A NEW book for people who don't know their dickers from their farntickles, or their booler from their boilie, has been launched.

A Dictionary of North-East Dialect is a guide to our regional mode of speech and explains where some of the more colourful terms come from.

It was written by leading dialect expert Bill Griffiths, a research associate in the Centre for Northern Studies at Northumbria University.

Mr Griffiths, who lives in Seaham, County Durham, has a PhD in Old English.

"North-East dialect is at heart a spoken language, a flexible experience and open to change," he said.

"This book is not intended to fix it, but to encourage a better appreciation of what thankfully is becoming recognised at last as an essential part of the region's intangible heritage."

It includes terms such as "dickers", which means "to dare someone", and "farntickles", or "freckles".

"Boilie" is a regional term for "bread and milk", while "booler" is a "child's hoop".

As well as the dictionary section, the book explains how the dialect evolved over the centuries, charting the influence of the Vikings and Normans, and looks at how immigration, local industry and trade contacts abroad have all had an impact.

The book has already won favour in the US, with praise from academics at its most prestigious learning institution.

Keith Wrightson, a professor at Yale University, said: "In this dictionary, Bill Griffiths provides a vivid guide, not only to the distinctive vocabulary of the North-East, but also the ways in which dialect words contain echoes of the long history of the region and its people.

"By explaining the meaning of words he helps us to understand the place."

A Dictionary of North-East Dialect is published by Northumbria University Press and costs £9.99.

To order a copy, contact the university on 0191-227 3700, or visit www.northumbria. ac.uk/bookshop

Some of the terms featured in Bill Griffiths' A Dictionary of North-East Dialect

Boilie - bread and milk

Booler - child's hoop

Croggie - a ride on a bike's crossbars

Dickers - to dare someone

Farntickles - freckles

Hippin' - a nappy

Hupstick - now and again

Leach - hard work

Panhaggerty - a dish with meat and potato