I was wondering what the origins were for the names scouser (referring to a Liverpudlian) and geordie (someone from Newcastle).
Are the names derogatory or are they just plain silly?
scouse=stew
geordie=One opinion is that the name was born in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, when the Jacobites bypassed Newcastle, which, as well as favouring the Hanoverian King George, was also a well-guarded garrison. The Jacobites then said that Newcastle and the surrounding areas were all “for George”. Hence the name Geordies.
i know there is more to the scouse thingy
Scouse is an abbreviation of lobscouse (originally lobscaus) – a stew similar to Irish stew, thickened with ship’s biscuits, of Scandinavian origin, that was eaten on ships in the northern waters. I can’t explain why the inhabitants of my home city should have taken their nickname from ship’s stew (as opposed to the sailors from any other northern port), but that’s where it comes from.
If you’re ever in a restaurant in Liverpool and ask for scouse, they will at least know what you’re ordering, even if it’s not on the menu.
“Scouser” is from the Latin “Scousartum”, meaning a crime-ridden city full of permed, drug-fuelled kleptomaniacs who say “arlkkkkright, our kkkhid” all the time.
“Geordie” is from the Old Norse “Geodogg”, meaning a completely unintelligable form of speech, spoken by mental alcoholics who think they are somehow totally different from Sunderland.
Now you know.
I don’t think my reply to a recent post of yours about South Yorkshire was quote so ignorant IKL. Apparently this is one more subject you know nothing about.
IANA English Doper but…
The Lobscouse thing is compoletely correct as far as I know. Why I am poking my nose in is that I recently read the "Jacobite"explantion for Geordie and was fascinated, but then someone else (an actual Geordie) posted a different one. I’m off to try to find it.
OK - here is the other “Geordie” explanation - BUT this is only from another message board (though from a pretty knowledgable chap) so it may not be worthy of Gen Q.
http://www.scotland.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=9284
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Ah - try here too
Although it’s eaten in the frozen North the word appears to have come here from the English language according to the Swedish Academy Dictionary of the Swedish Language.
Scouse is a traditional enough Liverpudlian dish (makes sense that it’s nautical, given that Liverpool is, or was, a major port.)Me mam used to make scouse for us - she came from Bootle and me dad came from Litherland, so I think you could say I’ve got Liverpool-area roots. I’m pretty sure the name “scouser” derives from “scouse”, not the other way around. The dictionary sites give “lobscouse” as possibly deriving from “lob” (to bubble) and “course”, corrupted to “couse”. Seems a bit tenuous to me.
By way of a postgraduate course in being a grubby Northern oik, I also lived in the North East for some years. The “King George” explanation seemed, to me, to be more widely known amongst Geordies than the George Stephenson one, though I’ve heard both. (Of course, if anyone has a cite for the use of “Geordie” prior to 1815, that might settle the issue.)
That’s funny, Steve, my dad was born in Bootle and my mum used to teach in Litherland.
Thanks for all the responses!
I am actually a Norwegian and I have eaten lapskaus (as it is spelled in Norwegian) oodles of times. I didn’t know there was a connection there.