The Pocket Scouse English

From 'trabs' for trainers to 'Z-Cars' for the police, understand both the roots and key words of one of England's most widely recognised dialects.


It's said that Scouse, with its quick repartee and colourful choice of words, reflects the character of its speakers more accurately than any other dialect in the UK. Before the Second World War, Scouse was not much heard outside Liverpool, but, when The Beatles stormed the charts, Scouse was heard all over the world.


The word 'Scouse' has three meanings: a stew made from cheap cuts of meat which was once the staple diet of Liverpool's working class; a native of Liverpool; and a dialect spoken by Liverpudlians.


The nineteenth century saw a large influx of people into Liverpool from all parts of England, Scotland, Wales and especially Ireland, bringing with it a rich mixture of regional accents, which gave birth to the unique Scouse dialect we hear today.