"I'm from Yorkshire" : anyone else notice this?

[Odilla]

Why do people from Yorkshire feel the need to tell you that? It is fairly unremarkable given that the collective Yorkshire counties form a large part of England so lots of people are from there.

Yet still they do. Repeatedly. And will shoe-horn this revelation into any given conversation. Eg "I'm from Yorkshire so I don't like spending money on heating". Well yes I'm sure this is true; nevertheless this is not a special circumstance given that most people do not enjoy spending money on heating. Or they take something that is particular to them and still gas on about Yorkshire eg "I'm from Yorkshire so I don't wear blue shoes".

Never have I met a crowd of people so keen to assert common identity yet so unaware as to how common identity actually works. Although ironically that's an identity of sorts.

I'm from neighbouring Co Durham and we visit Yorkshire frequently for holidays and days out. We always just drive around wondering why they're such a rich county when we're so poor. Especially North Yorkshire.
I don't generally find the locals friendly though in N Yorks. In West Yorkshire they couldn't have been more friendly and helpful.

People are proud of being from Yorkshire, understandably. (I’m not from Yorkshire myself)

Best thing out of Yorkshire… is the road to Lancashire. 💅🏼

Haha that Hale and Pace sketch is superb!

I've visited and lived in a fair amount of places around the world and there is absolutely no place that compares to Yorkshire. Beautiful dramatic countryside, gorgeous views, warm genuine people, it's heaven.

So I can see why people would want to boast about being from there, except the accent gives it away.

I've only noticed the real "eee Ahm frum Yuugshuh" performances outside of Yorksire, in big rban centres, usually some mediocre guy trying to get attention.

@SunshineCake1

What's made you so bitter?

Is it because you aren't from the friendliest county ?

Spot on! Its just jealousy

Yorkshire people (and others) think they're a bit special – but then moan at us Londoners for not having a clue about life
Everyone's lived experience – wherever you're from – is equally valid.

[quote Foolsrule]@WashedupTroll - hmm, just like a bit of ‘banter’ Imagine if ‘Yorkshireperson’ were replaced with a certain ethnic group of those of a certain religion. Everyone would be crying ‘thinly veiled racism’. It’s not funny, it’s othering and I’m surprised the thread has lasted so long. I thought MN was more enlightened than this.[/quote]
Jesus give it a rest. If you're that bothered go and read another thread, stop detailing this one.

I think this is also an Irish and Italian thing too and a reflection of national pride.

I have a friend, born in UK, but of Italian decent who puts on an Italian accent when she mentions Italian food ie gorgonzola, ciabatta etc. It's very funny.

I'm from South London originally and can talk 'Sarf Lundon' at will.

I guess it a bit like people who tell you they're working class, they seem to see it as some sort of weird badge of honour rather than just having been born poor and/or up north. Not that there's anything wrong with either of those, I just don't know know why they would think anyone else would care.

I'm not from Yorkshire but love its down to earth friendliness. Why shouldn't people be proud of their identity and where they come from? Good for them. The North has so often been derided by southerners who think London is the centre of the universe, think it's funny to call the North 'oop north' as though the spelling 'up' can't be pronounced with any northern accent, and imply there's nothing of value north of Watford. No, Yorkshire isn't the whole of northern England but it's no small part of it.

One thing I remember from the 2012 Olympics was the unofficial 'If Yorkshire Was a Country' medals table. There were quite a few UK medallists from Yorkshire, like Jessica Ennis Hill and the Brownlee brothers, so Yorkshire was quite high up. I didn't see an equivalent table from anywhere else

Ifail I didn't know Yorkshire used to be in Northumbria either so I'm another person who's learned something new today.

Yes I have a friend from Yorkshire who mentions it at every opportunity.
Yorkshire Mentionitis?

It’s not funny, it’s othering and I’m surprised the thread has lasted so long. I thought MN was more enlightened than this

Well said. MN is rather London centric and insular sometimes, despite many 'right on' tendencies.

Ha! I have a friend from Sheffield who announces he is a 'Yorkshire lad' in pretty much every conversation I have heard him have! It makes me laugh but it weird

What on earth is wrong with having pride in the county you were born ? The reason i think Yorkshire people in particular like to tell where they are from is because a lot of people can't tell the difference between the Yorkshire and Lancashire accents. The War of the Roses is alive and well.

@JudgeJ @MuggleMadness @Nnique

I can only assume you’re ok with everyday sexism, racism and so on too It’s not so very long ago that these things were classed as mild ribbing… Didn’t the cricketers try and use banter as a defence for their blatant racism at Yorkshire CC club? Except it wasn’t banter, was it? And neither is this.

A lot of very loved nostalgic TV shows are based in Yorkshire, Downton , All creatures great and small, heartbeat, last of the summer wine.
I think this creates a romanticism about it.

Not from there but I adores Yorkshire, adore the people and would take them any day over the Home Counties

A man in the pub on Friday tried to get me and DP (who has very broad distinctive Midlands accent) to agree we'd only trust people from Yorkshire , no one else was 'worth talking to"....
I think its quite lighthearted tho.

Absolutely. It's a dry sense of humour, given with a straight face but not to be taken literally. A complete lack of smarminess and fake social smiles.

Because they’re proud! It’s ridiculous because I don’t like nationalism and being from Yorkshire isn’t some kind of achievement, but I am proud of it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not read whole thread but I was going to mention Cornwall too. It’s about a strong cultural identity that sees itself as unique. And also I think the mockery of Yorkshire and jokes about it just make that stronger (though I don’t find them offensive - they make me laugh because they’re so true. I basically knew all the people on that Yorkshire airlines sketch growing up! Monty python jokes also v on the nail).

I’m from West Yorkshire and the rivalry with Lancashire is quite strong there, but also fun and friendly. Now I live far from Yorkshire and if I meet someone with a Yorkshire accent we might bond over our Yorkshireness, but meeting someone from Lancashire is also friendly with added joke rivalry.

I have said “I’m from Yorkshire” including on here! Because I think there is a Yorkshire attitude or character of sorts. Not meanness (at all) but definitely the famed bluntness/straightforwardness and sense of humour that is hard to describe but is only fully “got” by other Yorkshire people.

I’ve ended up elsewhere for relationship and family reasons but I’m planning to move back when kids fly the nest.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Plus everyone knows Derbyshire is better anyway

True enough, thefootballcoacheswife - and after all we got the second best county award, only pipped by Devon

And they only beat us because they have a coastline

Have you ever heard Mark Steel's in Town? In this one he visits Matlock and Matlock Bath and jokes about the 'seaside'.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09hrxw2

Maybe the judges should have gone to Matlock Bath for some Derbyshire seaside!

@Hausa

This thread is so funny!

A friend’s DP once explained to me, deadpan, that he couldn’t come skiing with us because he was from Yorkshire. I, being foreign, was tempted to ask for further explanation - but it was clear he’d said all he had to say on the matter.

The most avid skier I know comes from Yorkshire.

Hahaha howling at this it's so true! I'm from Yorkshire (South Yorkshire but was west riding of Yorkshire) and I can assure you it's definitely Yorkshire would never live anywhere else and can't understand why people move away although thanks to the arctic monkeys and full monty I no longer have to announce where I'm from...it's clear as soon as I open my mouth

All I hear is a load of claptrap of the kind that people like to go on about when they’re not busy out in the real world solving actual, real problems.

There isn’t any problem here. There’s no need for you to be professionally offended. People are busy smiling, laughing, chuckling and reminiscing about Yorkshire (if they no longer live there) or thinking how lucky/happy they are to be from there. Others are joining in the happiness.

That’s what this actually is - a way for people to find a bit of common ground in humour.

If you weren’t so blinded by something that isn’t present (what is it they say - we see the world according to what’s inside ourselves) you might’ve been able to appreciate that this thread is joyful, not mean and not nasty.