15 sayings you'll only understand if you're from Sheffield, including nesh, mardy and nine while five

We asked our readers what sayings you’d only understand if you’re from this fine city – and we had a huge response.

Some of the words and phrases are more obscure than others, and there was a bit of disagreement about the spellings, but there were many terms which cropped up again and again.

Here are some of the best responses. How many do you recognise?

Nine while five

While most of the rest of the country says ‘until’, Sheffield likes to be different by saying ‘while’.

Suzy Raven said she had never heard that usage anywhere else.

Vanessa Charles commented: “When I first came to Sheffield 25 years ago I used to have to give back letters to be corrected as my staff had put at the end ‘you can contact us 9 while 5’. I had to explain to them it wasn't a nationally recognised term!”

Tintintin

This was suggested by Ann Proctor, among others. It’s unclear how often anyone’s actually uttered this phrase, which translates as ‘it isn’t in the tin’, without using it as a glorious example of Yorkshire concision.

More: "People told me not to come to 'rubbish' Sheffield, but I fell in love with the city"

Nesh

Leigh Dawson suggested this one, describing someone who is particularly susceptible to the cold and likes to moan about it, as in the phrase: “Tha must be nesh wearing a coat in this weather.”

I’ve got a reyt dab on

Kerrie Roebuck proffered this phrase, which she said was ‘very appropriate’ given the weather, as the heat left many Sheffielders in a sweaty mess.

Love

Dan Clarke said it was a very Sheffield thing to be called ‘love’ by another bloke, adding ‘27 years on and it still throws me’.

Peter Baxter commented: “It threw me too when we moved here 35 years ago. Must admit don’t hear it much these days!”

Put wood int hole/oil

Beth Orwin was among those suggesting this one, which is a much more lyrical way of telling someone to shut the door.

Wide/black as Wicker Arches

This Sheffield landmark seems to crop up a fair bit in the city’s vernacular.

Martin Ede recalled the phrase: “Get thissen weshed, thar as black as Wicker Arches.”

But others, including Anne Moulds, said they were more familiar with the expression ‘wide as Wicker Arches’.

Oowashewi? Washewiersen?

George Johnson put forward this classic, which Ray Beecher helpfully translated for those not fluent in Sheffield as: “Who was she with? Was she by herself?”

Crozzled

Yvonne Summerfield suggested this saying, explaining how crozzle is a byproduct of steel-making, which is very sharp and would be placed on top of people’s walls to deter intruders.

The phrase means blackened or burnt at the edges, and Ann Proctor said: “That’s how I like my bacon.”

Black o’er Bill’s Mothers!

Kath Wray was one of several people to suggest this one, which she said means the skies are full of dark clouds.

Shut thi cake oil

Kim Horn-Hargrave contributed this one, which simply means ‘shut your mouth’.

Short arms and deep pockets

Lynne Hutchinson Cound described how someone who’s ‘got short arms and deep pockets’ is tight with money.

She added that ‘like a man with no arms’ is another term for somebody ‘who spends like there's no tomorrow’.

Skoperdiggle

Jill Crookes said this is a Sheffield term for a mischievous child.

“Called it my daughter not long ago (she was being daft - she’s 27 now) and she looked at me gone out,” she said.

“I had to go to my mum to confirm it was a saying and I hadn’t made it up…. After ages searching on internet I found it…. And to my surprise it originated in Sheffield …. Heard it but never knew that.”

Breadcake

Another word that was suggested by quite a few people, including Chris Jubb.

“Shop owner down here in Notts: Do you want it on a cob or bread?” said Chris.

“Me: Breadcake.”

Mardy

Thanks to Sheffield’s finest, the Arctic Monkeys, and their song Mardy Bum, this word – meaning grumpy or sulky – is probably known more widely than other Sheffield sayings.

But David Hancock said a lot of people from outside the city remain unfamiliar with the term.