Tag: colloquialism

Wayne’s Word – Nattering

It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.

If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord

Today’s word is NATTERING (from the verb natter).

Nattering is a word I grew up hearing all the time in Northern Ireland. It usually means chatting away about nothing in particular but often with the quiet suggestion that you should probably be doing something more productive.

You’re meant to be working, tidying, or getting on with it but instead you’re nattering away. Talking for the sake of talking. Time slipping by while the job waits.

It’s a fun word because it’s rarely said with real annoyance. More a raised eyebrow than a telling-off. A reminder that life doesn’t always need to be rushed, even if there’s work to be done.

And if we’re honest, some of the best conversations and memories start when someone should really stop nattering and get back to work 😜.

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Wayne’s Word – minging

It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.

If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord

Today’s word is MINGING.

This word follows on nicely from brutal, our last word used. If you’re from Northern Ireland, you’ll know exactly what minging means. It’s one of those wonderfully expressive words we use to describe anything truly unpleasant, something grotesque, dirty, or downright disgusting. Food can be minging, clothes can be minging, and yes, even people can be minging!

It’s also a go-to word for describing the weather, when it’s wet, cold, and damp, you’ll often hear someone sigh, “It’s absolutely minging out there.” A perfect Northern Irish way to sum up a miserable day, which is exactly what we have again today in Sydney! What is up with this weather?!

On a positive note, we’re heading to see another musical tonight at the theatre, this time it’s Back to the Future! I will let you know how it goes. Have a lovely Saturday everyone.

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SCUNDERED

What’s your favorite word?

I have many, many favourite words which you might already know from my series Wayne’s Word but this word SCUNDERED has to be up there as one of my all time favourites, very well known in Northern Ireland.

If you are scundered, you are embarrassed, fed up, or ABSOLUTELY MORTIFIED by something. It’s one of those wonderfully flexible words that can describe different shades of awkwardness, depending on tone. We can also use this sarcastically or dramatically, making something sound very over the top for the purpose of telling a good story.

For example:

If you trip in front of a crowd, you might say, “I was scundered!” or if your friend tells a cringe story, you might admit, “I am scundered for you.”

It is a uniquely Northern Irish way of expressing that mix of embarrassment and exasperation. Not only does it sound great rolling off the tongue, but it also captures an emotion most of us know far too well.

Something I might say or many from Northern Ireland might say, “Scundered to a hundred” – It’s like turning the embarrassment or annoyance all the way up to maximum!!!

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Wayne’s Word – dure

It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.

If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord

Today’s word is DURE (pronounced like lure).

When someone is “dure” in Northern Irish dialect, they’re being:

Sullen, grumpy, surly, unsmiling or hard to crack.

It’s often used to describe someone who’s in bad form, moody, or just plain difficult to be around.

For example, “He’s a dure wee man, he never cracks a smile.”

I thought of this word when being served by a sales assistant today at the post office, who looked pretty dure. This is quite often the case when I visit the post office, for whatever reason 🙊.

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Wayne’s Word – futter

It’s a little nod to Wayne’s World, but instead of ‘party time, excellent’ (if you are aware of the cult nineties classic) I will be diving into one WORD each day. It could be something I learned, something bizarre that happened, a favourite word that I have rediscovered or just a thought that won’t leave me alone.

If you’re joining in on today’s word, feel free to use this tag to connect your post to the series: #WaynesWord

Today’s word is FUTTER

(Northern Irish slang, pronounced “footer”).

This is one of my all time favourite words, a very local, colloquial word that is a verb (a doing word, e.g. to futter) and it’s got that great, flexible Northern Irish charm to it.

It typically means to fidget with something, mess around or waste time doing something in an unproductive or clumsy way. It’s a bit like procrastinating but doing silly things that really don’t need to be done at this current moment of time.

Examples in use:

– “He’s been futtering about with that car all morning and still hasn’t fixed it.”

– “Quit futtering and get a move on!”

It is usually lighthearted or teasing — it’s not harsh. Someone who is “futtering” might be tinkering, daydreaming or just not getting on with it.

Let me know if you have ever heard of this word or maybe you have another word to describe futtering.

Wayne

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