Many English words are used only within a certain area. Here is a map of the British Isles, divided roughly into dialect areas.
Key: A=Scotland B=Northern Ireland C=North East D=North E=Republic of Ireland F=Wales G=West Midlands H=East Midlands I=East Anglia J=South West K=London and South East
Write the letter against the area where people use the word.
1. an alleyway: (i) a close , (ii) a chare , (iii) a jitty , (iv) a folly , (v) a snicket , (vi) a twitten , (vii) a jigger , (viii) a twitch
2. a spring onion: a scallion
3. light shoes for children: (i) pumps , (ii) gymshoes , (iii) sandshoes , (iv) gutties , (v) daps
4. being cold: (i) shrammed , (ii) nithered , (iii) baltic , (iv) nesh , (v) foundered
5. a suitcase: a bag
6. a badly dressed young person: a pikey
7. the
game in which one child chases after the rest: touch
8. something big: gurt
9. a friend: (i) a marra , (ii) a butty , (iii) a chum
10. a
baby: (i) a sprog
,
(ii) a bab
11. a pavement: a footpath
12. untidy
heap: a peasewisp
13. a snail: a dodman
14. a chimney: (i) a chimbley , (ii) a chimook
15. something horrible: ronk
16. ey oop/alley oop
Words that are used everywhere have mostly not been included, e.g. mate .
Answers
1. an alleyway: (i) a close A , (ii) a chare C, (iii) a jitty H, (iv) a folly I, (v) a snicket G, (vi) a twitten K, (vii) a jigger G, (viii) a twitch D, (see Alleyways for some photos)
2. a spring onion: a scallion E
3. light shoes for children: (i) pumps H, (ii) gymshoes A, (iii) sandshoes C, (iv) gutties B, (v) daps F
4. being cold: (i) shrammed J, (ii) nithered H, (iii) baltic A, (iv) nesh, G (v) foundered k
5. a suitcase: a bag E
6. a badly dressed young person: a pikey K
7. the game in which one child chases after the rest: touch F
8. something big: gurt J
9. a friend of yours: a marra C
10. a baby: (i) a sprog K, (ii) a bab G
11. a pavement: a footpath E
12. untidy heap: a peasewisp B
13. a snail: a dodman I
14. a chimney: (i) a chimbley J (ii) a chimook F
15. something horrible: ronk G
16. ey oop/alley oop D
Count up your scores. The maximum is 51; a score above 40 is very good! You should have the most right in the regions close to where you come from, i.e. interpreted it in reverse the test shows where you come from .