This year, TTPL is celebrating 20 years of creating inspirational work experience,
vocational training and language study programmes for international students
and graduates.
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| The Devon Flag |
In the coming weeks, there’ll be a variety of themed blogs starting with 20 local words and sayings. Many of these are often used in Devon and if you’ve heard any and wondering what on Earth it means, then here’s a quick guide:
1) Grockle
A grockle is what Devonians call holidaymakers.
Example: Sorry I’m
late, the roads were full of grockles!
2) Proper
job
A general way of saying something is good.
Example: It’s a bank
holiday this weekend? Proper job!
3) Handsome
Another way of saying something is good, or ‘me handsome’
can be used as a greeting.
Example: Alright me
handsome?
4) My
lover
Use the word ‘lover’ carefully, as it can mean something quite
different outside of the Westcountry. In
Devon, ‘my lover’ is a nice way to refer to anyone.
Example: Alright my lover?
5) Maid
Similar to ‘my lover’ but used to refer to females.
Example: She was a
lovely little maid.
6) Directly
Often used as a way of saying something will happen soon,
pronounced ‘dreckly’.
Example: I’ll be with
you dreckly.
7) Get on
Shortened to ‘geddon’, can be used to answer pretty much
anything!
Example: “Alright
mate?”
“Yeah
geddon!”
8) Where’s
it to?
A Westcountry way of asking where something is. Can also be
used with ‘you’.
Example: Where you to?
9) Gurt
Usually used in place of the word ‘great’, gurt can mean ‘big’
or ‘very’.
Example: That’s a gurt big tractor!
10) Tiswas
A way of describing someone who is confused
Example: She was in a bit of a tiswas
11) Ee
Many Devonians will replace ‘it’ and ‘he’ with ‘ee’.
Example: Put ee over
there.
12) Bey
A male friend, usually used in a greeting.
Example: alright bey?
13) Wasson
A shortened way of saying ‘what’s on?’
Example: Wasson bey?
14) Ooh arr:
A way of expressing joy or satisfaction.
Example: ooh arr I'm excited for the weekend!
15) You
beauty
Pronounced ‘you beaudy’, said to someone who’s just done a
good job of something.
Example: Gedon you beaudy!
16) Innit
A shortened way of saying ‘isn’t it’.
Example: Innit lovely
weather today!
17) Jammy
Used to describe someone who is very lucky.
Example: Ee just won money on the lottery, ee’s so jammy!
18) Gannet
A gannet is a type of seabird, but is used to describe
somebody who’s always hungry and always eating.
Example: I can’t
believe you’re still eating you gannet!
19) Janner
A slightly derogatory term used to describe somebody from
Plymouth.
Example: Geddon you
janner!
20) Yer
tis
‘Yer tis’ is simply a short way of saying ‘yes it is’.
Example: “Is this the end of the blog post?”
“Yer tis!”
