I listened to a fascinating programme on - you guessed it - Radio 4 the other day. Melvyn Bragg about the Roots of English. This programme was mostly based on Ashington and that particular branch of the Geordie dialect. There was an older chap talking about little used words now, and one of the words he said meant `empty` and it was originally used to describe empty coal cars going back into the the mine. It was also used to describe an empty glass. I was determined to catch my father out with that one, but guess what................I`ve forgotten the word!! (It`s my age you know.) Try as I might, I cannot recall it, and it is driving me to distraction. PLLEEAAAAASSSEEEE......somebody put me out of my misery! (:o)

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Answers

Galaxy : I heard it too - it was something like "garm" : must say I never heard it before either. I'll ask my Ashington-born colleague in the office tomorrow.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Galaxy I would say the word is teen or teem, it is still used in the N/E of scotland, part of the Doric dialect, quote teem your glass, get in another, link would be Peterhead - North Shields, fishing ports, As a 15 year old heard the word teem down the pit to describe a empty set of tubs on rolley-way, so maybe more pitmatic than Doric,

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Putting Buff's idea with mine, could it have been "turm" or "tarm" - I just remembered that "toem" -T, O with a line through, M - is Danish for empty, which goes back to the thread on the Vikings from a couple of weeks ago.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Excellent series. They also had a bit in an earlier program from a Cumbrian village, where the phrase "Wam gannin hyem" was commonly in use. Apparently it is Norwegian, and is standard phrase over there - although this might have been on the Vikngs thread.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Its definetley teem Galaxy.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

I'll chuck my hat in with Buff. I do believe (he lied) that we Geordies pronounce the Danish "O with a line thru it" as "ee". As in "Oh - ee, there's a bliddy horse in wor garden".

Or would you rather Call my Buff?

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Screach, the cauld air ower there is deein ye the world of good bonny lad, the one liners are coming thick and fast, too sharp for us lot, you need clogging up again, everyone luvs a smart-ass.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Yee just leave my pants oot of it Buff! Aalreet.

Canny result, if not sparkling performance today. At times, you just have to dig in, work hard, and have a canny slice o' luck.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

dig in -work hard -lil bit o luck - agree but it would be a pleasant change for us all who are either there -on here-or elsewhere following a match just knowing that "Hey we are going to win this one, no problem" - the team at present is shortening everything, life expectancy, nails, tempers, I /We don`t need this every week nor does for that matter YBR.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Fair comment. But I'd have thought you were used to that by now Buff.

Nice to know we're going to win. To be honest, last time I recall thinking that was when KK was here.

-- Anonymous, November 26, 2000

Thank you folk for the replies. Actually it came to me, quite out of the blue, after I`d gone to bed last night. The word was, or should I say I thought it was `chum`. But seeing your postings I`m guessing that I have imagined the spelling to be `ch` when in fact it could have been `t`? What do you think.(:o)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Is it the same 'teem' as in 'teeming with rain' ?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

I wondered that too Pit Bill.(:o)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

I heard that show too, Gal. Thought it made a fair stab at looking for an Ashington / Pitmatic dialect, but most Ashington folk I know are pure Geordie, with their oddly umlauted Os (i.e. 'goewin hoerm').

Interested in how the new generation still come up with slang that means nowt outside of the town.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

At last! I have the proof in print for my family that I am not the only person in the world who listens to Radio 4! So that`s Chevy, Barry and Bobby - anyone else care to own up?

You don`t listen to the Yum-ti Tumpties as well do you? (:o)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Galaxy - you're right it was "chum". I bet it's a re-pronounced version of term from Danish. Forgot to ask my Ashington colleague today, I 'll try to remember tomorrow.

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

Well, Gal, I'm a bit of a R2 oldie myself, tho' I occasionally listen to "Today" or the way into the orrifice in the morning - but only if I've left R4 on after the "Rumpy-Pumpies". Having been away for 3 weeks, care to give me a précis of whats (not) been 'appening in Ambridge?

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2000

`Fraid I`m not up to date myself on the last couple of weeks! And I`m dying to know how The Mikado production is coming on! Mind you, there`s nothing like hearing the theme tune to the Archers for making you feel as though all`s right with the world!(:o)

Thanks for confirming that I haven`t quite lost my marbles yet Barry! (:o)

Bobby, I cant wait to get Yelli up there - her face was a study in total disbelief when she heard the programme. I think she will need me, or someone, as a translator! (;o)

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000

Does this have any connections with the Team(Teem?) Valley, which is now full!!

-- Anonymous, November 28, 2000