When I returned to the North West of England after following up my three years at a Manchester university with two and a half years back with the parental units in Buckinghamshire, I got a job in Bolton. This is where my education really began. There are many words and phrases that I learnt during my long stay in Manchester, but my time in Bolton was perhaps the most informative. I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few linguistic gems with you in case they may prove useful on your travels.
- Pants – As with our friends across the pond, pants round here are simply trousers. I suspect what I know as pants are renamed undercrackers, but I’d have to double-check that one.
- Wagon – Want to get a big bunch of stuff from A to B? You don’t need a lorry, you need a wagon. Trust me.
- Brew – Fancy a cuppa? Tea? Coffee? Nope. We brew up round here. Get it right.
- While – Until does not exist; it’s while. My hours of work are nine while five. You get the idea.
- Sweet – This is an odd one. In the south, everyone calls everyone else mate. Even if you don’t know them. In Bolton, everyone calls everyone else sweet. Even bloke to bloke (well, the older guys I worked with seemed to). Bizarre.
- Mither – Pronounced m-eye-ther, it means bother or annoy (i.e. Stop mithering me).
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