Did you ever fancy moving away for university?

Yes like I had this big kind of (pause) like I don't know the word for it but anyways was kind of choosing between either Leeds or Newcastle and then like all my friends and my Mam and that was, my Mam -- my Mam and Dad were pure like 'or don't move away and that'. So like (pause) I didn't. I got into Leeds but I didn't end up going so I just came to Newcastle.

Good job really.

(tut) Why?

(tut) (interruption) you wouldn't have made all these friends.

(interruption) (laughter)

I've only made about five friends! (laughter)

So they're friends for life!

That is true.

That is true (tut) what ye on about you'd be lost without me.

(laughter)

No, I wasn't going to move away. I -- I didn't want to leave my Mam and my Dad. That sounds proper kiddie that (laughter) doesn't it! 'I don't want to leave my Mam'. Not but I actually didn't want to leave my Mam I think it'd be too much for us (pause) and I couldn't really afford it and

It's a bit overwhelming like isn't it?

It's a bit too much altogether (pause) like I would

Too much at once.

Yeah (pause) like a little bit too much going on

mm-mm.

I don't think I'd be able to cope

mm-mm (pause) oh well.

So was English the degree you were always going to choose?

I was getting er tossed up between Photography or English. Yes I was you know for a fact that I was (interruption) I've told you this story so many times!

(interruption) English and what was it? What was it sorry?

Photography or

I don't listen when you speak. I'm only joking come on what were you saying?

Photography or English. But em stupidly my Photography teacher was pure like what do you think I should do and she was just like ah if you were my son I'd tell you to do English. So I did English.

(tut) What do you mean stupidly?

Well because she's a Photography teacher you would have thought that she would have said like

But what would you do? Er not that I'm saying that a Photography degree -- a Photography degrees are bad but what would you have done with it?

Become a Photographer.

In what kind of capacity?

Well that's what you learn while you do your degree like (pause) you learn like what kind of (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) But what I'm saying is English is like a one of the key skills isn't it. Science. Literacy, Numeracy and Sci- well actually no, Literacy and Numeracy. It's one of the key skills (interruption) so.

(interruption) True.

Although we're probably not going to get a job

(laughter)

at the end of it.

True.

It is true.

What about you was your -- (interruption) your first choice

(interruption) I was, I was going to. Well I picked A my A-Levels were like around Eng- like I like you only got three choices for your A-Levels and I did English Literature, English Language both separately though em and Media Studies so it was like really heavily orientated around English so I it was either English or Media and I thought you can go into the media if you have an English degree but can you really go into English teaching or whatever if you have a Media degree (pause) it kind of like (pause) went with my options. I don't know why I did that but like

Em do many of your friends do an English degree?

All of them (laughter)

(laughter)

I actually no. Well like when I first started I knew no-one who even did one. But like obviously now people who I'm friends with at uni (pause) and em

I know but (NAME) and (NAME) aren't doing

Well that's what I'm saying like I didn't know anyone who was doing like (pause) an English degree so. Na I -- I (interruption) don't really know that many people really.

(interruption) Oh actually no-one of my friends like em one of my friends is doing Psychology (pause) at a different University and thingy is doing em (tut) I don't even know her she was working at Sainsbury's but she wants to do animal does she want to do Animal Science?

Em yeah I think so.

I think she wants to be a Vet doesn't she? (pause) yeah.

Who (NAME)?

Nor (NAME)

oh

But (pause) ye- oh and one of my other friends is doing languages at Manchester she's doing like French and Spanish (pause) and that's about it really, that's all I can think of (pause) but like (pause) oh one of my other friends is doing Engineering

(tut)

at Northumbria and that's about it really (pause) but yeah most of them are doing English degrees.

Have many of your friends stayed in the North East for university?

I think the major like the majority of mine have like I have none of my best friends have like moved away. Like (pause) I know people who have moved away but not who am really close with so.

Do you think it would've been different? Do you think it would've been weird if they'd moved away?

Yeah (interruption) I don't I, I would have quite liked it though like in kind of (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) for most people though (interruption) but you wouldn't see them

like there's always that kind of like, it'd be good to like kind of go for weekends down to their cities do you know what I mean?

You wouldn't be as close to them though?

Well wey-aye whee?

You wouldn't.

Yes you would.

Well you wouldn't see them all the time.

But you don't have to see someone to be close to them (pause) (interruption) like you can talk to them all the time

(interruption) Well I know but do you not find that you get closer to someone if you see like see them all the time?

No, not really.

(tut)

Well I don't!

Yeah you do!

No I don't.

So I see you more or less everyday

No I'm not saying that though I'm just saying if you become -- if you have like a best friend you don't have to see each other like (pause) all the time to

Appreciate each other

Aye and like you knaa if you don't see each other like you're not going to start hating each other

Don't know like

(tut) (pause) shut up man

(laughter) you do get quite        (laughter) I'm only joking

No you're not, (interruption) that's the thing. Get off! (laughter)

(interruption) I am

So where's your -- where's your typical night out?

Em (pause) you tell her Newcastle, I'll tell her Sunderland

Well no because that's not summarising is it.

Well no. Ah shut up. Er well Sunderland.

Well yeah well we spend most of the time

Yes I know.

Well you spend most of your time in Sunderland

I know. We usually start off (pause) at Pure (pause) and then go to

No you don't!

(tut) shut up when I'm with (NAME) and (NAME) and everyone!

All right ye start off in Pure ok (unclear)

And then Chase

Yeah

And then

Ttonic

per either if it's still if Town's still quite dead maybe Luma but if not then Tonic and then sometimes like Black Bull. I don't know it's different who with whoever it depends (interruption) what type of people you go with yeah

(interruption) you go out with.

It depends what night it is as well.

mm-mm

'Cause if it's a Thursday

Passion obviously.

Yes.

But yeah.

But then you won't go there on a Saturday.

Well you could but like you'd get done in.

Exactly so you won't go there on a Saturday.

True.

But then (pause) would you go to the Glass Spider? I would probably go Glass Spider on a Saturday.

I don't know like, it's full of pure old men and old women.

I know it's like Arizona, I can't stand that place (pause) I can but I can't and then old school music comes on and they're proper like

Proper like Five (interruption) and that.

(interruption) Yeah

I -- I know.

(laughter)

it is good for its music but it's packed with like old people

mm

radgy old people

mm

Do you go around Newcastle at all?

Sometimes not a lot.

We do, but when we tend to go around we always end up in the same places.

(laughter) it is, it's always like The Gate

We always start off in The Gate and end up in The Gate for some reason (pause) in fact we don't get out of The Gate.

Tiger Tiger

That's -- that's like literally

Well you have to walk out of it still.

It's still in the same area though.

Well I keep telling people to come to Digital 'no no it's too late'

Are you kidding me!

(laughter)

I wanted to go to Digital 'I'm not coming'

(laughter)

Oh right ok.

no-one wanted to go.

Or but when you're ready to go home we've all got to get in a taxi! (laughter)

no not at all, I'm sick of having this argument with you!

(laughter)

I really am.

I'm tired let's go for food let's go home.' I'm nine times out of ten I'm on the same wave length as you though.

Exactly.

So do you ever go out if you have a nine o'clock the next day then?

Never ever. Not even just being like a lick        but like I actually couldn't do it.

(laughter)

Like I really, could you?

No.

I think I went to work once when I started at ten and I'd been out on a Friday night and my mouth was like a bloody toilet brush like I couldn't breathe properly, I stunk and like my hair was pure stuck to my head with grease ah no never again

I think I em (pause) I think I went once I went to work on em a Friday after we'd went out em ah it was the worst experience of my (interruption) life

(interruption) (laughter)

it really really was I felt ill. I wasn't sick (unclear) I wasn't sick but it was just (pause) the idea of the room was still spinning

oh I know

my head hurt my mouth was like

Ghandi's (interruption) flip flop (laughter)

(interruption) flip flop I was going to say Ghandi's flip flop, ah it was horrible (pause) I felt as rough as a Badger's       .

(laughter)

I really did.

So how -- how do you travel into uni on a morning then?

Don't like argue with us when I say my when I say that

You don't drive so

Yes I do!

Don't even say that you drive.

I drive to the Metro station.

No he doesn't.

Yes I do!

No he doesn't.

It depends what day it is.

No he doesn't.

Sometimes I drive to the Metro st-

(NAME), no you don't.

Shut up talking!

If it snows if it's raining you won't drive

(laughter)

if there's no car parking spaces you wont drive (pause) so basically you get the Metro (laughter)

Yeah but how do (interruption) I get to the Metro

(interruption) you get the bus!

No I don't!

You do or your (interruption) Dad drops you off or your Granddad.

(interruption) shh

right

'I can't find a parking space Grandar will you drop us off?'

(laughter) so at least I attempt to go. But anyways I attempt to drive to the Metro station if there's no driving (pause) em no parking spaces

You can park anywhere (laughter)

(laughter)

no, if it wasn't for (NAME) then I would like park in the streets (laughter) and that but like, not any more right so like I either drive or get the bus to the Metro station (pause) and hop on the Metro

(laughter)

It's easy for you the bus stops right outside your door!

All right aha.

Well it is!

Proper rang him I rang him today and like I was coming back in after my driving lesson I proper like 'where are you?' I'm in the house. 'Well you need to be back in a bit.' I was like I know but I rang you to see if you wanted any food. 'I'll have a packet of crisps

(laughter)

and a can of pop' and I was like ok. 'Get on the bus now!'.

(laughter)

and it is literally outside my door so you had no reason to go on about it.

Yeah but it takes an hour.

So.

Exactly.

It's that bus, it's horrible on a night.

Does it take an hour for both of yous like in (interruption) total?

(interruption) Yeah pretty much

What about on a night does it take a bit longer?

The bus takes a different route on a night well mine does and your bus stops although have you not said you get the bus

No sometimes I get the bus home depends if I have the car or not (pause) but like

So basically he gets the bus home.

Shut up.

You never have the car!

Shut up man the bus

You know what I've been -- I've been his friend for like how long? (pause) A year.

(laughter)

It's been a very long year though.

But em

And I've never once. I've seen your car I've never been in it though. He says he's going to pick us up one time and he's not ended up picking us up!

I know am so lazy (pause) sorry.

Did you ever fancy living in Newcastle or

Yeah I got ah I'm actually moving here next year like I signed a contract yesterday (pause) for like where's it, Heaton it's in like

Heaton.

Heaton.

Heaton.

Yes Heaton.

You're saying it wrong it's Heaton.

It's Heaton!

Aye 'informant spells out HEATON'.

Yeah.

Heaton.

You're saying heating!

I'm not I'm saying Heaton!

Ok right but yeah so like yeah I do

I'm not I've got no immediate plans to move over (pause) no (pause) Thankfully for (NAME) (laughter)

Are you all right with the travelling then? Do you not mind it so much?

I quite enjoy it, pop your i-Pod in and you're away (pause) you don't have to talk to anyone and the bus is quite big so you can get your own seat.

That's true.

And it's dead warm as well if you sit near the heater (pause) so and the bit I don't like and it's lucky for me 'cause like if we'd lived if we'd stopped in the house that we'd like lived in when I was ten I'd have to proper walk to the bus stop. I mean it's not like too far away

(tut)

it's not too far away but like I would get wet and stuff where (laughter) I literally live on the main I literally live on the main road so I don't have to get wet.

(laughter)

(NAME) stop it (pause) I can't believe you!

(laughter)

So have you -- have yous both seen um Fenwick's window this year then?

Yes

Ah yes (pause) ah tell her the story!

What story?

About the guy (pause) actually it's quite sad.

It is but

(laughter)

Let us tell you this, there's some like crazy reindeer like action going on there one of them is missing

No it's not!

ones carrying (pause) (interruption) like

(interruption) carrying? I well this man 'informant makes a sleigh noise' (laughter)

and like (pause) well I don't know I quite like it. I mean I remember a couple of years ago when they had like a spaceman theme and then like

What has this got to do with Christmas!

and like the one before that was like Gulliver's Travel or something and

I quite liked that it was quite like original I thought.

But it wasn't Christmassy! (pause) fair enough if Gulliver had a hat on

(laughter)

But he didn't.

A big Gulliver with a hat on with loads of little people around him.

Elves.

Tell her what happened.

I can't remember, you tell her

No me and (NAME) were at outside the window 'cause we're very childish and er we were just messing about and we come around with the names of like the reindeer so like we started having an argument in the street and this old man came

and (NAME) started singing (pause) the song

No, I never! (laughter) I was saying Donner Blitzen Cupid I can't say them all and then (NAME)'s like no man (NAME) nipping us!

(laughter)

(laughter)

He beats us up all the time by the way.

No I don't.

He does and then (pause) this old gadgie walked past and was like (tut) (tut) (tut) (tut) shaking his head (pause) and like (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) proper loving it though (pause) like.

He was like proper Granddaddy wasn't he?

Aye.

I bet he was thinking aww look aren't they good friends.

(tut) (pause) Maybe it was like (pause) (laughter)

(interruption) (NAME), no it's not!

(interruption) Shut up you believed it! How'd you knaa?

Do you knaa what he's just said, it might have been Santa!

(laughter)

(laughter)

(unclear)

It could've you know we might get extra presents (interruption) this year!

(interruption) No (NAME).

You've just said it!

I -- I was pure joking.

No you weren't.

(laughter)

(laughter) you're proper serious (pause) 'I remember!'

(laughter)

(laughter)

(laughter)

So are yous both all sorted for Christmas?

Kind of, like I'm nearly done.

No ne n- nowhere near.

(laughter)

What are you getting your family and friends then?

do-

Yeah (NAME) what you getting your family and friends? (laughter)

I can't (interruption) say.

(interruption) (laughter)

Well my Mam pyjamas and then what did she get or she got a leather jacket the other day.

Have you given her the money for it?

Yes I was there when she bought it.

Right.

and then I don't know what I'm getting my Dad yet; my brother I got a t-shirt and some jeans and then just like other stuff for my friends just like random stuff.

Like what?

Shut up, I'm not going (interruption) into the specifics.

(interruption) (laughter)

What about you?

Em (pause) we go like me and my sister like go mad on each other so I'm going to have to (pause) think of a very long list for her (pause) like jarmers and some DVDs and some like girlie stuff and Twilight related stuff 'cause she's obsessed she's twenty-two and she's obsessed with Twilight. Em and like we get a lot for our Mam and Dad as well (pause) we just spoil each other but I've not got anything and like

You need to start.

I know and like (NAME)'s birthday's next week so (pause) I've got his Birthday stuff but I'm nowhere near his Christmas present and we haven't done secret Santa yet like with our other group of friends (unclear)

It's only forty something days till Christmas you know.

I know I need to

forty-eight or something

So I've got like everyone's still to get (pause) it's stressful.

So what's a traditional Christmas morning in your house?

We were talking about this the other day weren't we.

Yeah we were.

It gets us proper like (interruption) (unclear) aye

(interruption) excited (pause) what's the word?

No I was going to say like

Giddy

giddy I was going to (interruption) say jittery though but (laughter)

(interruption) well yeah

Jittery (laughter)

em (pause) we usually, well when we were little we used to get up at pure five o'clock but I think that's like kind of warn us out now so we usually rise and shine at about nine ten then my Mam's pure got the bacon and egg on the go and then like the dog's pure going akka 'cause he can smell his bone and that

(laughter)

(laughter) like all wrapped up and em we open like the presents and that and then we're pure like 'oh Mam come and open your presents' but like she's having a ball pure picking up all the wrapping paper so like she just like kind of cleans as everyone's wrap- em un wraps and that and then like go pick my Grandar up and he comes down (pause) with the pure stockings and that and we have wer dinner (pause) er that's went past morning hasn't it.

So.

Well we have were dinner then we go to my other Grandparents on the night. It's good

What about you?

Em I still get up really early 'cause I I'm too excited (pause) I get my sister up or she gets me up (pause) and we go downstairs (gasp) 'is that sofa mine?' we get all excited and then

I loved how you have a designated sofa each

I know.

The thing is though ones -- (interruption) ones

(interruption) one of them's always smaller than the other one

(laughter) exactly I always get the two seater.

Do you?

So (interruption) (laughter) (NAME) gets the three seaters?

(interruption) (laughter)

Well like I knaa it's usually

Do they all share the three (interruption) seater and you get the (laughter) what ye talking about then (NAME)?

(interruption) (laughter)

I know but still it looks a bit like (pause) on the -- on the like pictures they're pure altogether and I'm by myself (laughter) proper opening my presents

Scrooge!

It's not on!

Get the camera off us!

(laughter)

Em we've got like my -- my Mam and Dad have the two seater and me and (NAME) have like the big settee (pause) but I always ah I've got to have the empty one I've got to have more presents.

(tut)

She hers are more expensive though mines just        and that.

(laughter)

But then (tut) 'look ah new pair of knickers woo!'

(laughter)

A selection box (pause) no my Mam and Dad are dead good with presents. But em we come down and like sit with our presents and my Dad my Mam well my Dad makes the breakfast and then he comes in opens a present 'Oh just what I wanted' then he comes then he geet gets the geet black bag out and shoving the wrapping paper in.

(laughter)

'Dad open your presents.' No no (pause) and then he opens another one 'Ah just what I wanted.' Picking up more wrapping paper (laughter) (pause) it takes him ages to open his present. I'm proper like 'informant opens present' getting it off (pause) opened.

So does your brother still get excited over Christmas?

Not really (pause) like

How old's he?

twenty-three (pause) But like I don't know like last year me and him went to the pub for like um like we came well I don't know last year he didn't get up till really late and like I hate opening my presents first because then when come comes down to open his I'm like oh I wish I'd waited now because I feel left out

Exactly.

But like no you can tell deep down that he still does.

Get excited?

mm-mm (pause) pure texting us at one o'clock geet can you hear Dad going downstairs I'm like yes like

(laughter) do you do that as well!

(laughter)

(sigh)

You kind of even just for my Dad's feelings bless him you still have to kind of pretend you're asleep he pops his head in (pause) (interruption) it's proper like

(interruption) to check (laughter)

pretend to snore and that.

I'm proper geet like (pause) half an eye open and that

(laughter)

'They're asleep (NAME) quick get the presents!' (laughter) I'm like at the w at the wall listening.

(laughter) aye seriously you can hear like

Rustling (pause) it's too exciting.

So what about your sister does (interruption) she still get

(interruption) Oh God she's still she's one major baby she's bless her she's twenty-two she loves Christmas (pause) she proper comes out of bed with her hair sticking out she's like

Aye

'Has Santa been?' (laughter) and I'm like yes 'you go first!' (laughter) I'm like ok and we proper run down the stairs and (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) That like ten seconds run down the stairs is the most magical you'll ever feel in your life, especially when you're a kid.

And then when you see it you're like (gasp) and then when you open it you're thinking I'm going back to bed here!' (laughter)

Aye (laughter) aye (unclear)

You do don't you?

And you always think or they've kept another present hidden from us somewhere, have they hell (pause) like you knaa after you've opened them all (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Do you get that thing as well when like after you've opened them you have about twenty minutes to sit and look at them and then they go 'right taken them upstairs' while (interruption) you're having your dinner.

(interruption) Or I hate that

and you're like (pause) what!

Like as kids we used to keep them like out for like (interruption) Boxing Day when my Nana and Grandar used to come around

(interruption) ages aha

To have a look (pause) aha

Aye but now pure my Mam's making my dinner and that (pause) 'oh there's nowhere for your Grandar to sit go take your presents upstairs' no but like the sad fact is all it is now is like socks and that so it doesn't take that long (pause) like

No it's not, (interruption) your Mam still spoils you

(interruption) No I know but I mean like

No I know but like where's before you had loads of toys

(laughter)

where as now it's either just clothes, money or like (pause) gadgets where so like you know

And last year I was ill wasn't I

Aye you were like.

I was proper ill (pause) like my Mam and (NAME) my Mam works on a Christmas Day (pause) and like she didn't come in till the afternoon so we were going to have our we weren't going to open the presents and have our dinner till like half past two (pause) I felt really off and my Dad brought all the presents down and that we were sitting with them and I opened them all and I think the excitement got to us and I was sick and I er I couldn't have my Christmas dinner (pause) I had to go to bed I was fine when I got up though I was sitting eating the chocolates and that

(laughter)

I think it was just the excitement.

Aye.

Because you know when you're building up at least when you get them on a morning (pause) you can like open them and ahh you feel a bit relief but when you're hanging on till like two o'clock it's like 'Come on I want to open the presents.'

That's so true.

And he's like 'you can open one' I don't want to open one I want to open them all! (laughter)

I knaa I hate that you can open one let me pick one no and then you get like (interruption) (unclear) even if you do pick one you always get the        one. You know never to go for a soft present because it's not in a box; the ones in the box are always the best.

(interruption) a sock or something

And then if you do pick a box one oh just what I wanted a DVD.

(laughter) 'gan on son put it on you can watch it now' I don't want to watch it! (laughter)

This is not what I asked for!

(laughter) (NAME) that's so brattish!

I'm not no, ah honestly they are dead good my Mam since we're getting older though my Mam's like 'make a list' although we made one when we were little she's like 'make a list so I can get it for you'

I used to love pure stalking the Argos catalogue and that

I did too proper folding the pages and that.

Aye

Circling it.

Proper uh wh- fifteen hundred pages folded out of two gran (laughter) two thousand. 'Well (NAME) like I (interruption) don't think this is going to work. Pure like Mam you told us to write a list (laughter) like (pause) haway

(interruption) (unclear) everything

Get over it!

Santa'll do it! (unclear) ok

Do you still write your list now? I still tell them what I want.

No

I think it gets harder when you get older.

Aye it does like.

I proper geet I tell my Mam and Dad.

I've started getting into the thing where like I kind of like (pause) I look forward to seeing like (pause) how other people react into me giving them presents as well.

I know.

Do you know what I mean?

That's -- that's something that's changed since we've got older (pause) like (pause) like last year like I know I don't know like it was just weird. I get excited looking at people opening presents.

Exactly.

Like (NAME) and stuff.

mm-mm

And then like (pause) when it was my Birthday (pause) you were more excited than I was.

(tut)

Proper geet like will you buy (unclear)

aha

Aww bless him! He's proper excited (pause) and then next week I'm going to be more excited than you! Proper geet texting you at two o'clock in the morning 'Happy Birthday!'

(laughter)

and are you going to be all right?

don't

Christmas is going to be like that as well.

Ah Ah no (pause) but yeah.

Have you got any plans for (pause) New Year's Eve?

I haven't none actually, none yet

Well my Mam and Dad are going away (pause) so

(interruption) Party

(interruption) (NAME) wants to have a party and I was just like 'informant groans' (pause) I was like you don't know that many people 'shut up I've got loads of friends!'

(laughter)

Aha God (pause) but like maybe a party (pause) I don't know because my house isn't that big and my Mam's just got new carpets.

I don't honestly I don't I wouldn't don't know how you would fit a full party in your house

I couldn't I couldn't personally.

I'd be on edge all night me.

I'd be quite like watch the ornaments!

(laughter) I knaa, exactly.

Don't touch that cabinet!

(laughter) (pause) aye (pause) proper haven't none yet

No not yet.

Will you have any like assignments or exams to revise for over Christmas?

Yes (pause) January exams isn't it?

Yeah.

In er

Sociolinguistics.

and Analysing Geordie as well isn't it isn't that in January?

mm-mm

So yeah pretty much.

Two just the two though.

Yeah it's not that bad compared to like first year 'cause

We had everything had an exam.

Yeah (pause) so well apart from Literature like but still it's like

But we'd end up doing better in the exams than we did in the

I knaa true fingers crossed

essays (pause) fingers crossed (pause) but

Do you find it em difficult to study when there's so many like festive distractions?

I really do.

I do.

Pure everyday there's like a good movie on and then or no it just it kills us.

I can't I'm going to say this now I will not revise Christmas week the twenty-third the twenty-fourth twenty-fifth twenty-sixth twenty-seventh I can't -- I can't revise. You know the Radio Times this is my lot you know the Radio Times come out with a Christmas

Aye

What's on the telly (pause) no you know the festive days that the block off and stuff (pause) I cannot revise them days.

Some kind of mental block.

Because there's like always like something good on the telly like or the Christmas films like Harry Potter and (pause) I'm proper excited about Harry Potter being on the telly. (laughter)

It's not Christmassy!

But ah it is kind of Hogwarts at Christmas how Christmassy's that!

Or it does look canny good like.

Uh so being from the North East do you ever feel that you have -- have to speak em slowly for other students at the University?

Yes all the time (pause) like all the time (pause) do you not think?

mm-mm I do.

Like when like we first started everyone used to be like (pause) like 'ah yous talk too fast like we cannot understand yous' and like just generally (pause) I don't know.

People have like a like a perplexed look when you speak to them. (laughter)

(laughter)

And like em (pause) 'What?' like they just look straight through (interruption) you when you say something

(interruption) Aye like completely over your head

and you realise y- you realise that they haven't like understood it and so you've got to say it again and again and again till they go 'ah right yeah' and then that's just like

Then probably the -- the statement what you were saying has gone really (pause) like

Yeah exactly it's just like yeah by the time I've told you five times it's like over.

Exactly.

So do you think you have a strong accent then?

Well I didn't until I think my accent's got a bit better actually since I've been to Uni (pause) like I actually do

Well I for many years I thought I had a speech impediment.

I actually did have a speech impediment when I was little I had to go to speech clinic.

'informant makes a stuttering sound' like a stutter?

It's not a stutter (pause) (interruption) like

(interruption) It was a stutter.

Wasn't it a stutter?

No I don't it wasn't a stutter it was like I couldn't say certain words I think it was (unclear) I always remember saying some phrase in this clinic 'The girl fell down the stairs and broke her glasses' that sounds like quite an L kind of

(laughter) (pause) maybe.

(laughter)

I'm not really sure (pause) em what was the question?

Do you think you have a strong accent?

Ah yeah I think I do (pause) I didn't think it was that strong though until like (pause) I came to Uni.

mm

But (pause) I don't think it's as strong as like (pause) like I don't for me personally I don't think (pause) other people from Sunderland would say I've got a strong accent compared to like

Yeah.

But people outside would say I do.

Yeah

Do you know what I mean?

mm-mm

Like (pause) mm yeah (NAME)'s comments.

(tut) shut up (laughter)

So has anyone said (pause) em anyone commented on your accent before (pause) before coming to uni for example?

No no-one like (pause) no

Not really (pause) mm

Just kind of normal isn't it that we all kind of speak the same.

Exactly like no-one says anything 'cause (pause) everyone kind of sounds the same do you know what I mean?

Suppose you don't really notice it until you come to uni and all these -- (interruption) all these southerners and

(interruption) Exactly

mm-mm

Exactly.

Do you think your parents or grandparents have strong accents?

My Grandar has a like he was born in Newcastle so like he's like a proper Geordie like his a- as opposed to like Sanddancers and that (pause) do you know what that is?

Aha.

(laughter) he has a really strong accent and talks really like really fast and he shouts when he talks as well so it's kind of like

Out there.

it's really confusing to kind of like hear what he's saying but like my Nana's not that bad (pause) and em my other Grandar like (pause) It's like just kind of normal that he just kind of talks like me really (pause) what about yours?

I think yeah. I think that my Dad's probably got the strongest one (pause) then my Mam I can't I don't even think she's got an accent (pause) but I think that's just because I'm so use- used to it like I thought my Dad didn't have one but like I recorded him.

Yeah

And then when I played it back I realised he does actually have a really strong accent (pause) but no I don't think so.

Would you say em that there's a distinct uh difference in accent between someone from Sunderland and (pause) Newcastle?

I think so.

I think ye can tell.

Yeah I think you really can.

I get offended when people say I'm a Geordie.

Do you?

I know it doesn't offend you although I -- I think you should be more offended by it.

But why?

'Cause you're not a Geordie or a Mackem (interruption) you're a Sanddancer

(interruption) But

S- South Shields isn't a city where as Sunderland's a city so like it's not as if they're getting like (pause) really Newcastle kind of is my city 'cause South Shields is only a town

I know but where South Shields let's not get into this!

Ok.

But I would say North Shields is more Newcastle and South Shields was more Sunderland. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah true (pause) well I don't know

And how can you even say that like

Say what?

like -- like ye like ye would say that you're from Newcastle (pause) I don't think

Well I -- I aha like I don't know just like

It never gets brought up really so I've never really had to think about it like that.

Yeah true.

But it does offend us if people say I'm a (pause) Geordie. I know it's like just I like you can only really tell if you live up here (pause) so w- we take offense in that way I think it's just more like (pause) I don't know not many people think like

Do you think it's due to football really that (interruption) you're kind of more offended?

(interruption) (laughter)

Not (pause) well

Dinna like.

I prob I

No well I -- I'm not

I'm not -- I'm not offended like because people think I support Newcastle although that is really offending (pause) but I think I'm just proud of where I come from I don't see the shame in saying to someone I'm not from Newcastle I'm from Sunderland and (pause) if someone has something to say about football them I'm not bothered to be like well (pause) it's natural though 'cause when you live -- when you live there like my Dad and stuff like (pause) they do support Sunderland so (pause) it's natural for me to go down that line rather than

mm-mm

It's the same for you really with your Dad.

mm (pause) mm-mm

Isn't it?

Yeah it is mm yeah

How about em within Newcastle itself would you say there's a -- a difference between like a male and female speaker of similar profile?

Em I -- I don't think like (pause) I don't think there's that kind of much difference between male and female