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Original poster

“Needs washed” and similar... regional?

261 replies

Magpiefeather · 31/08/2018 19:58

I only know one person IRL who uses this turn of phrase, for example

Needs washed
Needs cut
Needs tidied

They are from the New Forest...

Have seen this a lot on MN and I just wondered is it a regional thing?

Before I knew this New Forest Friend and read Mumsnet I had never heard this before. I would say

Needs TO BE washed
Or needs washing

Anyone shed any light?

OP posts:
RedDwarves · 31/08/2018 22:34

Common in Southern parts of the US.

I'm Australian and you don't hear it here, despite strong Irish and Scottish ancestry.

DramaAlpaca · 31/08/2018 22:40

I grew up in Cumbria but now live in Ireland. It took me a while to understand what 'I'm after cutting the grass' meant. Originally I thought it meant 'I want to cut the grass', but in Ireland it means 'I've just finished cutting the grass'.

I'm loving this thread, the variations in how we use the English language in different parts of the country are fascinating.

MadeForThis · 31/08/2018 22:44

Getting the messages- shopping

Want a poke? - ice cream.

Poke man - ice cream man.

Mineral - fizzy juice

All NI phrases.

MiddlingMum · 31/08/2018 22:45

I have a friend who uses "back of". "I'll be over at the back of ten o'clock." It took me a while to work it out but now I know exactly what she means.

What I find odd is the past tense when it should be the present tense. For example, at the supermarket checkout today: "Did you need a bag?"

I politely said "No, thank you" but what I really wanted to say was "Why are you using "did" as though you want to know if I needed a bag yesterday. I'm standing here right now so the correct tense is the present one, meaning your question should be "Do you want a bag?"

I'm not sure if it's regional, or just plain sloppy.

DramaAlpaca · 31/08/2018 22:49

'Getting the messages' is used all over Ireland I think, it certainly is in Munster. That's another phrase I was baffled by when I first came here until someone explained it to me.

EBearhug · 31/08/2018 22:59

I think there are a few of us which didn't realise how regional our speech was until we moved away from home. Then you say something like, "the wind's shramming today," and notice everyone is staring blankly at you, because you didn't say, "the wind is bitterly cold today, gets right into your bones," and that shrammed isn't standard English as you thought it was.

(Autoincorrect doesn't recognise it either, but I don't reckon that's any sort of useful measure.)

FrangipaniBlue · 31/08/2018 23:06

Another Cumbrian here, standard terminology in these parts!

tobee · 31/08/2018 23:07

My parents (both south east born and bred) always used to say "going to the pictures ". They are early 80s so I think of it as an old fashioned phrase.

As an aside, when I was little they used to say they were going out to the pictures. I used to think they were going out to look at a load of photographs stuck to a wall. Confused

DramaAlpaca · 31/08/2018 23:11

tobee my parents are also in their early 80s and also say 'going to the pictures', and they live in Cumbria. So I think that it must be an old fashioned phrase rather than a regional one. I once suggested to my DC that we go to the pictures and they looked at me as if I had two heads Grin

Nakedavenger74 · 01/09/2018 04:27

Often heard 'he chapped the door' for knock on the door on here. Lovely phrase.

Nakedavenger74 · 01/09/2018 04:28

I still say 'go to the pictures'. 1970s NE here.

Enervator · 01/09/2018 06:55

So if someone says they'll meet you at the back of five, when will they meet you?

tabulahrasa · 01/09/2018 07:20

The back of means a bit after, so like 10 past.

I think, lol

It took me years to get that one because it’s not used all over Scotland and in areas that it is, they all seem to just know what time is meant, but when you ask for an explanation it gets all vague...

So I take it as about 10 past, but, it’s not precise so realistically anytime from 5 past to 25 past counts as on time.

It does my head in, rofl. I’d rather someone just said - about 5 half 5, because I always feel like the back of means something else that I’m just not quite getting.

coolwalking · 01/09/2018 07:22

Scottish here...
I say mind instead of remember. I can't mind means I can't remember.
Saying no instead of not as in...
I'm no gonna dae that
Definitely say needs washing/ ironing etc.
I love having these differences in language. Great that each region has their quirks!

DuckPie · 01/09/2018 07:28

Midlands here and I say needs cut, washed etc

My mum is Scottish and I often don’t realise I’ve picked it up from her until someone else points it out. For instance, I told DC to stop ‘skiddling’ in the sink and DH had no idea what I was on about. I thought it was universal!

ApolloandDaphne · 01/09/2018 07:38

My gran would say she had got a 'wee minding' for someone meaning a small gift. I always thought it was a quaint thing to say.

PineapplePower · 01/09/2018 07:49

It’s very Midwestern American to say “needs washed/cleaned/vacuumed” as well

harrietm87 · 01/09/2018 07:56

@treaclesoda I'm from NI living in london and always say "needs x badly" - hadn't realised people don't say it here!

The other difference is how bring and take are used. DH is always correcting my usage of it but I can never remember his way.

Upsy1981 · 01/09/2018 07:57

I really used to dislike 'needs washed' etc but I was educated that it was regional so I'm more sympathetic now (still sounds wrong to me though! Wink

I say going to the pictures but I have realised quite recently not as many people say it any more so I do stop myself but sometimes it just sneaks out.

Upsy1981 · 01/09/2018 07:59

My DD and her friends have started missing out the word 'to' and saying 'can I go town?' etc. I make her say it correctly each time. I'm sure she says it to her mates, but she knows better than to say it to me!

PhilomenaButterfly · 01/09/2018 08:01

A Suffolk one. Bygones. Meaning secondhand goods.

kikisparks · 01/09/2018 08:02

Another Scottish person who couldn’t work out what was wrong with “needs washed” and didn’t realise that it wasn’t said everywhere!

Pictures is said here too- not by me as I think my generation has adopted the American phrasing and will say “what movies are on?” Or films. My mum however will say “do you want to go see a picture?” For go to the cinema.

flumpybear · 01/09/2018 08:05

I grew up for a while in Hampshire and I've never heard of it

kikisparks · 01/09/2018 08:13

Another one I think I’ve asked on here before about but can’t remember the answer- does anyone use “paddling” for putting your feet the water at the seaside? DH swears he has never heard this and always thinks I mean go in a canoe or something when I say “shall we have a paddle?” I grew up using it. We’re both Scottish. Google doesn’t throw up much and if you go too far into definition of paddling it gets a bit bdsm Shock.

I think my definition makes sense if you think of the etymology of “paddling pool” which definitely is used here.

Cockapoomummy · 01/09/2018 08:15

I’m gwan up the street for my messages shortly. I need a lock ah cleaning stuff coz I’m a clatty midden and my housework has fell to an arse this week.

(Lock ah is lot of but I’m trying to spell it phonetically)