Geordie - the Variety of English

Our knowledge about the English language is often limited to Standard British or American English, and we cannot even think of how many different, unique varieties this great language has. Sometimes it is even difficult to indicate at once that a certain dialect is in fact a variety of English – so much can dialect deviate from the accepted norm. An accent can be the main distinguishing feature of a region and is definitely an important part of the cultural heritage. It is especially characteristic of the North East of England, where accent is a matter of pride and identity. One of the most vivid among the North East accents is Geordie.
My personal interest in Geordie was initiated by my 5-month long stay in North East England. When I first encountered this accent, it seemed to me a completely incomprehensible parody of English. After a while, however, the peculiar Northern variety turned from weird and ‘wrong’ to charming and original.
In this paper I would like to define what Geordie is and briefly describe its history. Then, I will explain the main phonetic, grammatical and lexical features that distinguish Geordie from Standard English. Finally, I would like to comment of the social status and possible future of this dialect.…