MENTION of the old local dialect term, scorrick brought Lanky-twang memories tumbling back for reader Barbara Marshall.
A town-centre character, known universally as H, brought up the subject (June 5) after being puzzled by the origins of that word. And within hours, Barbara had e-mailed a response and added a few more quaint dialect terms learned at her dad's knee.
Confirming that a scorrick meant a small amount, she says: "My late dad, Alec, spoke with a really broad Lancashire accent, being a retired miner born at Peasley Cross.
"He used scorrick a lot, along with sken (too look at) snap (his packed working lunch) mash the tea (brew up) wom (for home) Land ob the ball (throw it)".
Chatting with the old-time pitmen must, she says, have been like listening to a foreign language at times. "But it was all very colourful, if sometimes a mystery as to what they were saying. The list of dialect sayings must be endless".
And she adds a few more memory-jerkers picked up from her dad. If disagreeing with something, and wanting to cut in, he'd exclaim: 'Owdonabit, sorry!' When leaving he'd say 'Sithee' and when seeking attention he'd call out 'Eigh up!"
Sad in a way that it's all dying out now.
Barbara signs off by recalling Wiswells, the dialect speaking Haydock farming family who supplied the neighbourhood with potatoes.
