If you’re not a Teessider and you’ve ever wondered what some of the words mean, here’s a brief guide to the words and meaning behind them:
As – used to emphasise a sentence
Av’it – An instruction to enjoy your self
Battered – Confused, worn out
Beck – Word for stream
Berra – Better
Coz – Because
Canna – Can I
Claggy – Sticky
Cadge – Borrow
Chuffed – Well pleased
Croggy – Lift on someones bike
Dunno – Don’t Know
Down Town – Visiting Middlesbrough Centre
Gadgie – Man, male (possibly older)
Gunna – Going to
Goosed – Shattered, really tired
Heavin – Really busy
Hacky – Dirty
Howay/Awayy/Owayy – Come on
Laffin – Nice one, that’s good
Lemon top – Ice cream with a tangy lemon top from Redcar
Like – Add emphasis to a sentence
Mam – Mum, Mom, Mother
Mint – Very good
Me – End a sentence that starts with ‘I’ (I like that ‘me’. I wouldn’t do that ‘me’)
Nor – No
Nowt – Nothing
Necta – Amazing
Naff – Nothing
Our Lad/Our Lass – Other half, partner
Our ’ouse – My house
Parmo/Parmesan – A breaded chicken escalope dish originating in Middlesbrough
Proper/Proppa – Very much
Pilla – Pillow
Scuzzy – Not very clean
Tarzy – Makeshift temporary rope swing
Tret – The way someone has been treated
Worra – What a (Worra load of rubbish)
Article By Chloe Tempestoso
Project Middlesbrough 