The Merry Mawkin the Friends of Norfolk Dialect Newsletter
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THE MERRY MAWKIN THE FRIENDS OF NORFOLK DIALECT NEWSLETTER Number 62 Autumn 2016 £1.50 www.norfolkdialect.com AUTUMN 2016 THE MERRY MAWKIN 1 Chairman’s report t Well it’s time to write Ia piece for the Mawkin again – that’s come quick! This month’s issue is full of the joys of our Norfolk ways and our delightful dialect. I really enjoyed reading about the history of the Dilham Canal and exploring shortcake Front cover: Veteran beech memories. Also how nice it is to see the tree at Blickling. Mawkin helping people to share memories. It seems a great correspondence has sparked IN THIS ISSUE up between Anne and Malcolm over their 2 Chairman’s report memories of Shotesham. 4 FOND officers & committee 4 Membership application form We had a successful dew in early September, 5 Air Cum Ortum! and though the hall wasn’t packed we all 8 My Village had a good time. Hopefully we will see 9 Notice of AGM even more members at the AGM, I’ve asked 9 NDF 2016 10 Them that lived next door Bev to do another talk from his repertoire 12 Colin Boy’s Norfolk Quiz for the after AGM entertainment. I’m 12 A ploite request sure those of you who enjoyed his tales 13 The North Walsham at Wroxham won’t object to hearing him & Dilham Canal some more. 16 The Norfolk Literary Dew 18 Harvest Toyme I’ve had some interesting correspondence 20 They put me on the roight track with people and done a few things to 22 The Norfolk Shortcake promote our dialect. I recently performed 23 Wordsearch at ‘A wholly Norfolk dew’ in Northrepps 24 Facebook hosted by Cromer Ladies Lifeboat Guild. 25 Membership & Contributions Wordsearch Answers I will also be taking information to the My Village Answer National Parks conference which this year 26 Lil’s bit for the Mawkin will be hosted by Norfolk, thanks to the Colin’s Quiz Answers Broads Society. Facebook is still proving to 27 The Last Chapter be an excellent way of providing a modern 28 The Wizard of Ouze ad stage for our dialect, as can be seen in 2 THE MERRY MAWKIN AUTUMN 2016 Angela’s article, it seems we are engaging THE MERRY with a large and varied audience. MAWKIN The Trosher competition entries are in, EDITOR Lyn tells me there is a mixture of poems Diana Rackham and stories, I’m sure our judges are looking DESIGNER forward to reading them. Norman has Bob Farndon had great success with Brundall primary EDITORIAL OFFICE school’s involvement in the junior Tel: 01692 584809 competition, though he is always on the Email: [email protected] lookout for more schools. PLEASE NOTE The big news is preparations for the panto The editor reserves the right are starting, get the date in your diary! It to amend or reject any item submitted for publication would be great to build even further on last considered unsuitable or not in year’s success. This time I’m having to do as the best interests of the Friends our previous panto writer, Colin Burleigh, of Norfolk Dialect (FOND). and prepare for the panto after recently Editorial decisions are final. having surgery on my knee. I didn’t realise It is the responsibility of all contributors to ensure any a stipulation of being involved in a FOND material submitted – written or panto involves having dodgy knees! The photographic – is copyright-free panto is on January 8th and will again be at or use has been cleared with the East Tuddenham, starting at a slightly later copyright holder. time of 2.30pm (Gives you more time to The opinions expressed by finish your dinner!). We will be performing contributors in The Merry Mawkin may not necessarily be The Wizard of Ouze – hope you’re looking held by the officers or committee forward to it as much as I am. members of the Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND). We had a committee meeting recently, we No part of this publication may really are in need of extra pairs of helping be reproduced, in any form, hands as there will be a few committee without the prior permission of changes at the AGM. My thanks go to all the Friends of Norfolk Dialect those who are helping to keep things going. (FOND). © 2016 FOND Mind how you go together. Diana PRINTED BY Harlequin Colour Print P.S. My mother she say you’re never short 6 Swan Drive, Gressenhall of a cake when you’ve got a shortcake in Dereham, NorfolkNR20 4SW the tin. Tel: 07941 513 683 AUTUMN 2016 THE MERRY MAWKIN 3 FOND Officers and Committee CONTACT DETAILS PRESIDENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS Professor Peter Trudgill, 6 Amelia House, Tina Chamberlain, 53 Orchard Way, Colegate, Norwich NR3 1DD Wymondham NR18 0NY Tel: 01953 606061 Tel: 01603 618036 Owen Church, The Post Office, Ormesby Road, CHAIRMAN Hemsby NR29 4AA Tel: 01493 730210 Diana Rackham, 41 Neville Road, Norman Hart (education officer), Avonside, Sutton NR12 9RP Tel: 01692 584809 42 London Road, Harleston IP20 9BW VICE-CHAIRMAN Tel: 01379 852677 TBA Stanley Jones, 133 Gertrude Road, SECRETARY Norwich NR3 4SE Mobile: 07899 056567 Lyn Fountain, Church View, The Street, Ann Reeve, 6 School Road, Ashwellthorpe NR16 1EZ Tel: 07592 509620 Martham NR29 4PX Tel: 01493 740674 MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY TBA (Any queries, please contact the NON-COMMITTEE MEMBERS chairman) Alan Cooper (technical adviser), TREASURER Tyddyn, Swanton Avenue, Dereham NR19 2HJ Toni Reeve, 6 School Road, Tel: 01362 697628 Martham NR29 4PX Tel: 01493 740674 If you wish to contact any officer or committee member please use the following email address: [email protected] Friends of Norfolk Dialect MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM I/We wish to join Friends of Norfolk Dialect (FOND) and enclose the membership fee of: £7 Single member; £12 Family membership; £20 Educational establishment; £50 Commercial company (delete as necessary) PLEASE NOTE: these are UK prices only. For overseas prices, contact the membership secretary in first instance (address below). Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms. Surname and initials . Address . Postcode. Telephone. Email. Please send completed form (photocopies accepted) – together with a cheque made payable to ‘FOND’ – to Diana Rackham, 41 Neville Road, Sutton NR12 9RP Tel: 01692 584809. 4 THE MERRY MAWKIN AUTUMN 2016 Air Cum Ortum! SHARON INGLE. ello there tergether, well them ow nights are drawin’ Hin agin. That happen every year, the clarks go back and still um surprised when thass dark at 4pm. That seem like one minute thass summer an’ we’re orl carefree eatun tea outside, then next minute we’re pulling the cuttens agin the dark an’ huddling up wi’ a blanket onna sofa. Last winter was rarely mild, we dint git a lotta cold till that wooz spooz ter be Spring. Ire heard it said, we dorn git seasons no more but I think we do gittem but not necessarily in the right order. That orl seem ter have shifted three month. At the time a writing, thass still September, but the pumpkins an’ next year calendars are already in the sharps. I wooz brought up not ter buy a calendar until the Noo Year had actually started, that wooz unlucky to git one any ullyer. When I wooz a kid, people yewster pay a lotta heed ter superstitution. A lotta things wooz considered unlucky – the number thuteen, the colour green, walking on the cracks in the pearvment, walkin’ under ladders. My Nan oud never wear green an’ she yewster say “marry in green an’ yew’ll follow in black” meaning that the wedding oud be followed by a funeral. Another saying I remember is “blue and green should never be seen ‘cept wi’ a colour in between”. I never thought that meard sense as when the sky is blue an’ the grass is green there’s nuthen better. Dorn pass onna stairs, if thass unavoidable, crawss your fingers be’ind your back. Dorn cut your fingernails on a Sunday, thass unlucky. I seem ter remember there wooz a lotta things you mussent do on a Sundee, praps that wooz so the grown ups gart a bitta peace an’ quiet anna course a lotta people went ter chuch. An itchy nose meant yew oud hear some nooz, an itchy hand meant yew wooz gorta git some money. If givin’ a purse or wallet as a present, yew oud put a coin inside fer good luck. “See a penny, pickut up, orl day long yewl have good luck. Givut ter a dear ow friend, then your luck will never end”. That wooz unlucky ter put your box wi’ noo shooz in on the tearbul, (probbly cooz yewd git a dinga the lug orf yer mother tryun ter git tea riddy). Yew hatta hide the cuttulree during a thunderstorm so that dint git struck by lightning. Yew allus hatta salute a lone magpie “Good morning Mr Magpie, how’s your AUTUMN 2016 THE MERRY MAWKIN 5 wife?” Magpies oud allus spark a little rhyme ‘One fer sorra, two fer joy, three fer a girl an’ four fer a boy. Five fer silver, six fer gold, seven fer a secret never ter be told’. Never tun your mattress when your menfolk are at sea or their boat will tun over an’ capsize. I can remember admiring some fragrant lilac blossom an’ my Nan being insistent that yew mussent never tearkut indoors. People oud allus ‘touch wood’ fer luck but thass suffen yew dorn see sa much on now, I dorn think stroking a bitta MDF or sticky back plastic ha’ the searm effect.