Speaking the Language of the Sea: Uncovering the Unique Dialect of Staithes (Steease)

As you enter the Staithes Museum, the first exhibit shows the tools of the fisherman’s trade - labelled, not in English, but in Staithes Dialect. It’s your opportunity to take a dip into the rich linguistic tapestry of our village, a local speech often considered more than just a dialect - a living language that has survived with "great tenacity".

The isolation of Staithes before the arrival of the railway in 1885 allowed many ancient characteristics of its speech to persist. The vernacular name for our village is 'Steers' ‘ Steease’ or 'Steeas' for the oldest part of the village adjacent to the sea - a word that means “Place where boats are tied up”. The poet and former stationmaster, A.S. Umpleby, famously described the clustered houses in the dialect: "Steers maun be a queer place to be seer, house all oop i’yar plaice an’ doon in t’other, and a great sea a ’wemelin’ reet oop t’it,".

A Language Rooted in the North Sea

The Staithes dialect owes a significant amount to the Norse invaders of the village's early history. This Scandinavian influence is so pronounced that experts, such as Richard Blakeborough, have argued that the North Riding speaks a language, not merely a dialect. As late as the 1880s, Staithes fishermen reportedly had little difficulty exchanging news and information with Scandinavians due to these shared speech patterns. Indeed, M.S. Lawson conducted a linguistic study specifically investigating the dialect of Staithes to attest to this Scandinavian influence, finding that the speech of Staithes stood apart, geographically and linguistically, from the surrounding largely farming parish.

Words of Work and Daily Life

Stanley Umpleby, a distinguished dialect poet, thoroughly documented the unique vocabulary of Staithes, recording words related to the sea, customs, and fishing life:

• Ackrims: Acorn.

• Allumans: The Little Auk (or little auke).

• Amell: Meaning betwixt, between, or in the midst.

• Anookser: A term meaning eager or very desirous, though noted as being rarely used in later periods.

• Back Becnim: The backbone.

• Badger: A starfish.

• Barking: The process of tanning fishing gear and nets.

• Bawstin Apron: The oilskin apron worn by fishermen.

• Backstan: A sheet of iron, sometimes stone, encased with an iron hoop, used to hang over the fire for baking cakes.

The practicalities of life in a fishing village also gave rise to specialized terms, especially for carrying water and working the boats:

• Skeel: This wooden vessel, used for carrying water on the head, was "much like a Scandinavian bucket" and was purposefully wider at the bottom than the top to lessen the danger of the contents splashing over.

• Afterthoft: Refers to a seat located between the scudboard and the lowsethoft on a coble.

• Bails, Baulk, or Bank: The fishermen's line used before hooks were affixed. When the line was baited and the old bait was removed, it was called a 'Ceraw'd line'.

Superstitions and Sayings

The intense and often perilous seafaring life of the community meant that certain beliefs were woven into the dialect. For instance, uttering the word 'pig' was considered unlucky. Instead, Staithes folk would often refer to them as 'Curly-tails', ‘Gentlemen of the sty’ or ‘Grunters’. Similarly, due to their perceived power of evil, eggs were called 'roundabouts'.

The local lexicon even appears in surnames, which often reflect the village's Norse origins: Theaker is Old Norse for a thatcher, an important role when Staithes consisted primarily of thatched houses. Conversely, Verrill has a French origin, possibly stemming from shipwrecked French sailors from the Napoleonic period.

The unique character of the community fostered dry, distinctive sayings, such as the conversation stopper: "Nowt comes ti better us", or the warning against affected speech: "When they start ti knack an’ scrape ther tungs, what they saay’s nowther nowt na summat."

The distinct nature of this local speech has long been recognized, proving that the Staithes dialect remains a powerful symbol of this historic village's enduring cultural heritage.

Recommended Reading on the Staithes Dialect

1. The Dialect of Staithes (or An A.B.C. of Staithes) by A. Stanley Umpleby A. Stanley Umpleby, who was known as a distinguished dialect poet and former stationmaster, thoroughly documented the unique vocabulary of Staithes. His work is crucial for anyone wishing to understand the specifics of local speech, covering words related to the sea, customs, and fishing life. The museum holds copies of related papers, including "Stanley umpleby dialect of Staithes" and "An A.B.C. of Staithes by S. Umpleby".

2. A Glossary of the Cleveland dialect (1868) by Rev. J. C. Atkinson Since Staithes lies within the ancient area of Cleveland, its dialect is heavily influenced by this regional folk-speech. The museum holds a copy of this exhaustive dictionary. This resource is excellent for understanding the broader North Riding vocabulary that forms the basis of the local language.

3. Works on Cleveland Wit, Character, Folklore & Customs by Richard Blakeborough Richard Blakeborough was famously known to argue that the North Riding spoke a language, not merely a dialect. His work focuses heavily on the idiom and speech patterns of the Cleveland area, providing numerous examples of local wit and character, essential for grasping the cultural context of the dialect. The museum holds photocopies of old stories and excerpts from Richard Blakeborough’s work.

We are delighted to share these resources! If you would like to read the copies we have in the museum's archives, please get in touch with us.