THE article featuring Keith Morgan, the Forest dialect, and glossary of Forest words (The Forester, October 30 2013) was very interesting.

I believe there are variations in dialect within short distances. For instance I was born at Ruspidge, or should I say 'Rusbridge', and have lived for most of my life on 'Arry 'Ill' and I have never heard, or used, the word 'allus' for 'always'.

Always was always pronounced "owiz" (as in, 'him's owiz gwain on about zummat (something)'.

Some other well used examples of Forest dialect words not included in the glossary are: 'yut' for 'eat'; 'thic' for 'that one'; 'cossunt' for 'cannot'; 'jud' for 'dead'; 'byut' for 'beat'....just a few off the top of me yud.

And then there's the corruption of place names – such as 'Roodin' for 'Ruardean', 'Zinavud' for 'Cinderford' etc.

Ere, thou'st got I gwain now, I'd bedder stop!

Eric Nicholls

'Arry 'Ill (Harrow Hill)