Sussex Slang and Dialect

[Perry's Tracksuit Bottoms]

I did some A-level research into the Sussex Dialect some years ago - the only thing I can remember now is that a nettle used to be known as a 'naughty man's plaything'...

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

I always thought "got the knock/needle" was a Brighton saying too.

There's a twitten in Rottingdean.

 

[perseus]

bostal
shepherd's crown
rife
innings
fainites
moak
slonk
clunch
dean
withy
coombe

No need to translate, of course

 

[London Calling]

i've often though about this,

as a migrant in london, i think there is a brighton accent, very subtle though it is.

look at neighbouring towns and cities...

hastings - very south london, very common
pompey - blatent oo-arr aspect
crawley - again, south london
tunny wells - middle class oxford english

in brighton, i believe our cockford accent (not quite london, not quite oxford) comes from the large amont of people originally from london who moved down here 150 years ago, if we didn't have the london element we'd have an oo-arr cider accent like pompey (you can find old folks in sussex and kent who speak like pirates you know...i seen it on that there TV)...

one thing about brighton i think is that we have a drawl to our accent, people can distinguish that it's not a total london accent, its a bit slower, like a posh cockney...

you only realise how we drawl when you here a recording of your voice, its weird. maybe cos we're all chilled out and no one gives a monkey's down here.

BN1 and proud

Agree.

When I was in t'north. People had real difficulty placing the accent.

We aslo say Bryt - nn with a near silent T.

And we say Gels instead of girls.

We certianly drawl a lot and bend the end of words with the beginning of the next word.

Though I have noticed my accent is becoming more 'ackney.

LC

 

[London Calling]

And "a malfe like clayten tunnel"

Is unique to the area

 

[Brixton Seagull 2]

Isn't "kiddie" a Brighton thing? As in, "I was chatting to these two kiddies, right?". Most people I know who aren't from down here reckon they never heard it used elsewhere.

 

[London Calling]

"You dirty northern b*stards"

To all footballl teams.


LC

 

[Deleted User X18H]

f*** off back to London, Worthing, Hastings etc is my favorite Brighton saying.

 

[Hunting 784561]

Brighton people also ask "have you sin it" instead of "seen it".

Dont think Ive heard this anywhere else?

 

[Mr Popkins]

not a sussex word but alot of people who dont live near the sea dont know the word

-Groyne.

The Brightonian accent is a softer version of cockney ,its very distinct. I have often been mistaken for an aussie by the yanks.

 

[crasher]

'All folks as come to Sussex
Must follow Sussex wyas,
And when they've larned
to know us well
There's no place else
they'd wish to dwell
In all their blessed days.
There ant no place like Sussex
Until you goes Above,
But Sussex will be Sussex,
And Sussex won't be druv!
(traditional)


This, apparently, is how we used to talk down here. Probably sounds best with a straw in the mouth.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Agree with Meade's Ball here. 'Binner' is a word I've only ever heard said by a Brightonian.

 

[London Calling]

"Muckers" for yer mates

Is an old classic!

 

[Marc]

The Brightonian accent is a softer version of cockney ,its very distinct. I have often been mistaken for an aussie by the yanks.

same here, then again they mistake anyone from England as an Aussie cos they are stupid!

 

[Highfields Seagull]

Brighton people also ask "have you sin it" instead of "seen it".

Dont think Ive heard this anywhere else?

Yes, and bin instead of been.

 

[¤DãŃn¥ §êãGüLL¤]

My parents say 'narf' instead of not half. Eg "You narf gonna know it" And 'wunnarf' instead of won't half. Or is this another London one?

 

[house your seagull]

i think the truest brighton accent is from my little brother and sister (both BN1), i think im more mockney than them, but they speak pure brighton, unadulterated brighton accent, not so common its offensive but definately not 'well spoken'....

listen to west london natives and its very similar, if you go to harrow they speak with a west country tang sometimes but notting hill to brentford is quite similar to us.

remember ockney is a niche accent (more commonly heard in essex these days...) south londoners can tell the difference betwen themselves and proper east londoners

 

[house your seagull]

Brighton people also ask "have you sin it" instead of "seen it".

Dont think Ive heard this anywhere else?

a londoner told me this was a major distinction between north and south of the river in the east of the city

 

[Hunting 784561]

I was told by a colleague from west London that 'Chav' was very much a southern home counties phrase (ie, mainly Kent & Sussex) that you didnt hear much in other areas around London.

Proud of the contribution weve made to the nation's vocabulary !

 

[Wilts]

I was told by a colleague from west London that 'Chav' was very much a southern home counties phrase (ie, mainly Kent & Sussex) that you didnt hear much in other areas around London.

Proud of the contribution weve made to the nation's vocabulary !

Chav came out of Kent for sure... I remember hearing that round our way in the early 90s.

Binner is East Anglia I'm afraid. Ipswich and Norwich been calling each other Binners for god knows how long!