Patrick Stewart is one of the many Yorkshire legends that have made it big. The Hollywood star has featured in many theatre productions and huge blockbuster films over his career, which spans seven decades such as the X-Men franchise, Shakespearean plays and of course in the sci-fi series Star Trek.
The proud Yorkshireman, discussed his Yorkshire heritage recently on the radio, even speaking about how he teaches his partner Yorkshire dialect.
Speaking on BBC Leeds he discussed how “Living there always had an impact on me. You can always tell a Yorkshireman, but you can’t tell him much.”
He continued: “It’s kind of the atmosphere I grew up in. And, I still love returning to Yorkshire when I can.”
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He spoke about teaching his American wife Yorkshire phrases, and said how he feels “It’s not just an accent, it was dialect”.
Sadly he says that his Yorkshire accent has gone and he doesn’t naturally speak like that any more. As we all know having heard the iconic Yorkshireman speak in many many films and interviews. And, of course, the Yorkshire Tea advert.
He says when he does it’s “usually because I want to get a laugh.”
He describes the Yorkshire dialect he spoke as almost like a foreign language giving an example about how he’d speak to us friend when he went call on him when growing up in West Yorkshire. The Yorkshire phrase he says is “Are thee laikin’ art.” Translated into English as ‘Are you coming out to play?”
Stewart says that is how he spoke until his teens. The insight into the actor’s past was a lovely trip down memory lane and was wonderful to see him speak so enthusiastically about his heritage.
Listen to the BBC Radio Leeds interview here.
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Feature Image Credit: Yorkshire Tea
