Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Wirral's Accents/Dialect

Oh 'nesh'!

Neston sure seems to have had a distinct dialect and accent, would love to learn more about the mining connection mentioned with possible incomers from Lancashire and Cornwall

Not sure if this is off topic but,my Dad used to say anyone who had 'tatty'hair,looked like 'the wild woman of Borneo'.
Does anyone know the origin of this?

When I first left home in the 50's I was often thought of as being from Birmingham. I suppose people unused to other dialects would be confused by them sounding similar to them. Once the 60's came along and the Liverpool accent was more publicised the "Brummy" thing seemed to peter out.
The "Wild Man from Borneo" was a phrase often used, and all over the country from what I can remember. Suspect it was probably something from an early film showing the Borneans as being woolly haired savages.

Hahaha sure remeber 'tatty head' from potato by any chance???

Not that long ago Anthony Annakin-Smith helped set up an exhibition about the Neston coal mining community. Think they had it on at the local library. Anyhow, he's written quite a lot about the subject in the 'Wirral Journal' if you're interested.

Also seem to think there's quite a bit of info on it here on Wiki. Check the index, Erainn! Stop getting us to do all the work for you!!


...that's now a pint, crisps, peanuts, & pork scratchings you owe us.

Think you have hit the spot on the Borneo reference.

My mum was always saying "wild woman from Borneo". " Ta rarr" is only a lazy "tataa" but it was always "ta rarr well" and don't we still use "nesh" ? I know I do.

hahaha..'us' is it?

...you can give the pickled egg to bert!

In 'The Gentleman’s Magazine' dated December 1762 there is an interesting article on Bromborough. Part of it goes:

“The people are a hardy race, and live upon the coarsest fare, as the inhabitants of these parts chiefly do. I have formerly observed a particular custom of changing the letter q into a w at the beginning of words; thus they pronounce the word quick as if it were spelt wick; they also pronounce the words that end with ll as if they were spelt with au.”

Well would not wish to deprive you of such a delicacy, particularly after all your fevered activity

Golden info, thanks so much for sharing that

Googled The Wild Woman.
It is written as 'women'so there was more of them!
It would appear from an American Movie and certainly not deshevilled,she is seen on a poster whipping her top off!

...you just know there'll now be a surge of fellas from Wikiland Googling that web-site...

me included...