The Geordie Accent

One of the coolest things about my new (temporary) job is that the people I work with are so, so nice and friendly.  I made an apple crumble with those apples from Crook Hall and brought it in on my second day.  The porters (Porters are like the college handymen.) especially gobbled it up, calling it "spot on" and "gorgeous."   Most of them are native to Northeast England, so they have Geordie accents.  I personally love the lilting sound of it (it reminds me of the Scots, but don't tell them I said that), but many other folks in England turn up their noses as it, calling it "improper English."  I think it's because they can't understand it half the time.  When the Geordies speak to me, I can understand about 80% and put the rest together based on context clues.  When they speak to each other, I can only understand about 20% and usually don't bother trying to figure it out.  


Take some time to listen to a sample of some Geordie gorgeousness HERE.  Click play and wait a few seconds for the man's voice to start.


One of the porters brought me some more apples from his apple tree as well as this humongous courgette the size of a baby from his garden, which I figured out was a zucchini.  When he asked me if I wanted some the previous day, I think I was smiling and nodding without really understanding what I was getting into.  But isn't it GORGEOUS?  I'm going to stir fry it up tonight!