{"product_id":"9781409061946","title":"How to Talk Like a Local: From Cockney to Geordie, a national companion","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf you were a Londoner visiting Cornwall would you know how to recognise a \u003cb\u003egrammersow\u003c\/b\u003e?\u003cbr\u003eIf you were from the West Country and took a trip up to Scotland, would you be bewildered if someone described you as \u003cb\u003ecrabbit\u003c\/b\u003e?\u003cbr\u003eAnd what if you left your native Belfast for Liverpool, would you understand if someone called you a \u003cb\u003ewoollyback\u003c\/b\u003e?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHow to Talk Like a Local\u003c\/i\u003e is an entertaining guide that gathers together and explains hundreds of words that you would never find in an ordinary dictionary. From \u003cb\u003edardledumdue\u003c\/b\u003e, which means day-dreamer in East Anglia, through \u003cb\u003eforkin robbins\u003c\/b\u003e, the Yorkshire term for earwigs, to \u003cb\u003eclemt,\u003c\/b\u003e a Lancashire word that means hungry, it covers the enormously rich variety of regional words that pepper the English language. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot only does it pick out unique and unusal local words, it also draws together the dozens of terms from all over the country that mean the same thing, such as \u003cb\u003eknee-knabbed\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ecrab-ankled\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003ehurked-up\u003c\/b\u003e for knock-kneed, and \u003cb\u003eobzocky\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003ebutters\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003emaftin\u003c\/b\u003e for ugly. In addition, it digs down to uncover the origins of these words, tracing their routes in to the language. Many terms meaning left-handed, for example, are related to the Kerr family of Ferniehirst Castle in Scotland, who preferred left-handed warriors. And many seemingly new coinages have been around for centuries, such as \u003cb\u003echav\u003c\/b\u003e, which derives from a Romany word meaning child, or \u003cb\u003escouse\u003c\/b\u003e, which probably comes from \u003ci\u003elapskaus\u003c\/i\u003e, a Norwegian word for a sailors' stew. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you're intrigued by these colourful words and phrases, if you're interested in how English is really spoken, or if you want to discover how our language has evolved over the years, \u003ci\u003eHow to Talk Like a Local\u003c\/i\u003e will prove irresistible - and enlightening - reading.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Random House Adult Trade Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47180117803248,"sku":"9781409061946","price":18.32,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781409061946_p0.jpg?v=1763720641","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781409061946","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}