - is classic East Anglian. I found a recording on YouTube but haven’t a clue how to download it. It’s a great little song (at least for lovers of accents) and I’d be chuffed to bits if someone could provide a link.
I’ve heard “cock” repeatedly from “Pete and his little sister” on Gogglebox, always used as a derogatory description of someone. They live in Blackpool. “Wotcha cock” is (or at least was in my younger days) a regular greeting in east and southeast London. Obviously open to misinterpretation.
Comments
Balls to mate/dude/bud.
'Good old boy', shortened to ol' boy, is peak Bucks / Oxon in my opinion.
I've been called 'chief' a couple of times recently. Not sure what that's all about, doesn't fit into my yoof vocabulary.
That's pure Holmer Green.
@eric_plant Like Wendoverman, I'm pretty sure wotcha is just a London & SE thing.
@Wheresthechips Great stuff. I used to hear "boy" all the time growing up in Bucks and even when I became a Wycombe regular in the early 90s, you would still hear it routinely on the terrace as part of those proper Bucks accents. It was just what many regulars called eachother (the men, obviously, but there were even fewer women on the terraces in those days). But it was with that characteristically minimal vowel sound. Your spelling of it is excellent. It saddens me that it's so little heard now and the estuary has expanded to drown it.
I struggled to find a good Wycombe-ish accent on the web, but this Coleshill one, recorded in 1957, wasn't far from the ones I remember, both in the town and in the villages around.
https://sounds.bl.uk/Accents-and-dialects/Survey-of-English-dialects/021M-C0908X0017XX-0600V1
Awroit boi?
@ourfrank Before moving to Wycombe I had no idea words could be pronounced so much like the West Country. I did ask a fella in a local pub if he was from the West Country, after hearing 'Awright Boi', to which he replied firmly 'No'.
I think Berkshire can be quite similar, I remember hearing Ricky Gervais' Mum on one of the old xfm podcasts and it was really strong and quite similar to the Bucks twang.
@eric_plant I've never heard watcha. What context is that used in?
Basically means hello
Wotcha mate! I have a recollection of Danny La Rue shouting 'Wotcha Cock!' in a heavy cockernee accent on TV specials at at time when men in dresses on stage making double-entendre jokes felt obliged to prove they were a bloke at some point.
This link is absolutely wonderful , thanks Our Frank. Remember a few old boys in Penn / Knotty Green talking just like this back in the late 60’s.
On YouTube there is a sketch by Bernard Miles ‘Over the Gate’ which is a theatrical version of the old Chiltern accent.
On the borders of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire I’m always amused when two old boys refer to each other as ‘youth’.
I quite like chief. Don’t forget pal either. The use of ‘guys‘ makes me feel a bit ill.
Chief is superb.
As long as they don't think you're using it an urban dictionary definition disrespectful way!
I was always disturbed by men calling me ‘cock’ or ‘flower’ when lived in Lancashire.
I think I could have phrased that better.
Great stuff this. I used to serve pints of brown and mild to old fellas like this in the early 90s.
Got called "Love" a lot by bus drivers when a student in Leeds in the '80s. Liked it.
My local in Little Missenden as a youth resounded with apparently West Country accents. The landlord of the Crown, Trevor How (ex-Watford) has a blend of that with a hint of Estuary London, a product of his upbringing in the area and his very Bucks parents. His father, Ron, the previous landlord and a lovely bloke, rode speedway for England, I think.
Sounds like nearly all the old boys, I worked with when I was a youngster in the furniture factories. The only difference is they would squeeze the phrases 'Rub aits' and knee tremblers into every other sentence.
“Hev yew gotta loight boi” in a song of that title by The Singing Postman - Allan Smethhurst (1966) - is classic East Anglian. I found a recording on YouTube but haven’t a clue how to download it. It’s a great little song (at least for lovers of accents) and I’d be chuffed to bits if someone could provide a link.
I’ve heard “cock” repeatedly from “Pete and his little sister” on Gogglebox, always used as a derogatory description of someone. They live in Blackpool. “Wotcha cock” is (or at least was in my younger days) a regular greeting in east and southeast London. Obviously open to misinterpretation.
@micra,
I'm sure someone could download it for you too.
Thanks @Twizz . That’s download enough. Hope one or two on here enjoy it!