When you think of the North Tyneside accent, you might imagine smooth Geordie tones or sing-song Mackem phrases. But head over to Dudley, and you'll be met with a wholly different dialect. The local pronunciation is so unique that even those from nearby areas struggle to understand it. If you're not used to it, you might be forgiven for thinking that everyone in Dudley is speaking a foreign language!
One of the most noticeable aspects of the Dudley dialect is the accentuation of certain syllables. Ordinary words like 'butter' or 'bottle' become elongated, with the emphasis on the middle syllable. And as for the word 'sausage', well, let's just say that it's almost unrecognizable when spoken by a true Dudley local!
But it's not just the elongated syllables that make the Dudley dialect so unique. The locals also have a tendency to drop the 'h' sound from the beginning of words. So 'house' becomes 'ouse', 'huge' becomes 'uge', and so on. It might sound strange to outsiders, but to the Dudley locals, it's just the way they've always spoken.
Of course, the Dudley dialect isn't without its quirks. You might hear a local refer to their 'cob' (a type of bread roll) or their 'bostin' (excellent) day out. And if you're really lucky, you might even catch someone using the word 'bosteroony' (fantastic) - although you'll have to ask a local for the correct pronunciation!