Hull Has Its Own Language – Learning To Speak ‘Ull

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I am from “Hull” (‘Ull is the pronunciation if you are from Hull.)  Hull is a port and has a long history of the fishing industry ingrained into our cobbled streets. 

If you visit Hull you can still see the docks and the pier where the old passenger ferry from Hull to New Holland.  Nowadays this no longer exists but further down the River Humber, you can get a North Sea ferry to Holland or Belgium. 

They called the mouth of the River Humber the gateway to Europe.  One thing you may not know about Hull is the language.  We up in the north-east are quite unique in many ways and one of those ways is the way we speak. 

As I have lived here all my I don’t notice we all have this accent.  Even less noticeable to me is our pronunciation of certain words, I suppose it is a kind of Hull slang. 

I thought for this blog I can introduce you to some of the words and the slang versions of them.  I am going to tell you how this idea came about. 

I work in our town centre and always walk along the pier and noticed a while ago the pub on the riverfront Minerva has installed outside seating and as an amazing touch to the seating our slang had been added onto the wooden slats on the seats. 

As a blogger, I am always looking for inspiration for my blogs and my home town is a wealth of interesting history and stories.  Hence the thought of this as a blog subject. 

It may make you laugh or it may make no sense to you but here goes anyway.
Below is a list of words and phrases and the Hull slang versions of them.

Above: I am playing outside.

Above: I am having a conversation with someone.

Above: I am on government benefits. (dole)

Above: The children are outside playing.

Above: It is raining really hard & Radio Humberside. (the local radio station)

Above:  Hessle Road.  (One of the main streets in Hull)

Above: There is no snow on the road.

Above:  Ice in my coke (please remember this is slang not swearing)

Above: We are going onto Hessle Road.

Above:  I claim to go first.  This is said when you are playing a game and you want to go first.

Above: The back alley behind your house where children used to play.  Named as most of them were actually ten feet wide.

Above: Your holidays.

In the order they are above top to bottom:
Chip seasoning,
Phone,
Playing truant from school,
Nothing,
I don’t know,
Can I have a look?

Again words as they are above:
Half a lager,
Hull,
The other end of the street,
Crying,
Get the drinks in,
Oh, No,
A pint of mild (a type of beer),
You can’t really make the last one out in the picture, the word is ‘fizog’it means face.

As above listed in order on the picture.
First,
Shut up,
Hello,
Is there something the matter?

So there you have an insight into our slang here in Hull.  I hope you like/understand it LOL!

Another reason to love being me. x

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Love always the Go To Girls Blog. xxx