Here is our top 10 Suffolk phrases, with a few additional notable mentions. This is but a small selection of common, but peculiar, phrases you’ll hear people saying in Suffolk.
Top 10 Suffolk Phrases:
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Thas a rum owd dew
Of course our number #1 favourite! Literally translates to a “peculiar old situation” You may also hear the variation ‘thas a rum’un‘.
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Sloightly on th’ huh
Meaning not straight or it’s skewed. If a picture hanging on the wall is slanted, it would be referred to as ‘Sloightly on th’ huh‘.
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Dew yew keep a troshin bor
In Suffolk, ‘troshin‘ meaning threshing. ‘Threshing’ or beating the corn was a significant part of working the annual harvest season. So to “keep a throsh’n” is to say, “keep on doing a good job”.
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‘At’s a proper…’
Exact or as it’s supposed to be. ‘At’s a proper pub’ or ‘thas roight proper ‘at is’
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Thas suffen good
That’s very good. There are some various alternatives such as ‘rarely noice‘ or ‘hully good‘
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Howd yew haard
Meaning ‘let’s think about it’ or more commonly ‘wait a minute’, with a sense of caution. ‘howd yew haard or w’ell be in a roight duzzy rum’un‘
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Best I git gorn
Loose translation is ‘I think I should leave’. Can also be used as a collective: ‘c’mon t’gather, best wee git gorn‘ to usher people along.
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How yew a’ diddl’n?
A friendly greeting ‘how are you’ or ‘are you well?’
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Cood a hell
Or ‘caw’d a hell’, ‘cood a blaarst’. A exclamation of “Well I never!”
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Moin’d how yew goo
Said when someone leaves. Wishing someone a safe journey.
Honourable mentions
There are many many more phrases synonymous with Suffolk – too many to list here! Here are a few other favourites to note:
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Bee n cue
The Suffolk pronunciation of the DIY store B&Q
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Ah yew al’roight bor?
A friendly form of address between men
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Play’in silly buggers
Messing and larking about or getting up to mischief
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Load a’ squit
Something considered to be nonsense or rubbish. Such as ‘talk’in a’ load a’ squit‘.
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Taint be ser loikely bor
Meaning it isn’t very likely
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That’ll larn yer
If you’ve done something foolish or made a mistake then an on-looker might say ‘That’ll larn yer‘. You’ll learn!
These are just a few of our favourites. If you have your own favourites, please contact us and let us know. We’d love to hear from you! We may even add them to the list.
