May 15: Black + White
As I am a Geordie and very proud of where I come from, there really is no other topic that I can talk about today.
I’m from a city in the North East of England called Newcastle Upon Tyne. We’re quite a famous city and most people know us for our drinking and our funny accent. This accent, in case you don’t know, is called a Geordie accent.
Lots of people in the North get called a Geordie, but it’s only for people around here – and I’ll admit I get a bit bratty about it. I’m very proud to be a Geordie, even though my accent means a lot of people either a) don’t take me seriously or b) can’t understand me.
The reason why I am talking about Newcastle tonight – not that I normally need any excuses like! – is the fact that our football colours are black and white.
Toon, toon, black and white army!
I don’t know if it’s a northern thing or if it’s a Geordie thing, but I’m fiercely proud of where I come from.
I love coming from a city, I love being somewhere that is close to the coast, I love having a lot of history about the way I talk and where I live. Newcastle is a great city, and I’m not being biased. Thousands of tourists come here every weekend – although most of them are just here for the booze.
I don’t really know what to say about Newcastle, other than the fact that I love it.
I feel like this could be a very poetic and long post, but quite frankly I don’t have the time and it’s just not really true to Geordie style to be all wanky about how much I love the place. You’ll only ever hear that kind of language if we’ve won something big in football or if a Geordie has been away from home and finally sees the Tyne Bridge again.
Before going, I do want to share with you some of my favourite Geordie words. We have a lot of things to say and hardly anyone can understand us!
- Canny: One of the best Geordie words (although it isn’t exclusive) that is an adjective, verb and a noun. It typically means ‘alright’ (I’m feeling canny today!) but at lot of times we use it as a term of measurement, as in that’s canny big that! Canny can also be used to describe someone – it normally means they are nice and down to earth.
- Clamming: This means starving or hungry. At the end of a night out, you’ll say to your mates ‘God, I’m proper clamming me now like. Shall we go to Maccys?’
- Shan: This is again something that isn’t exclusive to Newcastle, but not many people outside of here know what it means. It was used a lot in school because it means unfair, as in ‘Nar Miss, that’s proper shan that like!’
- Diventnah: Said all as one word and it means ‘I don’t know’
- Wey Aye: This is one of the most famous Geordie sayings and I don’t realise how much it actually comes out of my mouth until I leave the city. This one is normally used in excitement or simply as a term of agreement. ‘Do you fancy a cuppa?’ ‘Wey aye!’
- Howay!: You need to get this one right, because Geordies and Mackems (those from Sunderland) say this completely different. This is something we use in replacement of c’mon and it is very iconic now. ‘Howay man, move out the way!’
I hope you’ve learnt a little something there. I could have done so much more and included so many more slang words, but I don’t want us to be here all day!
Where do you come from?
Speak soon,
Rachael
Rachaelic 