For most people, the full Yorkshire dialect, as opposed to simply a Yorkshire accent, is best thought of as a foreign language. It represents a distinctive pattern of grammar, spelling, vocabulary, accent and intonation. The Yorkshire dialect is often sniggered upon and equated with simple speech for simple folk. Phrases such as “ee bah gum” are rarely heard of outside of comedy sketches; but the Yorkshire accent is far more than that. It is an ancient form of speech and many of the words used are signposts to our history. Most of us would have had difficulty understanding what people were saying. For some, this may come as an advantage, as our Yorkshire dialect is forever changing and becoming more and more diluted, but it is now almost at the point of danger and dying out completely.
This visual story will take you on a conceptual journey, showing the conversation between myself and a traditional, born and bred ‘Sheffielder’ - my Grandad, Peter Bates. The pages to begin are legible, but gradually become more distorted, to emphasize the slow transition of losing a dialect so rich in antiquity. To grasp the thought of losing such a unique accent, the pages have purposely been printed onto a fine GSM paper stock to accentuate and celebrate what is left of the Yorkshire dialect.