“We’re collecting words for a celebration of local language, to be part of an exhibition called Of Time and Place, in early 2023. 

These might be dialect words used in the local area, or family words that just have a meaning in your house, or words you’ve had to invent because they weren’t in the dictionary!  Do send us any examples you have, along with their definitions”

Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate

Entries will be selected and curated by National Poet Laureate and local resident Simon Armitage. They will then be turned into an art installation as part of a wider exhibition called ‘Of Time and Place: Exploring the Cultural Heart of Kirklees’.

The exhibition opens at the beginning of January 2023 and is being produced by the Kirklees Cultural Heart Architectural practice, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, in collaboration with Kirklees Council, Huddersfield University and Temporary Contemporary.

This immersive and interactive exhibition will be a celebration and exploration of the changing culture of the area explored through different pieces of work.

Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, said:

“The people of Kirklees have a unique spirit, and this is often shown through our language. It will be fascinating to see what a talented poet like Simon Armitage does with, what I am sure will be, a diverse, interesting and sometimes amusing set of words and phrases that are particular to the area.

“I intend to share some of the most common phrases used in my family and look forward to seeing them become part of something bigger in the exhibition.”

Do you have a word or a phrase to share?

Please send your entries alongside a brief translation of what they mean to you to oftimeandplacehudds@gmail.com 31 December 2022 stating which postcode area you live in.