Scouse

Scouse is the accent and dialect of English found in the north-western English city of Liverpool and in some adjoining urban areas of Merseyside. The Scouse accent is highly distinctive and sounds wholly different from the accents used in the neighbouring regions of Cheshire and rural Lancashire. Inhabitants of Liverpool are called Liverpudlians, but are more often described by the slang term Scousers.

Comment "I was born in liverpool 8 in 1954 and lived there till i was twenty one, we called back alleys ennogs......" Have your say

The word Scouse was originally a variation of lobscouse (probably from the north German sailor's dish Labskaus), the name of a traditional dish of Scouse made with lamb stew mixed with hardtack eaten by sailors. Alternate recipes have included beef and thickened with the gelatin source found in cowheel or pig trotter in addition to various root vegetables. Other sources suggest that "labskaus" is a Norwegian term, and considering the number of Merseyside place-names ending in "-by" (Formby, Kirkby, Greasby, Pensby, Roby), a Viking rather than German source must be considered. Various spellings can still be traced, including "lobscows" from Wales, and some families refer to this stew as "lobby" rather than scouse. The dish was traditionally the fare of the poor people, using the cheapest cuts of meat available, and indeed when no meat at all was available scouse was still made, but this "vegetarian" version was known as "blind scouse".

The roots of the accent can be traced back to the large numbers of immigrants into the Liverpool area in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries including those from the Isle of Man, Scotland and, most importantly, Ireland. The influence of these different speech patterns became apparent in Liverpool, distinguishing the accent of its people from those of the surrounding Lancashire and Cheshire areas. It is only recently that Scouse has been treated as a cohesive accent/dialect; for many years, Liverpool was simply seen as a melting pot of different accents with no one to call its own. The Survey of English Dialects ignored Liverpool completely, and the dialect researcher Ellis said that Liverpool [and Birkenhead] had "no dialect proper".^[1]

Features

Scouse is noted for a fast, highly accented manner of speech, with a range of rising and falling tones not typical of most of northern England. This has led to some people from the Midlands referring to Liverpool people as "Sing-song Scousers".

Irish influences include the pronunciation of the letter 'h' as 'haitch' and the plural of 'you' as 'youse'.

There are variations on the Scouse accent; with the south side of the city adopting a softer, lyrical tone, and the north a rougher, more gritty dialect. These differences between both the north side and the south side of the city can be seen in the pronunciation of the vowels. The northern half of the city more frequently pronounce the words book, cook, look and took, as in the words boo, coo, loo and too, and then adding the k sound at the end. The southern half of the city show a greater likeness to the more common pronunciation of these words.

Comparison with recordings made since the 1960s support the notion that the Scouse accent is ever-changing. From the mid-1980s it has evolved into a more abrasive and less melodious form than it was in the 1960s.

Scouse dialect

As with all dialects, there are many words in Scouse that would be strange to an outsider, some of the more common being:

• ackers - (money/cash)
• ale 'ouse - (pub)
• ali - (barber/hair dresser)
• antwakky - (antique/old fashioned)
• are-eh - pronounced "R A" - A complaint of misfortune or unfairness (e.g. "are-eh, that's proper arlarse that!")
• arlarse - (mean, unfair or crafty person or act, also 'arl')
• auld - (old)
• bag'ead - (heroin addict)
• bail - (run away)
• bang - (Threaten to harm somebody, e.g. 'I'll bang you lad')
• beak - (cocaine/(the) judge)
• bell end - (idiot [offensive])
• beast/beastie - (great/boss)
• bevvie/bevvy - (alcoholic drink)
• bevvied - (drunk)
• bezzy - (best)
• biddie - (woman (normally old))
• biff - (a poor person/idiot)
• bifta/bifter - (cigarette)
• big girl's blouse (wimp [male])
• bill - (alone/on one's own e.g. 'I'm on my bill')
• billy - (a loner)
• binnie - (binman)
• bizzies - (the police)
• blurt - (seman/idiot)
• boff - (fart)
• boss - (excellent)
• boxer - (coffin maker)
• busy/busies - (a policeman/policemen)
• bute - (a smug self righteous know-it-all/snob)
• cackhanded - (inept person or left-handed person)
• casey - (leather football)
• chest - (a muscley person 'He's a chest him')
• chief - (thief)
• chiefed - (stolen)
• class - (really good)
• cob on - (sulking / angry as in "He has a cob-on")
• come 'ed - (come on, contraction of "come ahead")
• cozzy - (costume, usually swimming-)
• dead - (really, e.g. 'dead smart')
• dipper - (pickpocket)
• Dirty Bastard - (a person from Manchester)
• divvy - (stupid person)
• do in - (to beat someone up/damage something e.g. 'I'll do you in!'/'I did in my back')
• duff up - (beat up)
• emmy oggie - (empty house)
• firebobby - (a fireman)
• freemans - (someone else paying for the ale)
• fit - (good looking)
• gary - (ecstasy [tablet]. Named after Gary Ablett)
• geg - (to interrupt or be nosey)
• get - (idiot, sometimes preceded with "dozey" or "dopey")
• gizza - (shortened form of the words "give me a...")
• gizzit - (give it to me, contraction of "give us it")
• go 'ed - (shortened form of "go ahead", "go on", or "ok then")
• gorra - (got to, have to)
• gozzie - (cross eyed)
• gripped (to be caught doing something)
• grock - (Phlegm. Also a large intimidating person)
• head - (someone who is physically tough. Also used as a suffix to anything, usually describing characteristics e.g. 'you mad'ead')
• ozzie/ozzy - (hospital)
• in a bit - (goodbye)
• is right - (an expression of support/approval/agreement)
• it's all going off - (to describe a physical fight)
• jarg - (fake)
• jigger - (back alley of a house)
• joey - (a person of mental handicapp)
• judy - (young woman)
• judy scuffer - (a policewoman)
• kecks - (underpants or trousers)
• knackers - (testicles)
• khazi - (toilet)
• kidda - (lad, mate)
• la - (lad, friend)
• latchlifter - (price of half a pint of ale)
• laughin' - (good)
• 'leccy - (electric)
• leg it - (run away)
• luzz - (throw)
• made up - (happy/pleased)
• meff - (idiot)
• messy - (intoxicated)
• nob'ead - (idiot [offensive])
• penguin house - (a convent)
• plums - (testicles)
• pure - (meaning really, or a lot, e.g. 'I was pure embarrassed lerd')
• prezzie - (present)
• privvy - (the toilet)
• properly - (pronouned 'prop'ly'. An intensifier e.g. 'that's properly good')
• Scally - (sub grouping of youths, similar to chav, shortened from scallywag meaning 'mischievous youth')
• rem - (idiot, person with mental disabilities)
• scatty - (dirty/disgusting)
• scone 'ead - (idiot)
• scran - (food)
• scrat end - (Burnt chips)
• scuffer - (a policeman)
• shady - (dubious, unfair)
• sketchy - (dodgy)
• skinny - (sly/unfair)
• sloobag - (promiscuous person)
• smart - (great, brilliant)
• Snaff - (multiplicitous)
• soft lad - (idiot - a term of endearment or aggression depending on context)
• sound - (good, well, I agree)
• sly - (devious, nefarious, sordid e.g 'That's sly that')
• spends - (money)
• spoon - (To kick a ball badly, to make a mistake)
• swede - (A person's head e.g 'He is doing my swede in')
• tatty'ead - (somebody with an objectionable/scruffy haircut)
• tod - (alone/on one's own e.g. 'I'm just on my tod')
• trainies/trabs - (sports footwear)
• twirlie/twirly - (a female pensioner)
• us - (me)
• west - (peculiar/unusual/mad)
• whackers - anyone who don't come from Liverpool
• whopper - (prone to exaggeration)
• Wool/Woollyback - (Non-Liverpudlians living in areas surrounding Liverpool)
• wrecks (to hurt/cause discomfort e.g. 'That's wreckin' my head')
• yews/youse - (plural version of "you")

References and Notes

Wiki Source

References Black, William. (2005). The Land that Thyme Forgot. Bantam. ISBN 0593 053621. p. 348 Honeybone, P. (2001), Lenition inhibition in Liverpool English, English Language and Linguistics 5.2, pp213-249. Marotta, G. and Barth, M., Acoustic and sociolingustic aspects of lenition in Liverpool English, Studi Linguistici e Filologici Online 3.2, pp377-413. Available online (including sound files). Shaw, F. and Spiegl, F., (1966). How to Talk Proper in Liverpool (Lern Yerself Scouse S.) Liverpool:Scouse Press. ISBN 0-901367-01-X Wells, J. C. (1982). Accents of English 2: The British Isles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-28540-2. The game Worms 4 Mayhem features a weapon called the inflatable Scouser.

Liverpool Through the Lens by National Trust Books from Amazon.co.uk "This is a wonderful celebration of Liverpool through the ages as seen through the lens of leading British photographer Chambre Hardman."

 

Comments

gobshite - surely the best insult ever

I was born in Liverpool 8 in 1954 and lived there till i was twenty one, we called back alleys ennogs, we had a bombed oller next door to us so really we lived in a semi thanks to the Germans.

I grew up in the city and was amazed on how the city centre has improved, but shocked to find the place taken over by Orange Women and sour faced humourless people!

Yes when I read through your scouse meanings jigger rabbit sprung to mind it re; liverpool lou

sound mate!

I live not too far from scouser land and here's a few for ya. deffo as in definitely plazzy as in plastic usually referring to plastic scousers from ellesmere port lol or a cheap football. casey as in a leather dead boss football footy as in football lad as in alright lad, use it friendly or in warning as in listen ere lad. ton as in I'll give yer 5 ton lad for der car, I'll pay 5 hundred pounds for your car sir.

scouser 4 life lad init

Liverpool is the best place on earth ! i love it so much la. I hate the way scousers get so much stick for things though.

Liverpool Foreverr Guyss!! =) x x

wats bab mean other than just short for babe

Boss city !!!

Thanks for the Scouse Dialect I left Liverpool in 1978 and some of these brought back a lot of memories I will share theses with my American kids tonight. Thanks. Terry S

I'm hooked on your wonderful city.  My wife and I (whackers in scouse) visited Liverpool from Ohio for the first time this past October for 7 days in search of my roots as my grandparents (wooleybacks) were born in Appley Bridge/Wigan in the early 1880s.  Returning from Wigan on the train to Lime Street Station, we met (got to chattin with) Alan, a sidekick to Billy Mahar who hosts a wonderful show each weekend on BBC Merseyside.   As I said previously, I'm hooked as we now tune in, despite the 5 hour time difference, whenever we can.  You can be proud of your community including:  St. Georges Hall, especially the Anglican Cathedral, Albert Dock, the Royal Liver Building, etc.  We also had interesting side trips to Southport and Blackpool.  As the famous American General Douglas McArthur once said, "I shall return."

ahh you beaut/joke/gimp = idiot (iiiiiidiot) scouse + proud!

What about the DOCKERS UMBRELLA (The old overhead railway that used to run from the Dingle to Seaforth along by the docks) Joe T Runcorn

Liverpool Rules AMAMZINNNN! ILLSM XXXXXXXXXX

'our kid' about the youngest in the family, even if they're 22 by this point haha. And 'our... Jack' etc about any family member.

Sound = boss or really good

defo= definitely

boss list la! erz a cupla belters for yer... abar = about webs = trabs ringpiece = knobhead redshite = kopite bluenose = matchgoer!

Bone orchard is a cemetery in kirkdale.

manc = person from manchester

does anyone remember playing 'ollies', the game of marbles ?

ma - mum da - dad

my mum is a scouser so i'm part scouser but i don't live in Liverpool it's a good city to be on your own or with a mate.

liverpool is a fantastic city, i'm from london and i feel like a scouser. by the way i have a scouse girlfriend the accent is dead sexy.

Queen of Sheba - Stuck up woman i.e. Who does she think she is, the Queen of Sheba ?

MEEE MAAAAAAAA - my mother

u waa ! - what do you mean ?

moggy - cat

I have been in Liverpool recently. I thought my level of English was good and I could manage pretty well at the airport but as soon as I came across a native, a taxi driver, a bed and breakfast owner I realised nothing of what I had already learnt was of any use. I didn't understand a word!!! It was quite frustrating. I had already been told about that accent but I thought they would use a more standard language with foreigners. Apart from that I really got a very good impression of the city, especially The Albert Dock.

What about EEYAR meaning "there you go like" EEYAR "you have that"

Grim, Like as in "don't be grim", "that's grim" or a "grim deal"

tidy - fit = gorgeous

Brilliant. Say what you want about Liverpool buts it because were different which makes us that bit special.

ya ma ! = to insult another scouser, its the winner of all arguments! laa/lerd/lad/lar/laaaaird = mate

me = my (e.g. doin' me 'ead in)

i got one ; sappo? - how are you ? ; sappinin - whats happening ? - scouser for life ;D charlotte

beanie (annoying, disturbing)

eres a few used by all the boys these days: joe = taxi, from joe baxi, the boxer (from cockney rhymin slang) bec = again, or not again (ohhh bec = ohh not again) neck / shift / meet / get off = snog someone jerry = finger (jerry springer, give him/her the finger, middle finger) prem = comes from PREMature baby, idiot stick = abuse (he was givin me stick, givin me abuse)

Liverpool rocks my socks

I love liverpool - it is a most well rounded and interesting place.

I would like to visit Liverpool some time, cause I am Norwegian, and i don't speak so very good English. But perhaps I can pronounce it in livererpoolish

Are ye cummin to de bayos dis savo? Are you coming to the swimming baths this afternoon?

Hiya Wicker is missing.  Means a suit (normally men's) and you could visit Owen Owen or John Lewis in the '50s and say "I wanna wicker whacker" to the first sales clerk. Cya Gari the Sandgrounder ("Anymore for the shore" as they used to shout at Exchange Station) PS Kneetrembler is also not in the list but perhaps a bit too Scouse.  Heard on Ribble Bus on Southport-Maghull-Liverpool stretch once, 2 judes talking and one asks "Whatya do on Sat'dee?"  "We went up a jigger fir a kneetrembler".

MOODY - suspect or shady, (as in "that milk tastes a bit moody")

ers one BEEFHED (stocky person)

scousers for ever babyee !

A Flim is a £5 note i seem to remember, when i was a kid we used to play on the olla, which was patch of rough ground where houses once stood. (another name for waste ground when we were kids in the 60's was Bomie sites as they where still many left after the bombing raids of the war.)

Just returned from Liverpool after 40 years!  I was born there in 1939 and lived there for my first 21 years.  I worked for Cunard in the Liver buildings and spent my days and nights travelling between the Pier Head, the Liverpool Art School and the clubs - Cavern, Jacaranda etc., and the coffee bars - the Majorca,etc. and then catching the bus home to the suburbs - first Mossley Hill and later, Woolton Village.  I was sent to elocution lessons so I wouldn't (God Forbid) sound like a scouser!  Well - I have been in the USA for 45 years - have a sort of mid-Atlantic accent BUT I still say "fur" for "fair" and Long Island is Longgg Island.  I am a speech pathologist and my  American tudents often correct  me.   The "sing-song" quality of scouse is music to my ears.  Well "de pool" has certainly been tarted up.  Went to the Tate, Slavery Museum, the Phil for the Lennon songbook, Crosby beach, El Crocodillo in Woolton village which used to be "me Da's Pub" when it was called The Elephant. Oh and let's not forget Alma de Cuba!  Well it would  be a lot more interesting to be dragging around Liverpool in my late teens - early twenties today than in the late 50's and early 60's.  However, since I only had a spare ten bob each week for entertainment in those days - what was available then was "de gear".  A short aside - the scousers and I had a hard time understanding one another!

Aaaah, de doo dow don't de dow!

How funny are we lid that was proper off its ed readin dat a couple i didn't recognise though an i've lived in the pool all me 26 years and a joey is someone you send on messages or to get somthing for you how about you dope on a rope or you spazzie on a lazzie you could go on an on laterz!!

twirlie was given to the elderly trying to board the the bus before there bus pass was legal, say it was due to operate at 10am  they would get on at 9.45 and say amma twirlie or am I too early

ers one for ya la, JIGGER RABBIT,(CAT), loads more but havent got the time, nice site great read, thanks Ken.T