
An engaging collection of short tales and verses brings the living voice of the West Border counties to the listener’s ear. Written in pure Cumbrian and sprinkled with neighboring Scotch, the pieces capture the humor, manners and everyday concerns of a community whose speech carries the echo of ancient Norse roots. The careful transcription preserves the colour of the original dialect while remaining accessible to modern ears.
The stories range from mischievous countryside encounters, such as the bold youngster who joins a wandering geologist on a hill‑top expedition, to gentle domestic sketches that reveal the rhythm of village life. Interspersed are lively rhymes that celebrate local customs, offering both laughter and a glimpse of regional pride. Each narrative feels like a friendly chat by the hearth, inviting listeners to step into a world where language itself is a character.
Ideal for anyone curious about regional folklore, this volume showcases the wit and warmth of a people whose words have long been a treasured part of England’s linguistic tapestry.
Full title
Folk-Speech of Cumberland and Some Districts Adjacent Being Short Stories and Rhymes in the Dialects of the West Border Counties
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (223K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by MFR, Les Galloway and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2020-06-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1813–1874
A country doctor with a deep love of local speech and history, this 19th-century Cumbrian writer turned everyday life in the Lake District and the West Border counties into lively books and dialect verse. His work still stands out for its warmth, humor, and close ear for regional voices.
View all books