Teach Yorkshire accent in’t’schools to prevent it dying out, pleads teacher
A retired teacher fighting to keep the ancient Yorkshire dialect alive has launched a campaign to stop it dying out – by teaching it ‘in t’schools.’
Rod Dimbleby, chairman of the the Yorkshire Dialect Society, is on a mission to save the county’s language as words dating back over 1,000 years are falling out of use.
And he believes it should be taught to young ‘uns the same way foreign languages are.
Rod, 80, said: ‘This is a part of our cultural heritage, something that anyone born or growing up in Yorkshire has every reason to be proud of.
‘It will die out unless we do something about it. I’d love to see schools teaching the Yorkshire dialect or maybe accept it as an after-school activity.’
Rod gives weekly lessons on the vernacular, made famous in tv show Last Of The Summer Wine and even used in Arctic Monkeys lyrics, including hit song Mardy Bum.
But he fears it’s dying out and that there’s only a few pockets in Yorkshire where the authentic dialect is still spoken today.
The former German teacher added: ‘I teach the Talk Tyke Course in the same way I taught German. Covering the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Top Yorkshire words and phrases
Baht ‘at: Without a hat
Put wood in t’ole: Would you kindly close the door?
Tha’s reyt Mardy: You’re not in a particularly good mood today
You daft ‘apeth: You fool
Eeh by gum – An expression of surprise or emphasis.
Mither – To bother or annoy
Bairn – Child or baby
‘Since the first course we’ve seen a welcome spike in the number of new members joining the society.’
Rod, who grew up in Bradford, said the dialect has been kept alive by working folk.
He added: ‘It’s because the working class continued speaking dialect that people often wrongly associate it with being uneducated or confuse it with slang.
‘No, it’s a real language. Many of the words derived from the Germanic languages and some of the phrases are linked to the Industrial Revolution.
‘I’m fortunate to have been brought up bilingual speaking Yorkshire dialect and English.’
Courses have so far been held in Keighley, Brighouse and Cleckheaton, with a fourth due to start in Leeds in May.
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