Why do non Somerset folk not understand....

[Goodsoulette]

"where's it to?"

Just found a group dedicated to West Country talk on face book but its only got people from the west country not understanding why the rest of the world dont understand it, when you ask the question!


Examples...

1) can you pass me the jam?
where's it to?
it's in the fridge
2) let's go to Yeovil
where's that to?
it's in Somerset

Why does it make people look at us like we are from Iceland? I didnt realise it wasnt proper English until very recently.

I also only learned this year that people dont use the word grockel, akker, and dimpsey in other places.

[CheekyChops]

Nope - sorry, I wouldn't understand either (I'm from Staffordshire).

What the heck are grockel, akker and dimpsey?

[littleoldme]

LOL Goodsoulette - have you never been outside Zummerzet then? "Oh, I bain't be goin' out thurr wi' them outzoiders". ;-)

Having spent several childhood holidays in the West Country (Devon mainly) I must admit to finding the accent strangely comforting and, in certain female cases, even quite alluring.

As for grockel, akker and dimpsey, I believe they're a law firm in Taunton.

[THECORBYLOON]

Are you sure they're not three of the firemen in Trumpton? "Pugh, Pugh Barney McGrew, Grockle, Acker and Dimpsey"

[THECORBYLOON]

There was a tv series called Dimpsey and McPiece a while ago. As for the Iceland connexion, maybe it's all the old geezers you have down there...

[Goodsoulette]

Thanks littleoleme, since Lord of The Rings some friends who dont originate from round here have taken to calling me hobbit! Honestly my accent isnt all that bad. Im from Taunton, you might just be right, Ill look out for them.

A grockel is a non local.
Acker, is a bit like saying mate. "alroight acker"
Dimpsey is just before it gets dark. Twilight I spose.

I still dont understand why its not right to say "Where's that to"....someone please tell me why that makes "wheres that?" not understandable.

[IggyB]

accent not that bad eh goods - hmmmm
the welsh say the same thing "where you to" confused me for a while when i lived with a welsh girl - made worse with her accent and speed so all i heard was one word "wareyatoo"?
she also had me in a muddle by telling me she came from Brighendah - which i later worked out was simply Brightend and she just added the "ahh" for some welsh reason only known to her country men and women.

[Goodsoulette]

IggyB, okay, okay it might get worse the drunker I am but Im not xactly Justin Lee Collins.

Do you not me Bridgend?

[spudqueen]

I used to live in Devon and knew a 40 year old woman who had only been out of Devon and Cornwall half a dozen times in her whole life! Those West Country people think they are a breed apart from the rest of us!

[ruby27]

I recongnise it although it seems that to, is used with more frequency close to Taunton then Weston super Mare. More likely to refer to everything as be,
so can you pass the jam?
where's that be?
in the fridge
the z (of course) in where's, heard but not seen.
What about Gurt. I recall using gurt frequently as a child. To describe something as gurt massive, somewhat on the large side.

[Goodsoulette]

yup, say gurt all the time and noggerhead and warsh instead of wash.

[ruby27]

Isn't there an r in everything?
Barth place or washing
plarster when you have a cut finger
Though I am sure I have never said Oh Arr in seriousness although I knew the Cutlers and Agg was well known to my parents. In fact I couldn't pronounce my name properly until I had lived away for some time - it ends in rina, but I used to pronounce it and you might as reennerr

Were beem you going to?
Er casn't do thaa!!

I can recall the accent but I am not sure I can recall many expressions or words that only were local to Somerset.
I feel all nostalgic, will be back down on Thursday night and will be imbibing in some of Thatcher best cider - proper stuff bought from the place its made, not the fancy stuff they export in bottles. Oh and some cheedar, real stuff not the pretend.

[Goodsoulette]

The A in plaster here in Taunton is a hard A.