Irene of Athens and Geordie: Difference between pages

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'''Geordie''' refers to a person originating from [[Tyneside]] ([[England]]) and the adjacent former coal mining areas of northern [[County Durham]] or the [[dialect]] spoken by such people. There are a number of rival theories to explain how the term came about, though all accept that it derives from a familiar diminutive form of the name "George".

[[Image:Solidus-Irene-sb1599.jpg|thumb|300px|This [[solidus (coin)|solidus]] struck under Irene reports the legend <small>bASILISSH</small>, ''Basilissa''.]]

Saint '''Irene''' (c. [[752]] - [[August 9]], [[803]]) was a [[Byzantine emperor|Byzantine empress]] (although she called herself ''[[Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy|basileus]]'', the male form of the word "emperor," rather than ''basilissa'', "empress") from [[797]] to [[802]]. She was the wife of [[Leo IV]].

In recent times Geordie has also been used to refer to a supporter of [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] [[football (soccer)|football]] club no matter their origin, including people from outside the traditional area.

Originally a poor but beautiful [[Athens|Athenian]] [[orphan]], she speedily gained the love and confidence of her feeble husband, and at his death in [[780]] was left by him sole guardian of the empire and of their ten-year-old son [[Constantine VI]].

== Derivation of the term ==

Seizing the supreme power in the name of the latter, Irene ruled the empire at her own discretion for ten years, displaying great firmness and sagacity in her government.

One explanation is that it was established during the [[Jacobitism|Jacobite Rebellion]] of 1745. The Jacobites declared that the natives of [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]] were staunch supporters of the Hanoverian Kings, in particular of [[George II of Great Britain|George II]] during the [[1745]] rebellion. This contrasted with rural [[Northumbria]], which largely supported the Jacobite cause. If true, the term may have derived from a popular anti-Hanoverian song, which calls the first Hanoverian king "Geordie Whelps", meaning "George the [[House of Guelph|Guelph]]".

Her most notable act was the restoration of the orthodox veneration of [[icon]]s or images, a policy which she always had secretly favoured, though compelled to abjure it in her husband's lifetime. Having elected [[Patriarch Tarasius|Tarasius]], one of her partisans, to the [[Patriarch of Constantinople|patriarchate]] in [[784]], she summoned two church councils. The former of these, held in [[786]] at [[Constantinople]], was frustrated by the opposition of the soldiers. The second, convened at [[Nicaea]] in [[787]], formally revived the adoration of images and reunited the [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern church]] with that of [[Rome]]. (See [[Seventh Ecumenical Council]].)

An alternative explanation for the name is that local miners used "Geordie" safety lamps designed by [[George Stephenson]], rather than the "Davy Lamps" designed by [[Humphry Davy]] which were used in other mining communities.

The term Geordie is often incorrectly used to cover all the peoples of the [[North East England|North East of England]], though this usage is generally confined to people from other parts of the [[United Kingdom]], and is considered an insult by North-Easterners who do not come from Tyneside, due to intense local rivalries. To North-Easterners the term exclusively refers to persons from Tyneside; since about [[1991]] people from [[Sunderland|Wearside]] have been termed [[Mackem|Mackems]]; people from [[Hartlepool]] are known as [[monkey hanger]]s, whilst natives of the [[Teesside]] conurbation are generally referred to as [[Smoggies]]. People from the countryside in between these urban areas are generally referred to as 'farm yackers' or 'pit yackers' (particularly in Northumberland around the Ashington area).

As Constantine approached maturity he began to grow restive under her autocratic sway. An attempt to free himself by force was met and crushed by the empress, who demanded that the oath of fidelity should thenceforward be taken in her name alone. The discontent which this occasioned swelled in [[790]] into open resistance, and the soldiers, headed by the [[Armenia]]n guard, formally proclaimed Constantine VI as the sole ruler.

== The Geordie dialect ==

A hollow semblance of friendship was maintained between Constantine and Irene, whose title of empress was confirmed in [[792]]; but the rival factions remained, and Irene, by skillful intrigues with the bishops and courtiers, organized a powerful conspiracy on her own behalf. Constantine could only flee for aid to the provinces, but even there he was surrounded by participants in the plot. Seized by his attendants on the Asiatic shore of the [[Bosporus]], the emperor was carried back to the palace at [[Constantinople]]; and there, by the orders of his mother, his eyes were stabbed out. He later died from his wounds. A [[solar eclipse]] and a darkness of seventeen days' duration were attributed by the common superstition to the horror of heaven.

'''Geordie''' derives much less influence from French and Latin than does Standard English, being substantially [[Angle tribe|Angle]] and [[Viking]] in origin. The accent and pronunciation, as in [[Scots language|Lowland Scots]], reflect old Anglo-Saxon pronunciations, accents and usages.

Irene reigned in prosperity and splendour for five years. However, Irene's triumph did have consequences. The Pope of the time saw that the throne of the Holy Roman Emperor was vacant (lacking a male occupant) and so crowned Charlemagne the Holy Roman Emperor. This was seen as an insult to the Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, Irene is said to have endeavoured to negotiate a marriage between herself and [[Charlemagne]]; but according to [[Theophanes]], who alone mentions it, the scheme was frustrated by A&euml;tius, one of her favourites. A projected alliance between Constantine and Charlemagne's daughter, [[Rothrude]], was in turn broken off by Irene. In 802 the patricians, upon whom she had lavished every honour and favour, conspired against her, and placed on the throne [[Nicephorus I|Nicephorus]], the minister of finance. The haughty and unscrupulous princess, "who never lost sight of political power in the height of her religious zeal," was exiled to [[Lesbos]] and forced to support herself by spinning. She died the following year. Her zeal in restoring images and [[monastery|monasteries]] has given her a place among the [[saint]]s of the Eastern Orthodox church.

Personal pronouns differ markedly from Standard English: Geordies use "youse" for plural "you", "me" for "my", "us" for "me", "wor" for "our". The word "wor" is sometimes placed before the given name of the person being the subject of conversation to denote that they are a family member, for example "wor Allan" or "wor da" (father). It is also quite common for Geordies to use the word "man" for both men and women, as in "howay man" (c'mon you).

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{{Byzantine Emperor | Prev=[[Constantine VI]] | CoEmperor= | Next=[[Nicephorus I]]}}

Vowel sounds are also quite unusual. "er" on the end of words becomes "a" ("father" is pronounced "fatha", both "a" sounds as in "hat"). Many "a" sounds become more like "e": "hev" for "have" and "thet" for "that". Double vowels are often pronounced separately as dipthongs: "boat" becomes "boh-ut". Some words acquire extra vowels ("growel" for "growl", "cannet" for "can't"). This property of the dialect has lead Geordie to be known for ''putting as many vowels as possible into a word''. The "or" sound in words like "talk" becomes "aa", while "er" sounds in words like "work" becomes "or". The "ow" in words like "down" or, most famously, "town" becomes "oo", hence "the Toon" meaning [[Newcastle upon Tyne|Newcastle]]. In Wearside, the "oo" in words like "cook", "book" or "look" becomes "uu", although this accent has come to be known as [[Mackem]], not Geordie.

{{1911}}

Geordie also has a large amount of vocabulary not seen in other English dialects. Words still in common use today include "canny" for "pleasant" (it should be noted that the Scottish use of canny is often somewhat less flattering), "hyem" for "home", "divn't" for "don't", "bairn" and "grandbairn" for "child" and "grandchild", "hacky" for "dirty", and "gan" for "go". "Howay" is broadly comparable to the invocation "Come on!". Examples of common use include "Howay man!", meaning something like "come on" or "hurry up", "Howay the lads!" as an encouragement for a football team, or "Ho''way''!?" expressing incredulity or disbelief. The word "hyem" for "home" is inherited from the [[Old Norse language]]. The word "tab" for "cigarette" is thought to derive from Ogden's Tabs, a once-popular brand of cigarettes.

[[Category:750s births]]

[[Category:803 deaths]]

[[Category:Roman empresses]]

[[Category:Byzantine emperors]]

[[Category:Isaurian dynasty]]

[[Category:Empresses]]

[[Category:Saints]]

Geordie commonly uses the word 'Aye' meaning 'Yes', which is also found in most Scottish dialects. As a contrast, a geordie might say the word 'Na' for 'No' however this occurs less frequently.

[[de:Irene von Athen]]

[[fr:Empereur byzantin Irène]]

Much of the vocabulary is a preserved form of [[Old English language|Old English]], the north having not been so affected by the [[Norman conquest]]. Pronouncing Old English with a geordie-like accent, rather than the more commonly recommended German, results in a form more comprehendible to those with knowledge of the meaning of Geordie vocabulary. When a Geordie uses the word "larn" for teach, it is not a misuse of the English word "learn"; the word is derived from the [[Anglo Saxon]] word "laeran", meaning to teach.

[[it:Irene di Bisanzio]]

[[ja:&#12456;&#12452;&#12524;&#12540;&#12493;&#12540;]]

Geordie is also sometimes used to describe the distinctive dialect of the people of [[Northumbria]]. However strictly speaking, South East Northumberland (the [[mining]] area bordering Tyneside) has its own similar, but distinctive dialect known as [[Pitmatic]].

[[nl:Irene van Byzantium]]

[[fi:Irene]]

In recent times, the Geordie accent has featured prominently in the national media, arguably more so than ever before. TV Presenters such as [[Ant and Dec]], and [[Marcus Bentley]], are happy to use their natural accents on air. The commentator on the UK edition of [[Big Brother (UK TV series)|Big Brother]] is often perceived by southerners to have a Geordie accent (North-East accents do sound very alike to the untuned ear), however, he grew up in [[Stockton on Tees]]). Brendan Foster and Sid Waddell have both worked as television sports commentators. However, in general, the Geordie accent still tends to be employed for comedy effect as opposed to serious usage.

[[pl:Irena (cesarzowa bizantyjska)]]

The accent was also popularised by the [[comic]] [[magazine]] [[Viz (comic)|Viz]], where the accent itself is often conveyed phonetically by unusual spellings within the comic strips. Viz magazine itself was founded on Tyneside by a couple of Geordie lads, [[Chris Donald]] and his brother [[Simon Donald|Simon]].

It is said that the Roma influenced much of the Geordies' words eg. "charva" is an old word meaning child in Roma and used by Geordies to describe troublesome people. The word "gadgie" for man is derived from the similar-sounding Roma word for a non-Roma. There is a high percentage of Roma origins in the North East and Newcastle hosts a large Gypsy travelling-fair, the "Hoppins", which has been held annually on the Town Moor every year for over a century.

==Famous Geordies==

*[[Paul Gascoigne|Paul Gascoigne (Gazza)]], footballer

*[[Ant and Dec]], television presenters

*[[Peter Beardsley]], footballer

*[[Michael Bridges]], footballer

*[[Catherine Cookson]], author

*[[Steve Cram]], athlete

*[[Bryan Ferry]], [[Roxy Music]], musician

*[[Robson Green]], actor

* Tim Healey, actor

*[[Brian Johnson]], [[AC/DC]] singer

*[[Mark Knopfler]] of [[Dire Straits]]

*[[Jayne Middlemiss]], television presenter

*[[Jimmy Nail]], actor and singer

* Sir [[Bobby Robson]], former footballer, club and England national team manager

*[[Ridley Scott]] and [[Tony Scott]], film directors

*[[Sting (musician)|Sting]], actor and musician

*[[Alan Shearer]], footballer

*[[Paul Smith]], [[Maximo Park]] singer

*[[Andy Taylor]], [[Duran Duran]], musician

*[[Peter Taylor, Baron Taylor of Gosforth]], late [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales]]

*[[Neil Tennant]], [[Pet Shop Boys]], musician

*[[Chris Waddle]], footballer

* Kevin Whateley, actor

*[[Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf]], former [[Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales]]

*[[Ross Noble]], comedian extraordinaire

[[Category:750sTyne birthsand Wear]]

[[Category:803British deathsEnglish]]

[[nn:Geordie]]