Knaresborough and Ripon libraries to host dialect events

North Yorkshire libraries has joined with the Dales Countryside Museum and Ryedale Folk Museum to encourage residents to discover and enjoy their community heritage during Local History Month in May.

Chrys Mellor, General Manager Libraries, said: “North Yorkshire libraries are really excited to be working with Ryedale Folk Museum and the Dales Countryside Museum to bring this Leeds University project to life in libraries across the county.

“Dialect and language are synonymous with libraries and we are looking forward to celebrating our rich dialects across sites during Local and Community History Month in May.

“We plan to build on the foundations laid during the month to hold a series of follow-up events in a number of libraries across North Yorkshire throughout the year and create a lasting legacy to the project.”

In the 1950s and ’60s, researchers from the University of Leeds carried out the Survey of English Dialects, visiting people in more than 300 places to record their many ways of speaking.

More than half a century later, staff at the university are working with museums around the country to find out what has changed and what has stayed the same.

As well as sharing findings, the collaboration with North Yorkshire libraries will provide opportunities for the public to get involved in sharing their own dialect.

They will be able to join officers from the dialect and heritage project at a series of dialect drop-in events.

These will explore words from across the country recorded in the 1950s as part of the Survey of English Dialects, as well as have fun with word games and activities.

Visitors will be able to contribute their words to researchers at the University of Leeds.

A pop-up archive event will take place at Knaresborough library on May 11, 10.30am-2.30pm, and the library will host a poetry event (book in advance) - Telling T’ Tale: poems and stories - on Thursday May 5, 2.30pm.

Ripon library will hold A Yorkshire Dialect Treasure Trove on Thursday May 5, 7.30pm.

Harrogate, Monday 23 May, 2pm, will hold Telling T’ Tale: Poems and Stories in Yorkshire Dialect.