I was brought up in North Derbyshire, not the North Yorkshire of Downton, but many of the phrases and idioms used in the servants' quarters are very similar to those of my childhood, and the accent is not dissimilar (North Derbyshire's accent is perhaps a bit rougher, although not as rough as that of nearby Sheffield).
Among the phrases that took me back were:
- 'as 'ee 'eckers like (roughly translated as "he most certainly has not")
- trouble at t'mill (there's something wrong)
- 'owd yer 'orses (wait a little)
- 'e can lump it (he can just accept it)
- 'ey up mi duck ("hello my dear" - maybe I didn't hear that one exactly on Downton Abbey, it is VERY Derbyshire, but something quite similar)
- gerrof wi' yer (I don't believe you)
- ta very much (thank you)
- mardy (spoiled, easily upset)
- manky (grubby, dirty)
- sluther (shuffle along, dawdle)
- it's silin' down (it's raining hard)
- 'utch up (move over)
- yawpin' (shouting)
- summat's up (something is wrong)
- 'e's got munk on (he's sulking)
- any road (anyway)
- mytherin' (harassing, bothering)
- ready for a mash (ready for a cup of tea)
- nowt to do wi' me (nothing to do with me)
- fair chuffed (quite pleased)
- dunna wittle (don't complain)
- I'll bat yer tab (I'll slap you around the ears)
- well, I'll gu' to t'top of our road! (well, I'm amazed!)
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