Our urban myths investigator Matthew Blaney takes a look at the possible origins of the classic Nottingham greeting...
With Goose Fair marking the end of summer (but the start of financial ruin for young couples), and the local hero Simon Withers known as ‘Swan Man’ giving up his time to care for injured Swans, Nottingham does seem to love its pond dwellers. So much so that one member of the family has found its way into the East Midlands vocabulary.
The phrase duck is believed to have derived from the latin word ducas meaning duke. This was once a term of endearment and a means of showing respect to others. Over time, duck was born and replaced its Latin counterpart. In 2014, during The Hollywood Film Awards, none other than Angelina Jolie was seen using it to welcome Jack O’Connell to the stage, given his Derbyshire roots. Unfortunately, this started a trend where American celebrities began using the phrase, but thankfully, they haven’t coined it as one of their own. Mainly because uttering the phrase Ay up in an American accent is deeply disturbing for British audiences.
According to Nottingham legend, Albert Gristle may be the man to blame for much of this controversy. Mr Gristle is believed to have been a dweller in Narrow Marsh during the 1890s, and all descriptions of him seem to suggest the most stereotypical description of a pirate I have ever come across. It’s believed he had a wooden leg, a stuffed parrot, and even a bushy beard. Bear with me though because he lost his leg during a shark attack (allegedly). Given his inability to work, it was his job to awaken all the other male workers in the Marsh, and he would do so by shouting ‘Are ya up me lad,’ whilst throwing random objects at their windows. Due to the absurdity of the scene, crowds would gather, often telling these boys to ‘DUCK’ as rocks were hurled past their heads. Occasionally Albert would cry ‘are ya up me…’ instantly followed by ‘DUCK’, from the crowd in hysterics. It’s believed that this became a joke in the mills and pubs as workers would call out ‘Are ya up me DUCK,’ bringing the other party to tears of laughter.
Whether you choose to believe the tale of Albert Gristle, I find it rather heartwarming that such a phrase can elicit such joy from the recipient
Whilst this tale is rather enjoyable to believe, there are plenty of other cities around the East Midlands and Yorkshire that have claims on the phrase. With everyday conversations taking place in Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and most of Yorkshire, there is a good chance someone will utter the phrase to a loved one. For my own safety, I won’t enter this debate as I don’t want to be a disgrace to the LeftLion community and offend the ‘Ay up me duck’ diehards.
What makes this case even more difficult, is that I get a sense that quite simply no one can agree on an answer. Not even with the spelling of the phrase. In 2010, Dancing Duck Brewery launched their best-selling beer, but couldn’t decide on a name given concerns surrounding its proper spelling. To prevent mass bar brawls, the company decided to release two pump clips, one displaying ‘Ay Up’ and the other with ‘Ey Up.’ This then gave pub landlords the choice of two clips, presenting one of the best examples of delegating a difficult decision to someone else in local history.
Whether you choose to believe the tale of Albert Gristle, I find it rather heartwarming that such a phrase can elicit such joy from the recipient. Whether you hear it from your Nana, someone you haven’t seen in a while or even just a way of greeting people around you, I don’t think we should fuss about its origins and just ensure that the Americans don’t get a hold of any of our other sayings.
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