GREAT British dialects such as Geordie and Yorkshire are being replaced with a greater variety of speech because of immigration, it is claimed today.

The world's dialects are multiplying faster than ever, a conference in the North-East will be told, quashing fears that globalisation is leading to uniformity in languages.

Earlier research by the University of Newcastle, where the conference is being held, had shown that the old dialects in Britain were disappearing because of increased mobility among cultures and countries.

Researchers had also warned that the North-East's traditional dialect could die out within 30 years.

But the conference will hear that immigrants to areas including Europe, the US and Australia are creating new dialects when they learn the language of their host country, by mixing it with aspects of their native tongue.

Black English terms include "big something up", meaning recommending or praising something and "bad minded" (malicious or cynical).

Asian English terms include "gora"(a white person) and "chuddies"(underpants).

The number of dialects is expected to increase more rapidly in future as asylum seekers continue to seek refuge in other countries.

Four hundred of the world's leading linguists will attend the event today, which has been organised by a team from the universities of Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Durham.