Yorkshire dialect | |
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Native to | England |
Region | Yorkshire |
Ethnicity | Yorkshire British; various |
Indo-European
| |
Early forms | Old English
|
Dialects | Traditionally divided between the West Riding, the North Riding, and East Riding dialects. Different varieties exist within the various dialects of Yorkshire, shaped by geography & culture. |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
Location of Yorkshire within England | |
Coordinates: 54°N 2°W / 54°N 2°W | |
Yorkshire dialect (also known as Broad Yorkshire, Tyke, Yorkie, or Yorkshire English) is a geographic grouping of several dialects of English spoken in the Yorkshire region of Northern England.[1] The varieties have roots in Old English and are influenced to a greater extent by Old Norse than Standard English is. Yorkshire experienced drastic dialect levelling in the 20th century, eroding many traditional features, though variation and even innovations persist, at both the regional and sub-regional levels.[2][3] Organisations such as the Yorkshire Dialect Society and the East Riding Dialect Society exist to promote the survival of the more traditional features.[4]
The dialects have been represented in classic works of literature such as Wuthering Heights, Nicholas Nickleby and The Secret Garden, and linguists have documented variations of the dialects since the 19th century. In the mid-20th century, the Survey of English Dialects collected dozens of recordings of authentic Yorkshire dialects.