em could you please introduce yourself? (pause) both of you.

OK my name's (NAME) (pause) and I was born in Newcastle in nineteen fifty-five, which makes me fifty-two (pause) um (pause) my parents were from (tut) Scotland but I was born here and I've lived here approximately (pause) fifty per cent of my life eh but I was educated (pause) um in Newcastle and then (pause) left to work overseas once I qualified.

mm I see (pause) and what about you, (NAME)?

(NAME) (NAME) yes mm born and bred in Newcastle, born December nineteen forty-seven which makes me quite older than him

(laughter)

Makes me fifty-nine (pause) um (pause) would that be OK?

Yeah and eh could you please told me tell me about your occupation? both of you?

(tut) um well this is (NAME) speaking (pause) um I'm a civil engineer.

mm I see (pause) what about you?

(NAME) as the moment (pause) studying to be a caretaker (laughter) (interruption) it's awful isn't it learning to be a caretaker

(interruption) (laughter)

And um eh (pause) what is your address?

um (pause) real address?

Yeah (pause) your real address

eh (pause) I live in ah Heaton I live in (PLACE) in Heaton.

mm (pause) (NAME)?

And (NAME) I live eh in (PLACE) in Leazes Square in the centre of Newcastle.

mm I see (pause) and eh um (pause) um (pause) where else have you lived?

(NAME), I've lived (pause) ninety per cent -- ninety well a hundred per cent of my life in -- in Newcastle (pause) in the Newcastle area Walker and then Heaton which is a two districts of -- of -- of Newcastle.

mm I see (pause) and what about you?

eh um this is (NAME) again, I've lived in eh two areas of Newcastle (pause) um one when I was a child and um when I was being educated and then a second area of Newcastle, the present where I'm living now eh which was the second area um when I returned from eh working in the Far East (pause) (tut) but in the meantime I've worked in various parts of the world a- again with my job including um America, Europe, middle East and also the Far East.

mm I see (pause) and eh what about eh your parents, where were they born and raised?

(NAME)'s parents were (pause) born and raised in (pause) Newcastle just as -- as I was (pause) um (pause) there's a little bit of Irish in my -- my dad from my granddad side (pause) so that makes me a little bit of my toes probably (pause) Irish

Ah, I see.

or (pause) two little toes. (interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter) What about you (NAME)?

Ah (pause) as I think I mentioned earlier both of my parents came from (interruption) Scotland

(interruption) Scotland

Yeah, um the capital city of Scotland which is Edinburgh, which is approximately (pause) a hundred miles from here (pause) um (pause) th- they moved eh to Newcastle um (pause) in the nineteen forties just before the start of the second World War uh again because my father's business connections um (pause) and then my mother lived here during the War by herself when my father eh joined the army (pause) and he then served in the Middle East as an officer in the army (pause) um (pause) returning here after the War, um going back to his previous occupation (pause) and um and starting a family (pause) um so they remained in Newcastle eh until they both died (pause) um and my family which is another brother and another sister (pause) um my brother has gone back to live in Scotland and my sister like me worked eh overseas and (pause) she worked in South Africa and stayed there (pause) so that's where she currently lives (pause) and I'm a bit of a nomad (pause) I -- I just move around.

(laughter)

I haven't been anywhere (laughter) yeah I think the farthest I've been is Paris I think.

eh um (pause) so, eh how many years of school did you have a chance to finish?

(NAME) (pause) eh um (pause) fifteen years.

Fifteen?

Fifteen years (pause) um I started um in a school called East Walker (pause) and then when I was five I moved to um Warrior Street (pause) which is another part of Walker (pause) and then I finished my education that's where I finished my education at fifteen (pause) (unclear) a big world of (pause) getting money (laughter) to support my mom and dad (interruption) they sent me out (pause) to get some money anyway.

(interruption) (laughter)

And what about you eh (NAME)?

um

Approved school (laughter)

Yeah really (pause) I was -- I was educated at a junior and a senior school on the west side of Newcastle (pause) um just on the edge of Newcastle and the county of Northumberland (pause) and then um I stayed on at school to do um extra qualifications which was A-Levels (pause) which eh A stands for like eh advanced um examinations (pause) and then um (tut) I joined um a building company (pause) a building and civil engineering company (tut) um with (pause) a -- a college course built-in to my eh employment, (tut) which I attended um one college in Newcastle here and then a second college which later became the university of Northumbria (pause) (tut) um again in the centre of the city (pause) and then from there um I decided that it was too cold (pause) (interruption) to continue working in England

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) soft (laughter)

(interruption) so I left for sunnier warmer (laughter) climates.

(laughter)

I don't know how he'd done it (pause) cheers (unclear)

So I was still -- I was still at eh I was still at university when I was eh let me see twenty (pause) twenty th- twenty two I think I was when I finally left (interruption) university

(interruption) Living up he was living off the state (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) No, I was not living off the state, I was working and going (interruption) to college and university

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) Sponging sponging (laughter)

No, I didn't get a grant I was working during the summer for the -- the engineering company that I was employed by.

Thought he wouldn't tell you, did you? (laughter)

Yes.

So, (NAME) your first job was (pause) eh a civil engineer? (interruption) After school?

(interruption) yes yeah I've always been a civil engineer yeah yeah yeah all my life (pause) I have um various areas I've worked on both building projects and on civil engineering projects so (pause) various types of work but always in (pause) that (pause) that eh profession.

mm I see (pause) and eh what about you, (NAME)? What was your first job after school?

um left school (pause) um I worked at the North Eastern Co-op as a shop assistant (pause) for about (pause) two years (pause) and then um got an opportunity to (pause) work as eh a printer (pause) um not sort of to pass in an exam but worked in a small printers um office (pause) for about nine years (pause) then um a bit of disagreement at work so I left (pause) and I joined a company called (pause) Storey Sons Parker who ah (pause) um agent, property agent (pause) as a rent collector (pause) and then I moved on to (pause) I don't know whether I got up or down

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

To being the caretaker which I am now.

Ah, I see (pause) and eh um

mixed bag.

What do you call caretakers in Arabic?

Shh, (interruption) don't

(interruption) Buwab?

Yeah, m- m- m- maybe but (pause) bawab is -- is (pause) is more like

A (interruption) janitor.

(interruption) a janitor yeah

A janitor yeah (interruption) yeah yeah (pause) yeah

(interruption) That's American -- American.

That's the Arabic name for it, isn't it buwab?

Yeah and um (pause) (interruption) actually

(interruption) is it buwab or buhab?

N- No, bawab.

Buwab?

But some (interruption) but

(interruption) w (pause) buwab

Yeah but that eh that's in Egypt (pause) in Kuwait we say eh haris

Ah (interruption) yes yes yes yes I see ah

(interruption) (laughter) (pause) (interruption) haris (pause) yeah

(interruption) yes yes (pause) yes.

Because Arabic is different from -- from country to country.

Yeah dialects.

Yeah yeah (pause) yeah different dialects (pause) like -- like milk (pause) (interruption) haleeb (pause) haleeb.

(interruption) haleeb (pause) (laughter) yeah.

And if you go to Saudi Arabia it's different (pause) um.

(laughter) Yeah (pause) I'm not sure what they call it there.

Eh um (pause) I (pause) I've forgotten.

(interruption) (laughter) Yeah

(interruption) (laughter)

That's how good my Arabic is (laughter)

Go back to school

No (pause) no (pause) no (pause) (interruption) it's difficult (pause) it's difficult when you move from country to country.

(interruption) Which eh (pause) which eh

Yeah

Just like you know English (pause) and (pause) Americanized English.

Yeah um (pause) eh what do you do both in your spare-time? (pause) (laughter)

(interruption) This is (NAME)

(interruption) I'll let go (NAME) first (laughter)

(interruption) um

(interruption) I'm going to get some clues.

I (pause) I like the Northumbrian countryside (pause) so I (pause) do a lot of fishing.

I see

eh in the rivers and in the lakes of Northumberland, and also I um (pause) I have a (pause) motorcycle (pause) so when the weather is nice, I go out on my on my motorcycle.

He polishes it everyday (pause) put it that way.

(laughter)

So eh (pause) because we are so close to Scotland I (pause) I sometimes eh (pause) well (pause) go for (pause) eh (pause) a ride up into Scotland and maybe spend one or two days up there, if the weather is good and then (pause) then come back.

Em (pause) eh what about you (interruption) (NAME)?

(interruption) (NAME) (pause) well eh (tut) with eh three grandchildren eh (pause) that tends to be my (pause) leisure if you would call it (pause) sportwise I'm (pause) quite sporty (pause) eh play snooker tennis (pause) eh um (pause) that's my stomach grumbling.

Hunger.

(laughter)

Needs -- needs a bit of eh (pause) couple of pasties in it (pause) um (pause) yeah eh sports I'm very sporty as I said I play snooker (pause) tennis golf (pause) um enjoy most except rugb- except rugby and things like that (pause) I hate contact sports like rugby (pause) where you get broken bones (pause) and (interruption) (laughter) you're off work for three weeks.

(interruption) (laughter)

So that's basically my (pause) eh (pause) as I said my grandchildren are my eh (pause) 'cause you see my eh (pause) are my and my wife's life sort of that way (interruption) (unclear) (laughter) get the tissues out

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

So um (pause) tell me about the greatest thing that you've ever done in your lives.

mm (pause) that's quite eh (pause) greatest (pause) I don't know what sense you might say greatest (pause) (laughter)

From your point of view.

From my point of view (pause) (tut) I -- I couldn't even I c- I (pause) couldn't really put my finger on it (pause) to tell you the truth (pause) when you say great it's em I'm quite a normal (pause) like person so I wouldn't have thought (pause) I would come into that (pause) (laughter) (pause) you have to deal with (NAME) 'cause he may give me some (laughter) (pause) I may come back on that (pause) (unclear)

Eh this is (NAME) again (pause) eh greatest thing I would've said to have experienced life, eh to have travelled (pause) um (pause) experienced different cultures (pause) (tut) met different p- people with different views um backgrounds (pause) eh um (pause) different views on life and I think it makes you a more (pause) em (pause) not educated person but a more rounded person (pause) you (pause) I think it gives you a -- a much (pause) a much better (pause) um (pause) education than any book or (pause) um (pause) (tut) college or university could -- could possibly give you (pause) um I think you realize that not all you read in print is true, and you have to get out into the big wide world and eh discover exactly w- what eh is out there, you know to read about it is one thing but to experience it first-hand (pause) eh i- is much (pause) much better and um (pause) much more genuine (pause) (tut) um (pause) so (pause) best (pause) the best thing in life is very (pause) eh (pause) is very d- it's very difficult to give you um (pause) a specific answer because I think at -- at various times in your life the best things differ (pause) so it at diff- at different times in your life what I'm trying to say at diff- at different times in your life it there are b- best things that can occur but I don't think there's one that you can specifically give as the best or the -- the ultimate.

Being married to my wife and having my grand you know that's (pause) (interruption) that's eh

(interruption) Well, I'm not married so I don't -- I don't know what he's eh (pause) (interruption) talking about.

(interruption) talking about (interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

I don't know what he's talking about or referring to about (pause) being married is the best thing in life.

He doesn't want to know.

Yeah yeah (pause) I don't think there's one thing (pause) that you can consider being the best.

Because eh (interruption) prob

(interruption) I think.

Because probably we're just normal (pause) normal human being and we're not (pause) some kind of (pause) whatever are we (pause) we're not.

um (pause) Yeah (interruption) I think (pause) I think if you've had

(interruption) We're not up to -- well, (laughter) we're not up for greatness, are we?

No, if -- if you'd (pause) if you'd have um been hospitalized with eh (pause) a -- a really severe illness then obviously probably you would consider the best thing in life (pause) to be recovering (pause) from that illness but um (pause) eh um (pause) going back to what I've said I would think probably (pause) travelling um (pause) around the world and experiencing (pause) other cultures and living (pause) there for quite long periods of time um I think it makes you realize that um (pause) sometimes (pause) eh living in the west (pause) is not the best (pause) as politicians and

(unclear)

Tony Blair and

(interruption) What are you getting at? (interruption) Don't get it on on politics (laughter) (pause) (laughter) there's nothing in there about politics, isn't it?

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) Gordon Brown and George Bush would have you (pause) would have you eh believe you know that living in America is the place, the best place in the world to live, eh that's not true, that's not true at all, you know living in (pause) living in England is not the best place in the world, I think it's (pause) I th- you know (pause) I think the world is eh a big place and it's (pause) and it's changing rapidly so you can't (pause) you can't say living in the west is the best.

Yeah (pause) eh um (pause) I guess you're both fans of Newcastle United, right?

No.

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) That's (NAME) saying no no (interruption) no no

(interruption) Well I (pause) I support them in a sense that I'd like them (pause) know how to get on but I don't attend (pause) I don't go to the (pause) any of the matches.

Ah, I see.

Can't afford it to start with.

I've never ever (pause) watched a Newcastle United game.

Really?

No, I've never -- I've never sat inside Saint James' Park, they're the most pathetic team under the sun, they've ne- (pause) they've only won one cup, (interruption) and that was

(interruption) (unclear)

And that was a (interruption) European (pause) trophy cup back in nineteen sixty-seven, was it (NAME)?

(interruption) (laughter)

Sixty? No it wasn't, no (pause) I don't know, that was the eh

First (interruption) cup

(interruption) First cup, wasn't it?

in (interruption) nineteen (pause) anyway, it's about thirty years ago

(interruption) Oh heck (pause) I wouldn't really know (pause) aye, it's (NAME) by the way.

Oh sorry, (NAME) (NAME).

(laughter) No, it's OK

They're not a very good team (pause) really.

So in other words he doesn't support them, he (interruption) just

(interruption) No, (interruption) no, no

(interruption) He's not a supporter but I -- I (pause) I support them as (pause) well, not visually in a sense that (pause) you know (pause) actually going to any of the games (pause) you know I like to see them win, I like to see Sunderland win, Middlesbrough, all the North East teams (pause) um but (pause) I'm not sort of like the one-team person sort of thing.

(interruption) Now they're slightly overrated, let's say.

(interruption) Not them.

Too much money.

Yeah

It's not sport, it's -- it's a business.

Yeah

Yeah (pause) selling t-shirts and stuff (laughter)

Yes exactly.

(unclear) aye (pause) everything from aye (pause) black and white eyeballs (pause) (laughter)

It's a good job (pause) your t-shirt is grey and white, (interruption) black and white or you would be in trouble, madam.

(interruption) (laughter)

Which tops is it? (pause) someone's had an accident I think (laughter)

(NAME) (pause) (interruption) um (pause) I'm speechless

(interruption) (laughter) aye (pause) aye (pause) aye

um (pause) I have heard eh that some will be moving out of Leazes Lane because of the (pause) Needle Exchange Proposal (pause) eh what is your reaction to that?

Well (pause) (NAME) speaking again um (pause) I haven't heard of anybody (pause) actually wanting to (pause) leave Leazes Lane, it's a -- it's a sort of (pause) it's a bit of a sort of point in the sense that it -- it is (pause) a (pause) residential area (pause) and there's a lot of people who actually are (pause) only occupiers (pause) um (pause) but (pause) I don't think anybody sort of (pause) in my (pause) capacity as the caretaker had said 'oh I'm going to leave if they do have this (pause) needle eh centre eh on the doorstep' (pause) I mean they've (unclear) chat about it but (pause) nobody a- actually said oh well you know if it (pause) becomes (pause) around the corner I am -- I am leaving (pause) that's not the -- that's not the case really.

Do you (pause) agree with the proposal? Are you against it? Do you (pause) what are

Eh um (pause) well (pause) specially with me not living here, I mean I'm (pause) a -- a total outsider really (pause) um (pause) I possibly d- d- (pause) I disagree that (pause) I agree it be here (unclear) are, it should be some- put somewhere (pause) where (pause) a non-resident (pause) area (pause) where it's detached somewhere, where (pause) it can be you know monitored better (pause) which you probably couldn't in the city centre.

Yeah

It's too much (pause) well, there's too many rabbit warrens.. um (pause) they can't just can't be checked on a daily basis.

Mm (pause) what about you (NAME)?

(tut) (pause) um it's a problem, and (tut) unfortunately (pause) eh um a lot of people who do use drugs (pause) um it's self-imposed (pause) they do it to themselves nobody makes them take drugs (pause) um (pause) (tut) they do it to (pause) relieve boredom because they don't have a job (pause) or um (tut) they started on cigarettes or alcohol (pause) and they want a stronger (pause) fix or a stronger buzz (pause) as they say (pause) um and it goes (pause) from (pause) (tut) mild drugs onto (pause) stronger and stronger drugs which to then you have to inject using a needle (pause) um (tut) and because of that (pause) there's blood (pause) eh involved (pause) eh you know puncturing the skin so there's the risk of eh m- more infection (pause) to themselves and also (pause) to people who would pick up the needles that they leave behind after they've eh injected themselves with drugs (pause) so it (pause) it poses a health problem (pause) (tut) eh in one respect and also the people who use drugs (pause) they have to pay (pause) to buy these drugs (pause) so (pause) because a lot of them do not have jobs (pause) they become criminals (pause) and they start (pause) stealing and robbing from people (pause) eh to pay for the drug habit because they need this every day (pause) (tut) um (pause) so to put a needle exchange (pause) in (pause) this area of Leazes Lane (pause) close to (pause) to residential (pause) hou- housing (pause) eh businesses, restaurants (pause) and specially (pause) eh a leisure park (pause) eh nearby (pause) is not really (pause) a very sensible idea eh in my mind (pause) um (tut) to me they should monitor these people very very carefully, because they need help, OK they you know they've (pause) they've done this to themselves so personally, I don't have a lot of sympathy for them (pause) but because they turn to crime (pause) and create a health problem (pause) eh they have to be monitored and I don't think they should be monitored in and outside independent building, they should have these facilities attached (pause) to either a hospital (pause) or a police-station (pause) where these people can be seen (pause) by experts, by medical experts, by eh (interruption) um

(interruption) Counsel

Yeah, counselling, by (pause) police or (pause) um (pause) psychologists (pause) or doctors (pause) (tut) um (pause) so (pause) the location to me is more important than the (pause) treatment that they're given, because w- when they are under the observation of either medical or (pause) eh um law (pause) in the -- in the form of the police, then I think th- that would be much better for themselves and for general society.

mm (pause) OK and um (pause) (tut) I would like to talk now about neighbourhoods. Eh usually neighbourhoods change overtime, eh do you think that yours has changed?

(interruption) Are you -- are you talking about -- are you talking about

(interruption) Do you think it's safer now?

(interruption) eh Leazes Leazes

(interruption) No, no

Oh you mean hom- at home?

Yeah, at home

Where I live? um

Do you think it's safer now?

(sigh) (pause) it's hard to -- it's hard to put a finger on it because (pause) eh I tend to shy away (pause) from that kind of (pause) thing (pause) eh um (pause) I've now lived in where I am now for thirty (pause) thirty odd year (pause) and I've always felt safe where I've (pause) been (pause) um (pause) you do from time to time, I mean I've lived quite close to eh a green belt area where (pause) where eh there's (unclear) apart, I don't know where you get groups of youngsters (pause) eh um you know at this time of year they set enough fireworks (pause) so I -- I don't tend to get involved 'cause it's -- it's eh a distance away from me (pause) but I can -- I can see the point is (pause) you know it's two thousand and seven, isn't it? (pause) just? um (pause) I can see it eh is gradually getting (pause) worse and worse but then again it all depends on where you (pause) actually reside (pause) so it's eh it differs from (pause) area to area, you could live in somewhere where you (pause) you know (pause) like be a road king thing where it's an everyday occurrence and (pause) you probably enjoy it (pause) (laughter) (pause) to that extent.

Ah this is (NAME) again, um (tut) (pause) neighbourhoods (pause) deterioration, yeah it's eh (pause) it's a problem (pause) throughout most of the United Kingdom um (pause) and I blame the politicians actually because (tut) ah I think it's discipline, I think people now have lost respect (pause) for um (pause) (tut) (pause) A in school (pause) the pupils don't respect their teachers (pause) because discipline was removed in school by the politicians, (tut) so children now eh um really (pause) don't show respect for professional people, they don't show respect for -- to the teachers who are (pause) you know highly qualified and want to do a good job in educating (pause) children um (tut) so (pause) they really don't help themselves (pause) in that respect, and I think the lawmakers in this country, who are the politicians, I think they don't (pause) they don't realize what goes on in normal life (pause) and they think they're (tut) they think they're benefiting (pause) society by making things more liberal as they -- as they describe it, and really what they've done is remove laws or make laws much more soft on criminals (pause) um and I think that starts in schools (pause) and when -- and when they misbehave in school and cause problems (pause) um they're not disciplined and that just goes on and on and on and then they leave school, they've got no respect then for the police (pause) or the parents or other people or other people's property (pause) um and they think they can do anything (pause) and get away with it, and a lot of the time they do, because the police don't have the time or the resources to catch them and punish them, and when they do catch them the punishment is (pause) is very very soft (pause) um they don't give them an immediate (pause) prison sentence, or lock them up as we'd call it, and lock them up in a jail as the Americans would call it (pause) um they just give them eh

Slap on the wrist.

Yeah, yes (pause) as (NAME) says they just give them (pause) a slap on the wrist and tell them you know they (interruption) have to reform and behave and stop being naughty and you know.

(interruption) You've been quite naughty. (interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

um and it's -- it's not working.

Yeah

um (pause) so (pause) yeah the -- the (pause) the neighbourhoods have become more (pause) dangerous places, people now lock their doors, they lock their cars, they have security alarms, they have (pause) personal alarms, um you know women carry (pause) eh (pause) rape sirens (pause) it's very (pause) it's very much changed (pause) since I was a child (pause) um (pause) so yeah neighbourhoods have changed, you know, parents now are afraid and scared to let their children even walk to school (pause) and it's causing problems with traffic because (pause) the mothers and fathers must take their children or they think they must take their children to school (pause) in a car (pause) take them to the school, collect them from the school, bring them home, and the children (pause) are (interruption) fat because they get no exercise, so now we have fat -- fat criminals.

(interruption) (laughter)

What are you looking at me for? (laughter) (pause) (NAME) is quite slim by the way (pause) aye (pause) skinny.

Could you tell me about your hobbies?

Have we not already eh covered that one?

um (pause) not (interruption) yet, I mean reading (pause) um watching TV, for example.

(interruption) Oh, how you (pause) reading aye.

eh (pause) I enjoy reading eh (pause) I don't (pause) funny, you know (pause) I -- I -- I never have the time to read (pause) for some reason, I don't know why (pause) I (pause) I mean I've had a book for about six weeks now and I've read about two chapters.

What is it about?

Jeremy Clarkson (pause) (laughter) he's a TV presenter.

Ah, I see.

On um (pause) top (pause) it's a programme called Top Gear, which I find very (pause) I would tend to watch it with my eh (pause) eldest grandson (pause) um we eh that it's eh (pause) all depends on your taste of humour of course but eh (pause) I find him (pause) he's very (pause) very very funny (pause) (pause) besides that, watching television? Well, I've got the dishes to wash (pause) so you know I mean that (laughter) (pause) I wash the dishes when I come (laughter) at night and I wash them when I (unclear) at home (unclear) (pause) um (pause) as I said sportwise, you know (pause) try to (pause) at my age (pause) fit as -- fit as a lop (laughter) so (interruption) I think it's

(interruption) A lop is a bug.

(interruption) You know (unclear) (pause) an insect?

(interruption) eh (pause) uh (pause) a lop.

(interruption) Ah, I see (pause) a bug.

(interruption) That hops?

(interruption) A lop (pause) (laughter)

It's -- it's (pause) is it a Geordie word? (pause) lop?

Yeah yeah lop yeah

See, I'm bringing

Yeah it's a local word, when you say fit as a lop, it means you are (pause) um it -- it's like the way eh um (pause) an insect can hop (pause) and jump.

Ah, I see.

(interruption) It means you're very fit, very (pause) very very physically fit and you're capable of jumping.

(interruption) You're able to (pause) jump (unclear)

Who said that? (interruption) Did I say that? Did I say that?

(interruption) (NAME) (pause) yes you did.

Fit as a fiddle.

Yeah

Fit as a fiddle as well.

Or fit as a lop, yeah

eh (pause) what about you? What was the last book that you've (pause) read?

This is eh (NAME) again eh (pause) book (pause) um (pause) eh (pause) I think it was (pause) an international thriller by (pause) eh Ken Follett (pause) who's an English author, he writes about eh um (pause) international espionage, spies (pause) very much along the (pause) James Bond (pause) style of (pause) um (pause) (tut)

Fiction (pause) not fact.

Yes, although they are -- they are based a lot on fact, his -- his -- his books (pause) he does a lot of research um (pause) into the (pause) the eh the topic that he's writing about, but they are -- they are actually fictional characters in the book, but they are based on a lot of eh sort of international eh occurrences or eh um assassinations or um (pause) (tut) international um (pause) occurrences.

I could get a part in one of them, couldn't I?

(NAME) (NAME), fam- famous actor.

Yeah, I could get a part in one of those.

But I (interruption) tend -- I tend to read eh magazines more than I read eh books.

(interruption) Quite easy (pause) (unclear)

(laughter) The Beano and The Dandy.

Yeah, yeah (pause) comic books, um (pause) um (pause) but my other hobbies are I like listening to -- to -- to music.

I forgot about that (pause) (unclear)

Yes um (pause) and I like to go and watch live music (pause) eh um, which Newcastle is s- specially good (pause) to have a lot of concert halls and a lot of eh small music clubs (pause) eh (tut) with a v- w- wide variety of -- of music styles and choices here.

So who you're going (pause) who you're going (pause) I'm not going to laugh mate when you say (pause) who's (pause) who's (unclear) for the moment (pause) for you.

For music eh um I like American um Blues and Jazz.

Ah, I see.

eh like Jazz -- Jazz Funk um started when I was a child actually, I used to like eh

Jamirouquai (laughter)

I used to like eh American Motown music, do you know what that is?

Motel (interruption) music?

(interruption) Motown aye

(interruption) Yeah yeah Motown, (interruption) it's eh

(interruption) It is -- it is sort of Grapevine and

(interruption) eh Motown was

(interruption) Up on (pause) Up on The Roof

Was an American record label (pause) um from Detroit.

(unclear)

And they (pause) they were the first big record label to record black American music.

Ah, I see.

So it was Soul Soul music, you know what Soul music is?

Is it more like Alicia Keys?

(interruption) Um

(interruption) Well, it's

No, more like Diana Ross.

Yeah yeah yeah

Martha and the Vandellas.

Yeah

Hey, I'm showing (interruption) my age here (pause) showing my age.

(interruption) Marvin Gaye (pause) Marvin Gaye, he's dead now

Yeah yeah

Marvin Gaye (interruption) (unclear) Soul (pause) Soul music.

(interruption) She's too young.

But it's (pause) it's um (pause) um

I could see him (interruption) dancing

(interruption) very very very popular, still is

I could see him dancing (interruption) on Saturday Night

(interruption) And it's like the (pause) it's like the progression of -- of -- of eh of eh American music, which went from Chicago eh in the, well, it started in the south of America (pause) down in the New Orleans (pause) amongst the black slaves, and then it went north with the factory workers into Detroit, and then across to Philadelphia so

It's not going to come to our place, you wouldn't get any of that.

(laughter) so yeah (pause) music eh (pause) music is a big hobby of mine, I like listening to music, and as I say, going to watch live music being -- being played

(interruption) that is (unclear)

(interruption) Yeah, really good, really good.

Yeah (pause) and we have a lot of good -- good musicians here eh in the north of England (pause) (tut) a lot of good musicians.

What about you, (NAME)? What t- type of music do you like?

Quite a mixture really, um (pause) I used to like a lot of folk, um (pause) sort of John Baez going back (pause) Peter, Paul and Mary or I don't know, do you remember Peter, (interruption) Paul and Mary?

(interruption) uh-huh (pause) uh-huh

eh um (pause) I'm not, I would say I was into Jazz or Blues (pause) not -- not heavily, I don't mind a little bit (pause) um (pause) but a good mixture of, well, Pop now (pause) you know people like sort of like James Blunt and (pause) um Shayne Ward (laughter) I'm frightened to say that, the X-Factor (laughter) (pause) but I mean they have an eh pretty basic range of -- of music, I (pause) quite enjoy it (pause) I couldn't say, I mean they're not sort of like (pause) you know, when you see a passing motorists and young kids and then eh

Oh, techno (interruption) music, yeah (pause) oh

(interruption) doing the eh (pause) doing their heads, you know (pause) (laughter)

American (pause) (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) No, (interruption) I mean it was

(interruption) That is bad American music.

I mean (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Acid and Techno (interruption) and oh Dance oh.

(interruption) Some of the Dance stuff is (pause) I quite -- I quite enjoy some of the Dance stuff (pause) in fact I just got (pause) say three CDs out (pause) and they're all like (pause) ones that you know but eh (pause) and they're not sort of bum bum bum bum bum in your head (pause) all the time (pause) I mean even my grandkids (unclear) (pause) on Monday night, I had them on Monday night, you should've seen them (pause) all three were dancing on the floor (pause) but that's a different (laughter) story (pause) that's a different story.

Now I'm going to ask you about your favourite fim -- film.

Film?

Film?

Film? (pause) (unclear)

Andrew

I'll have the

Favourite film would be (pause) probably um Star Wars (pause) I think it was one of the first (pause) good science-fiction films (pause) um (pause) that I saw (pause) or maybe um

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Or maybe Alien (pause) I think it was (unclear) good science-fiction film, but the (pause) the- the- there'd be many um (pause) (tut) (pause) strange enough Harrison Ford did a really weird um (pause) science-fiction futuristic film (pause) called Bladerunner, again that was a very very good good film, not um (pause) not really set in (pause) an impossible (pause) distant future but just um (pause) in the foreseeable future, so you could see how (pause) present life was evolving with robots and technology, (tut) um (pause) so yeah I quite -- I quite like futuristic films (pause) horror films no, can't stand them, terrible (pause) horror films oh no no no no (pause) no no (pause) um (pause) eh historic films (pause) historic films quite -- quite good, and then (pause) and then (pause) and then as (NAME) said when I was a child I used to watch cowboy, western (pause) western films (pause) um but eh um (pause) movies, yeah got to be (pause) science-fiction (pause) I think of yeah (pause) it gives you (pause) a sense of imagination (pause) thinking about what's going to happen next (pause) in your life (pause) the future.

What about you? (laughter)

Sorry mate (pause) eh I can't (pause) I'm trying to think (unclear) what he's been talking (pause) I've had (pause) (NAME)'s been talking, I just can't think of any, but he mentioned Bladerunner (pause) and Star Wars, of course, which are (pause) just one offs (pause) they tried -- they tried to do Star Wars I mean they've done three or four or more after that.

uh-huh (pause) at least.

And then as you said Harrison Ford (pause) Indiana Jones (pause) Comedy films (pause) adventure (pause) that kind of thing (pause) so I -- I (pause) and I love (pause) I really love um (pause) Peter Sellers when he's doing the -- the (pause) the Pink Panther.

Yeah those are comedy fi- comedy films.

Just (pause) they are just sort of when you say classics they are, to in my mind, they are just total (pause) total classics.

And they were made in England, they weren't made in eh Hollywood (pause) they were kind of English films that were

Americanized.

No (interruption) no

(interruption) They tried to do it, they tried to

They tried to (pause) they tried to make them eh Americanized but they were eh (pause) they were more (pause) French than American, I know it sounds strange but yeah the (pause) a lot of films that are made in Europe are made eh for very small amounts of money (pause) and they're equally as funny as a lot of the big American multi-million dollar films are (pause) because American humour (pause) sometimes doesn't translate very well.

It doesn't take off, does it?

No, no.

Eh when going back to (NAME) saying French because it was (pause) like the Pink Panther was based (interruption) on a French

(interruption) On a French detective.

Yeah (pause) so eh

Clouseau

Inspector (interruption) Clouseau

(interruption) Clouseau (pause) ah

Of the (unclear)

'A license for your monkey'

We could talk about it all day about that.

Yeah yeah very funny films (pause) very funny.

If you get the chance (pause) do watch them.

A- a- actually I've been to (pause) the Pink Panther movie that (pause) eh.

Not the new one?

Yeah the new one.

Oh (interruption) the (pause) Steve Martin?

(interruption) The new one?

Oh, well that's

Oh well you see, that's -- that's the Americans, trying to make (pause) an English film.

He can't even do the French accent.

No, he's very bad he's very bad.

The eh

He's a funny actor (pause) but he cannot do (pause) a French accent, no.

Plus (pause) there was only one Peter Sellers (pause) you can't eh (pause) just you can't match him (pause) playing that part.

It would be like Omar Sharif, OK there's only one Omar Sharif.

Yeah (laughter)

Anybody else who tries to play (pause) an Arabic prince is terrible, you need Omar Sharif.

(laughter) Yeah.

(NAME) could do it (laughter) (pause) I don't know, I haven't got the (laughter) hair (pause) haven't got the black hair.

um (pause) what's the funniest thing that has ever happened to you when you were travelling?

Funni- funniest or worst?

Worst, funniest, scariest.

Well, I think it happened this year, (laughter) didn't it? (unclear) (pause) aye um it happened this year (unclear) holidays, take the family to eh Torquay down on the south coast (pause) and it only took us (pause) sixteen hours (pause) to get from Newcastle (pause) to Torquay and the south coast (pause) um.

Because of eh a transport strike.

No, it was the floods.

Oh, sorr- well, yeah the trains were stopped yeah yeah yeah sorry sorry, that's right

What happened was (pause) the eh um (pause) so what we did (pause) sort of changed at one stop, changed in Birmingham (pause) and go on to Torquay but (pause) um we were told that no trains were travelling south of Birmingham on that day (pause) so we had to get eh the Garden Leaves (pause) train to King's Cross (pause) eh King's Cross to Victoria where we had to (pause) um buy a ticket for a bus (pause) eh to get to Torquay (pause) and as I say there we -- there was like three children, three adults (pause) um and it took us sixteen hours to get (pause) to get to eh that (pause) I mean we could have travelled of your own you know blumming world (pause) in that time (pause) eh and just you know as I said sixteen hours to get there, so that was (pause) up to now anyway (pause) touch wood, that's about the (pause) about the worst (pause) I mean eh (pause) it was bad but in a way you -- you -- you could see the funny side in, you know, I mean (pause) nobody was sort of (pause) you know tearing their hair out and getting ratty and (pause) whatever, so everybody took it (pause) OK (pause) we didn't fall out (pause) I'm not divorcing my wife yet (pause) (laughter) although she's not divorcing me because it was my (pause) partly my fault that we didn't get a refund on the ticket. (laughter)

Ah, the funniest thing um was probably (pause) (tut) when I was working in Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh.

Yeah

And (pause) um (pause) the chef we had (pause) in the villa where I was living (pause) could not drive (pause) so (pause) I would go to the eh supermarket and buy f- food (pause) (tut) and then he would cook f- cook for us (pause) um and eh um he could not write um English (pause) and I could not speak a lot of Arabic (pause) so between us (pause) we would try and compile eh a shopping-list (pause) of food, um (pause) so he wanted um (pause) cheese, which is gibna?

Jibin

Jibin right yeah

But they say eh jibna (pause) yeah

But he was (pause) he was Yemeni.

Ah, I see.

So (pause) we had a -- we had a slight pronunciation problem (pause) so the -- the dialects

He didn't get the cheese.

The pronunciation was a little different (pause) so eh in the supermarket I was at the delicatessen counter (pause) you know the delicatessen counter? You know what delicatessen is? You have meat and cheese and (pause) herbs (pause) spices, so delicatessen we call it, it's a French word delicatessen, it means eh many (pause) many

Varieties of.

Yeah, yeah many varieties of food.

mm, on display.

Yeah, on display, so you have meat and cheese and (pause) olives (pause) so, um (tut) and the -- the assistant was eh Pakistani (pause) in the supermarket (pause) so eh but he spoke Arabic (pause) so I asked him for eh (pause) nos kilo gibna, which is half a -- half a (interruption) kilogram of -- of cheese?

(interruption) Half a kilo (pause) of (interruption) cheese, yes.

(interruption) Kilogram?

Yeah, yeah, yeah 'cause they don't have (pause) it has to be metric, OK, so half a kilogram, so it's like (pause) like, it's like one -- one -- one pound of cheese, which is the normal size, you know it's half a kilogram, yeah (pause) so (pause) so I watch him go -- go across and pick up a white (pause) block, which is a lot, cheese good good excellent (pause) so he puts in and -- and he -- he cuts it with eh a cheese wire (pause) and not a knife, so I'm thinking right, white, he's cutting it with a wire (pause) so it's -- it's cheese (pause) wraps it in paper, gives it to me, everything's OK, so I get home (pause) it's not cheese, it's nougat.

There's nothing wrong with that (pause) I enjoy nougat. (laughter)

You would've thought well, as you say (unclear) easy done, (unclear)

Apparently the (pause) apparently (pause) well you can (pause) you can tell me the exact you know translation but apparently nougat, which is like a sweet eh um is almost the same as cheese (pause) in the

Well, so as you said, to look at it (pause) it's easy (pause) (interruption) it's easy (pause) it's easy

(interruption) So that was very very funny because -- because we were going to have -- because we were going to have fish made into a pie with cheese on top (pause) so.

Nougat on top.

No, no, we just had fish

It would've been nice, wouldn't it?

And then for dessert we had nougat (laughter) nougat and nuts (pause) and pistachio yeah yes.

Ah, now you're talking.

Yeah, yeah, so that was quite funny.

um (pause) what would make you jealous, in general? (pause) (laughter)

um (pause) if I was married (pause) and my wife left me for another woman.

(unclear)

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, another man (unclear) I could -- I could eh I could -- I could understand and accept if -- if she left me for (pause) another man, but if I was married and she left me for another woman, now that would be disastrous, yeah

mm (pause) it's down to (NAME) now, isn't it?

Beat that one (NAME)!

I don't know, I tend not to be (pause) you know (pause) it's never at all cropped up my life, being jealous that way (pause) um (pause) (laughter) I would put that -- I would put that down as a nought for me (laughter) out of ten (laughter) I'm not eh (pause) what would make us jealous? (pause) I mean it has to be as (pause) (NAME) said (pause) something to do with (pause) you know someone very very close to you who you actually love or whatever that's -- that's (pause) so (pause) I've got to be thinking on the same lines as (NAME).

What would make you jealous?

em I'm not a jealous person actually.

That's a very diplomatic answer (pause) excellent answer to the question.

There's nothing on that like cop out, is it? (pause) do you know that (pause) do you know that word? Cop out?

um, you mean (pause) leave out?

Yeah, (interruption) oh, well it's eh well it's eh (pause) same (pause) same thing yeah

(interruption) Yes, yeah

It means a safe escape.

I'm on the b- I'm on the. (laughter)

OK eh, how -- how would you get of someone -- get rid of someone (pause) who you don't -- who you don't like anymore?

(pause) Outside come on.

eh (pause) in what respect would you mean sort of

Violent? Violence? Or verbally? Or?

I mean -- I mean

A person who's annoying you or?

No, for example, if you -- if you're walking

Ah, I see.

And the- and then you see someone

Who's annoying, like annoying

How would you -- how would you get rid of (pause) this person, or, for example, if you would like someone to stop talking to you, how would you get

Shut up your face.

Would you be frank? Straightforward?

I would -- I would pray for my mobile phone to ring.

How about we're talking about nineteen forty-seven.

ah (pause) that's difficult, that's very difficult (pause) you have to be eh (pause) you have to be subtle.

Yeah

To be very

Poke him in the eye with a sharp stick. (laughter)

(tut) ah ee eh (pause) that's eh.

(pause) All depends on the person, doesn't it?

Yeah, I think it depends on the person and the situation (pause) yeah, yeah

You could eh (pause) you could throw a violence into it or you could just say (pause) I walk away (pause) or (pause) verbally tell him to (pause) ride his bike sort of thing you know, just (interruption) go away.

(interruption) You know, sometimes just have to be very frank and just say (pause) you know, that's the end of the conversation, I'm leaving (pause) or -- or you should leave, you know, because you are (pause) as we say out of order, you know that's -- that's just not acceptable (pause) sometimes you know honesty's (pause) sometimes best you just have to say, you know (pause) you know, timeout, that's it (pause) you know, that's

Utter prat, and (interruption) get out -- get out of my face.

(interruption) Yeah, you know you need (pause) you just, you know, you're not wanted here (pause) so sometimes you just have to (interruption) be

(interruption) It's never happened (pause) I've never -- I've never, you know, all these things never happened to me, I'm quite eh

See, when you're in business, you have to be hard, you know, you just have to (pause) you -- you -- you just have to fire people, you just have to say no (pause) you know, you (pause) you're not good at your job (pause) you're out.

I mean, I know you -- you mean if somebody's like (pause) as you say walking down the street and (pause) all depends if they're pestering somebody else, if they're being a nuisance to somebody else, do you (pause) stand and say look eh, you know, can I help? Or (pause) can I tell this person to (pause) do a runner or

That's a difficult question, it's (pause) I don't need to generalize, you have to be more specific.

Until it happens (pause) you don't know how you're going to react to (pause) eh

But I think sometimes you have to be honest about it, and just -- and just tell them.

Yeah

Yeah

I'm going (pause) (laughter)

(laughter)

(unclear) (pause) question ninety-nine (pause) (laughter) ninety-nine.

Have you ever seen someone famous? (pause) did you talk to them?

Oh, (NAME) here, um

Met (NAME) (NAME)? (laughter)

um (pause) no I've never, I've -- I've (pause) I've seen famous people (pause) from a distance (pause) um (pause) I've seen the Queen of England (pause) um (pause) I don't want to see the Prime minister (pause) (laughter)

No, bit of a downer that one.

um (pause) obviously seen a lot of famous eh musicians that I've gone to eh to watch play (pause) um but I've never personally spoken to any (pause) famous person, no (pause) um (pause) but eh (pause) I think famous -- famous people -- famous people are just like you and I, they get up in the morning, and they put their clothes on the same way as we do and they brush their teeth, so (pause) there's, you know, there's nothing really spectacular about a famous person, you know, famous people come and come and go (pause) um (pause) so I think a lot of (pause) a lot of (pause) um publicity (pause) um doesn't do some people a lot of good, so sometimes being famous (pause) really, isn't as good as it's made out to be (pause) but no I've never -- I've never talked to any (pause) famous person, you know (pause) but I have seen a few, yeah

um, but if you have the chance to meet someone famous, who would it be? Who -- who would it?

I've -- I've -- I've come across um two in my, which then again, as you say f- as you say famous, sort of celebs from TV, or the work which is involved in TV, which is Gordon Ramsey (pause) the (pause) man.

He's a chef.

(laughter)

Yeah, I think I -- I -- I've (interruption) heard his name.

(interruption) Gordon Ramsey? Well, he's an (pause) he's sort (interruption) of last

(interruption) He's eh (pause) he's a television chef.

Yeah, uses

Very bad language.

Yeah (pause) Cannon and Ball, I've met Cannon and Ball.

Who are a pair of comedians.

Yeah, I thought you were going to say something else there (laughter) (pause) who I'd like to meet (pause) mm (pause) going back to (pause) what (NAME) said music-wise (pause) eh um my old-time (pause) favourite (pause) and then again it's female would be um (pause) I'd love to go see her (pause) it's Barbra Streisand (pause) all-time favourite of mine, which she always has been (pause) an- and as an actor eh an actress (pause) um (pause) that's just talking about entertainment um (pause) I can't think of any sportsmen, I mean I like sports but I wouldn't say that (pause) I couldn't put a name to any sportsmen I would like to eh meet as -- as (NAME) said it's (pause) it's eh flesh and blood like (pause) you know, like yourselves (pause) would be like meeting you (laughter) which person would you not meet is a (unclear) (laughter)

Yeah, eh um (pause) famous people, I think (pause) I think some (pause) people become famous for the wrong reasons (pause) from television or from movies, I don't really think that makes them famous, they're popular, but famous (pause) um (pause) I think that's a little bit different (pause) you know, you can have a popular person, because everybody sees them everyday on television, or on a movie, or (pause) listens to the -- to the music, but somebody famous (pause) um, I think that's a little bit different (pause) um, I mean I'm not a religious person, um but (pause) probably I'd like to meet someone like the Dalai Lama (pause) do you know him? The (pause) he's the -- the head of the Tibet, well, eh (pause) a religion that the Chinese have tried to -- to -- to exterminate from Tibet and Nepal (pause) um, and he's lived in -- he's lived in England, from a lot of -- a lot of years (pause) he's lived in eh exile here.

Not New- not Newcastle, has he?

(interruption) No, no, he's lived in London for like

(interruption) He hasn't been

But, you know, I would've, you know, I would've -- I would've liked to have, you know (pause) well, he's still alive, but I would (pause) when you hear him talk, he's not a bitter man, he's not eh, you know, a rev- (pause) he never talks of revenge against all the, you know, the problems that he's -- that he's had with the religions, but I thi- I think religion does cause a lot of problems but he's a quite -- he's a very interesting religious man (pause) when you hear him talk, he's very sensible, unlike some of the idiots we have in England (pause) and eh (pause) and -- and some in Italy, the Pope, who talks -- who talks (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) (cough)

You know (pause) so no, no, no, religion doesn't do a lot for me but famous -- famous people, that's about the only famous religious person I think I would currently like -- like to meet.

Nobody in politics?

No, no, no, nobody in politics (pause) because they're not in touch with (pause) (interruption) their people.

(interruption) Reality. (laughter)

Yeah, yeah (pause) all reality (pause) so eh

They're out there somewhere (laughter)

Yeah, they're out there

(laughter) Outer limits. (laughter)

Yeah in outer space, I think they're (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Star Wars (laughter) aye.

um (pause) how has the death of Princess Diana affected you and your family?

eh (NAME) speaking eh again um (pause) not I mean OK (pause) I've got a daughter who's thirty-five, thirty-six with three grandchildren, and I don't think it has affected (pause) I don't think that they know, certainly the grandchildren don't know, eh (pause) who she was (pause) or (pause) you know.

Because it's ten years since she died.

Yeah (pause) um (pause) eh (pause) I don't think it, well, eh (pause) I don't think it has 'cause eh when it -- it was someone who's, it's just eh (pause) as you say, um eh (pause) a royal person to the royal family, OK she was eh (pause) a name, famous (pause) eh in that sense (pause) and who she was married to but eh it hasn't actually affected (pause) my way of thinking or (pause) um you know (pause) I haven't sort of got off and caused a bit of (pause) ructions because (pause) that's happened to her (pause) so it hasn't affected my, it may have affected something eh like inside and (pause) feeling sorry (pause) for (pause) you know, the people around her (pause) but personally, no it hasn't affected (pause) my way of, you know, thinking that way.

Yeah, from -- from (NAME)'s point of view, um (pause) obviously, she -- she became a member of the royal family (pause) but she came from um (pause) English, what we call aristocracy, she came from a very (pause) powerful English family, (tut) um (pause) and when she -- she married into the royal family, um (pause) (pause) I think she became (pause) more popular (pause) than the royal family were (pause) at that time (pause) and eh (pause) because of her popularity (pause) um (pause) the (pause) the English (pause) people became very very attached to her (pause) um, I mean she was (pause) she is (pause) the most photographed woman ever in history, even -- even more than Marilyn Monroe, who was a famous American movie-star (pause) but there's -- there are more -- more photographs of Diana published than any other living woman (pause) and I find that (interruption) quite amazing, yeah

(interruption) She's amazing aye (pause) in a number of years she

I mean, she was a very beautiful woman (pause) but she was intelligent (pause) um, and very -- very compassionate, so I think a lot of people were very very sad when she died, because she did a lot of good, she did a lot of charity (pause) a lot of medical work, she did um (pause) a lot of peacekeeping.

Charity.

Yeah, to try and stop eh (pause) eh (tut) eh landmines, after wars in eh (pause) Africa (tut) so she was a really nice, nice person with a very very kind heart (pause) um

Her husband (unclear)

Yeah, the husband's a bit of an idiot.

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

Yeah (pause) 'cause I don't -- I don't think he realized what a nice woman he had (pause) um

But it didn't affect you? It hasn't affected your life?

em (pause) I think -- I think the only way it has affected my life is to realize (pause) that um (tut) (pause) the (pause) the p- you shouldn't believe everything you read in a newspaper (pause) because the press, um (pause) followed her (pause) well, followed her until she actually died (pause) it was the press that we- that were actually following her in Paris, when the accident happened (pause) um, that actually killed her (pause) so um (pause) (tut) the only way it's affected us really um (pause) um in England, is that they -- they changed some of the laws here regarding um (pause) (pause) the press and newspapers (pause) so eh um (pause) but I think it's changed a lot of (pause) it's -- it's changed a lot of people's views on the royal family (pause) because they didn't give her (pause) um (pause) (pause) the respect I think which she deserved, but ten years is a long time, and I think a lot of -- a lot of people are (pause) a lot of people now are starting to forget what a good -- what a good person she really was (pause) and, of course, Prince Charles has re- has remarried (pause) (pause) um

A lovely woman (pause) (laughter)

A very old, haggard woman.

That was (unclear) wasn't it?

No, that wasn't the question (pause) move-on quickly quickly.

Take this (unclear) (laughter)

um (pause) how many languages do you speak?

(laughter) (pause) two.

(laughter)

Ah (pause) (interruption) (NAME) ah

(interruption) Eng, eng, eng, eng (pause) (laughter) (pause) English and bad. (laughter)

(laughter)

(laughter) sorry about that one.

That's from (NAME).

(laughter)

(NAME) eh um (pause) I was taught to speak French (pause) when I was at school (pause) but French really on the international (pause) eh um side is not a really good language to learn (pause) you'd be better-off learning (pause) probably Spanish (pause) (pause) which is if you speak Spanish you can speak Italian (pause) and a lot of Spanish is spoken in South America, and (pause) in the Philippines, in the Far East, so um (pause) yes I c- I could speak French when I left school but I've forgotten a lot of it (pause) but obviously -- but obviously travelling with my -- with my -- with my job um (pause) I've learnt a little bit of (pause) the language in the countries that I worked in, so a little bit of Arabic um (pause) I had to speak a little bit of Thai (pause) a little bit of Philipino, which is Tagalog (pause) um and a little bit of Italian, when I worked in Italy (pause) (tut) um (pause) and also a little bit of Marshallese when I worked out in the Pacific, so (pause) but it's only, really (pause) language to get nearby day by day, it's not -- it's not a fluent language that I would speak (pause) you know, I can -- I can speak a little bit of it but I can't -- I can't write it.

I talk eh I can talk Australian.

(laughter) (pause) do you speak eh Geordie?

Geordie?

Well, Geordie (pause) Geordie is not really a language, Geordie is just eh

Diale- (interruption) dialect.

(interruption) A dialect

(interruption) A dialect, yeah

Do you speak it with a specific accent?

Well (pause) I don't personally, I mean

It's more words.

Yeah (pause) see, I don't eh I think it's me, OK, I'm a Geordie but I don't

Do you know why it's called Geordie?

No.

Have they not taught you -- have they not told you at university?

No.

You have to ask them.

(pause) Because you know when you

There's two

Aye.

There's two theories (pause) there's two theories as to why we're called Geordies.

(laughter)

Why?

Well (pause) one of them is that (pause) we supported King George (pause) during the Civil Wars in England (pause) (pause) which we didn't.

(laughter)

Oh, yes we did. (laughter)

No, because -- because we supported Scotland more than we supported the King in London (pause) so really we're more Scottish than we are English here.

We're nearer to Scotland.

Yeah, yeah, we're much nearer to Scotland.

Distance and

And a lot of -- a lot of people think that the -- that the Geordie dialect is more Scottish than it is English.

Yeah

And the other reason that people think we're -- we're called Geordies is because um (pause) (tut) a lot of the men here (pause) used to work in (pause) coal-mining (pause) do you know what that is?

Yeah

They used to dig coal out of the ground (pause) and they became very very highly skilled doing this and it was a profession that was um (pause) required all over England, not only for mining coal but for mining tin, for mining copper and other minerals at various eh eh lead as well was another mineral that was mined (pause) and the miners from this area was -- were so skilled, that they used to move around in England (pause) in the mines, (tut) and they (pause) obviously they were -- they were eh (pause) they were -- they were underground in the mines, you need lights (pause) and the miners from (pause) from Newcastle used to use a specific type of light (pause) was a safety light actually to detect gas inside the mine (pause) and it was -- it was made by (pause) a man who (pause) um lived in Newcastle and also eh um (pause) invented and manufactured this light, and he was called George Stephenson (pause) so, if you use one of these lights, you are f- you are (pause) almost one hundred per cent sure that you came from Newcastle, so you used a George -- a George Stephenson Light (pause) and it became known, well, George is (pause) the word for eh the name George becomes Geordie, so if -- if you are a miner and you used one of these types of light (pause) you were from this area, and that's how we became known as Geordies, because we

Geordie.

Yeah, yeah

Like Washington, aye (pause) I mean (interruption) I

(interruption) You know George Stevenson?

No.

Then go to

You've never heard of him? Famous, very very famous man, he (pause) he eh um (tut) he made one of the first (pause) railway steam engines.

It's Da Da (pause) Da Darlington, isn't it?

(interruption) That was where the first railway was, but eh

(interruption) It is Darlington, aye (pause) has it already

It's made behind the Central Station here, in Newcastle, that's where his workshop was, behind the station here.

See, Geordie (pause) the -- the -- thing I'm Geordie, I mean when I speak (pause) becau- because you can't hear yourself, you don't know what you sound like, unless you (pause) you know, record it and play it back, because of when I (pause) you know, you -- you do things like if you've recorded yourself on an (pause) answer phone or something like, you put your (pause) you put your voice, your message on an answer phone (pause) and it wasn't until you realize (pause) when you do that, you play it back you think (pause) do I sound like that?

(laughter) Yeah.

You know, it's (pause) I sound more Geordie (pause) when I play my voice back than I do when I speak it.

Yeah, but we have (pause) we have words (pause) in this area, which are very local to Newcastle, and a lot of the words that come from the industry, in the area, because of the -- the miners, and also the men who built ships here on the river.

Yeah

So we have words here that are very very local (pause) um, they used to have horses, like inside the mines, to pull the coal out of the mines (pause) and instead -- instead of calling them (pause) well, they were small horses, which are called a pony.

Yeah

A P O N Y? pony? It's just a small -- a very small horse, but they're very very strong, (tut) and eh (pause) the local word for them is not a pony, they call them a cuddy.

Cuddy.

Yeah, a cuddy, and that's a -- that's a real Geordie word, no-one else would understand that, outside of Newcastle.

Pit-yakka.

Yeah, yeah, a pit

Now I can.

A pit -- a pit -- a pit -- yakka is a man who -- who uses a pick axe, like inside the mine, and he actually -- he actually cuts the (interruption) coal out of the -- out of the mine face.

(interruption) By hand.

With a pick, you know what a pick is? It's a handle

Yeah

With a metal curved top, that's a pick, and a pit-yakka is a man who worked the coal face (pause) so he actually did (interruption) the excavation but there's a lot of, a lot of Geordie words.

(interruption) You don't want any Geordie words, do you? Do you want any -- do you want any (pause) do you want some Geordie words?

No, actually I have them at home. (laughter)

Ah, right

Yeah, yeah (unclear) (laughter)

So you know what marra means? (interruption) Marra?

(interruption) Marra?

Marra.

(interruption) Marra.

(interruption) Marra.

Yes, eh

F- F- Friend or a mate.

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah, aye (pause) (laughter) we're not going to the naughty ones.

No, no, no, we're not going to the naughty words.

(laughter)

I probably wouldn't do any myself (pause) I'll tell you what's a naughty word (pause) greyhound.

Oh, really?

I can't imagine it. (laughter)

Oh, yes, yes.

Stop (unclear) with the greyhound. (laughter)

um, has anybody told you that sound different? (pause) I mean not -- not as a Geordie but as a person.

Sound different?

Yeah

A lot different.

Or complained about the way you talk? Gave you a hard-time about the way you talk?

Oh, just (NAME). (laughter)

um, this is (NAME), um

We're going to have a punch up when we get

In (pause) certain parts of England, they would -- they would find my dialect very difficult to understand (pause) um (pause) (pause) but saying that, certain parts of Scotland, I would have difficulty understanding somebody from (pause) for example, say Glasgow, because they have a very strong accent (pause) because it again it comes from the industry, it comes from the men, again, who built ship -- ships on the river, um and you find that (pause) a lot of -- a lot of these um these areas that have very very strong accents, for example, Glasgow in Scotland, Liverpool (pause) in England, um London, again, river (interruption) industry

(interruption) Cockneys.

um, the words are (pause) sometimes very very strong, because at work the men had to shout (pause) to be heard above the industrial process, so a lot of the words are very small, because you had to (pause) to shout it, and to shout eh to shout a long word is almost impossible.

Yeah

You know, you -- you can't shout dictionary.

(unclear)

You would shout book.

Yeah

You know, it's a much -- it's a much much smaller word, so you would f- you find a lot of the -- the dialect comes from the industry (pause) and the eh the more -- the more industrial and the more noisy the industry was, the smaller the words become (pause) so instead of shouting 'throw',

Hoy.

You'd shout 'hoy'.

Hoy (pause) chuck, that's the same as throw, (interruption) that's the same word.

(interruption) Whereas, whereas if you said 'hoy' in London, that would mean almost like 'Oh, hello'.

(laughter)

You know, ahoy there. It's like -- it's like being on-board a ship, you know, ahoy there sailor.

But I mean, you wouldn't (interruption) get anybody

(interruption) But you wouldn't -- you wouldn't -- you would never understand the word 'hoy' to mean 'throw', unless you came from Newcastle, it is very specific to this area.

But you wouldn't get anybody (pause) I mean I have never had anybody (pause) I mean the times I've been away like in this country or whatever, they would -- they would -- they'd think I'm Scottish (pause) they think -- they think you've come from Scotland, but they wouldn't sort of (pause) because you come from a different sort of part of the country, like Liverpool, I mean I think Liverpool (pause) actually is fantastic, but I wouldn't take umbrage against

Yeah, we don't -- we don't take it as -- as being offensive (pause) the on- the only time you get problems with (pause) with um (pause) dialects from

It's OK, you can (pause) yeah

It's live. (laughter)

(laughter) You can, you can answer the phone.

Hello! (pause) I haven't a clue who you are, please go away (laughter) (pause) are you out there now? (pause) (interruption) aye, I'd be two minutes.

(interruption) Yeah, the only (pause) the only problem is you get (pause) the only tiny problem with eh um (pause) people from different areas (pause) are with eh um football supporters (pause) you know, you get them from (pause) London or Liverpool or Birmingham or Manchester, and the eh the football supporters or the football fans travel with the football team

Yeah

And that's -- that's when you can get eh um people who don't like (pause) the (pause) the other football team's eh supporters' accent (pause) so that's when it can be eh um (pause) problematic

Yeah

But most of the time (pause) um because now we have television and radio, um people are exposed to more regional accents from around England, but you know it yourself with Arabic, you know, it -- it's, you know, it -- it's -- it's very different

Yeah

From country to country, and also from region, you know, from various parts of

Radically different.

Oh, yeah, yeah, even -- even -- even different words

Yeah

(pause) I mean eh (pause) what's milk um (tut)

Haleeb

Haleeb (pause) and that can differ

You mean 'liban'?

Yep.

Liban. (laughter)

It's different, (interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah

So, unless you know (pause) um the different d- dialects eh it -- it -- it -- it does occur eh um not just in England, it -- it -- it's -- it's I think in -- in -- in most languages you do get regional variations.

Yeah

That little difference (pause) but that little difference can

Can vary.

Yeah, Yeah

(pause) um sometimes I find myself (pause) changing the way I sound um according to the circumstances or to the environment (pause) um do you think that you do the same? Do you think it's (pause) so noticeable?

um (pause) sometimes you have to (pause) because of who you're talking to (pause) so um (pause)

We could put the telly on.

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

Ah (pause) some -- sometimes you have to be (pause) um (tut) aware of who you're speaking to, so if you -- you're speaking to um (pause) somebody from, say, London (pause) you have to (pause) you have to listen carefully to what they say, because they have a different accent to us (pause) um (pause) so

Cockney (unclear)

So you have to pay more attention (pause) and eh not use local words when you reply to them (pause) um

(unclear) Newcastle (unclear) (laughter)

um (pause) so (pause) the (pause) eh the radio and television stations have had to adopt (pause) um, all they did when they first started to broadcast um (pause) here, they had to adopt what was called the Queen's English.

Yeah

Where everybody spoke with this (pause) monotone as they call it, just this -- this one really dead (pause) accent (interruption) and they talk like this all the time.

(interruption) how, now, brown, cow. (laughter)

And (pause) Yeah they would use -- they would use phrases like (pause) um 'how now brown cow'.