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Original poster

‘We was’

355 replies

StripeyNighty · 08/03/2023 17:09

Arghhh, is it just me noticing SO many people now saying/ typing ‘we was?!’

I’m on so many FB baby groups and I swear every person on there says ‘we was in the living room’ ‘we was scared’ etc. It absolutely drives me insane, why is is it so prevalent all of a sudden?

OP posts:
SarahAndQuack · 08/03/2023 19:50

ApplePippa · 08/03/2023 19:46

I completely agree @SarahAndQuack !

One thing puzzles me though. Why is the northern "I were" acceptable, but not "we was"? Why is one counted as dialect, and not the other?

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Confused I think both of them are fine!

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 19:50

Guis23 · 08/03/2023 19:47

In use of the English language it is or has been usual to refer to women as women in general conversation. When referring to gender for that purpose use female. But don't use female for all situations.
I think it is an American thing. I am not anti ( just to say). But I think it might come from their use of language.

No! Female is based on biological sex NOT gender constructs! The Trans movement have succeeded in subverting the word "woman"... that can't be allowed to happen to "female"!

Snugglemonkey · 08/03/2023 19:51

AuntieJoyce · 08/03/2023 17:19

Is it not an Essex thing? it’s the one thing I notice in speech when someone comes from that area.

never hear it up north

I live in Scotland. I am Irish. I have lived in both sides of the border, also in Liverpool and Manchester. I have heard it from poorly educated people everywhere.

bamboonights · 08/03/2023 19:51

AuntieJoyce · 08/03/2023 17:19

Is it not an Essex thing? it’s the one thing I notice in speech when someone comes from that area.

never hear it up north

Definitely!

Guis23 · 08/03/2023 19:51

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 19:48

Isn't that just a response to the trans lobby. They've appropriated the word "woman" to be females and males who want to be classed as wornen.... so "female"
becomes the term to have to use if you want to refer to what was, until the past 10 years or so, known as a woman!

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I didn't intend for a light hearted thread to start to enter into serious issues. And nor did the OP.
I have for the record no issue with trans and do not relate the use of female to them.

Technonan · 08/03/2023 19:52

It's a dialect form found in the north of England that is as old as 'we were' and with similar origins. There were several kingdoms in Anglo-Saxon England, and they each used different variations. Modern English is descended from these. 'We were' has become the standard form, but there's nothing wrong with 'we was.' It's perfectly grammatical - it just comes from a different system.

CornedBeef451 · 08/03/2023 19:52

It's very common the Black Country.

I was, yo was, ee was. I ay, yo ay, ee ay. I cor, yo cor, ee cor. It is like a whole other language sometimes. I'm from there and my parents use that dialect but I don't.

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 19:53

@Guis23

Threads take a direction of their own when started... If you didn't want comments on your misuse of sex and gender, use the terms properly! You don't get to choose how people respond!

Yellowdays · 08/03/2023 19:54

"I turned around! " Just why?

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 19:54

Anyway, i take the point and won't make any further reference to it.

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 19:55

Yellowdays · 08/03/2023 19:54

"I turned around! " Just why?

You could turn to the side, not fully around?

HazelBite · 08/03/2023 19:55

The worst thing is the copius use of the word "like" especially by young people who cannot tell you anything without using the word "like" freely interspersed in their narrative.

ScentOfAMemory · 08/03/2023 19:57

Yellowdays · 08/03/2023 19:54

"I turned around! " Just why?

Because it's a phrasal verb adding a nuance of meaning to "turn".

Re: female. As an adjective describing an element in the animal kingdom, we're OK. Waters get much murkier when it's appropriated as a noun.

See also sex.

Teenagehorrorbag · 08/03/2023 19:57

VickyEadieofThigh · 08/03/2023 17:42

That one's not very new - I was hearing it at least 15 years ago (example: at a training event, a presenter said "Give your feedback sheets to myself").

Even worse is when people say "Myself and X are going to..."

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God yes, I really hate this! Agree it's not new but becoming more and more common - I suppose eventually it will be acceptable.....Sad

Going back to 'we was' - as PPs have said, I have a friend from north of London, and she says this. Otherwise very well spoken etc - I think it is a dialect thing.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 08/03/2023 19:58

I despair at the use of “text” as a past participle.

”This morning she text me about lunch…”

It happens on here a LOT.

It’s texted

The verb is to text.

Hunnytree · 08/03/2023 20:00

AuntieJoyce · 08/03/2023 17:19

Is it not an Essex thing? it’s the one thing I notice in speech when someone comes from that area.

never hear it up north

I thought that, but then I met a lot of people from Hull through work and they all say 'we was at the pub' or 'what was you doing?'

Off track but they also say '9 while 3' instead of '9 to 3' when giving time periods... have never heard that anywhere else though.

LongRoadtoNowhere · 08/03/2023 20:00

I live in Barnsley and a lot of people say ‘we was’ here. Also use ‘while’ instead of ‘until’ which I can’t get my head around (e.g. “he won’t be home while 7.”)

Tuilpmouse · 08/03/2023 20:01

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 08/03/2023 19:58

I despair at the use of “text” as a past participle.

”This morning she text me about lunch…”

It happens on here a LOT.

It’s texted

The verb is to text.

Is it any different to how "sayed" became "said" over time? Or "eated" became "ate"? (And there are dozens of similar shortenings)

LongRoadtoNowhere · 08/03/2023 20:01

Hunnytree · 08/03/2023 20:00

I thought that, but then I met a lot of people from Hull through work and they all say 'we was at the pub' or 'what was you doing?'

Off track but they also say '9 while 3' instead of '9 to 3' when giving time periods... have never heard that anywhere else though.

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Haha jinx!

StaceySt · 08/03/2023 20:02

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 08/03/2023 19:58

I despair at the use of “text” as a past participle.

”This morning she text me about lunch…”

It happens on here a LOT.

It’s texted

The verb is to text.

Also people say 'texis' as plural for text ! It's texts ffs

🎶🎵 deep in the heart of Texas 🎵🎶

tiger2691 · 08/03/2023 20:02

I have more of an issue with the misuse of effect and affect. It's wrong, innit.

Reddahlias · 08/03/2023 20:03

Another thing that irritates me is

"I was sat"

Sounds sooo wrong Shock

5128gap · 08/03/2023 20:04

CornedBeef451 · 08/03/2023 19:52

It's very common the Black Country.

I was, yo was, ee was. I ay, yo ay, ee ay. I cor, yo cor, ee cor. It is like a whole other language sometimes. I'm from there and my parents use that dialect but I don't.

Yow day say er was! An er was, cus ar sin er, day I? Er was sat theyer next to we.😂

SarahAndQuack · 08/03/2023 20:06

5128gap · 08/03/2023 20:04

Yow day say er was! An er was, cus ar sin er, day I? Er was sat theyer next to we.😂

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I love this. A professor of English I knew, who's sadly dead now, could drop into that accent at will. He was very proud of where he came from.

Frances0911 · 08/03/2023 20:07

Yes, it annoys me immensely too. Also, when people prounce a word beginning with str, such as straight, and say it as schraight, or schream.