It seems that anyone and everyone who moves to Bristol, as a student or "because" thinks they are Bristolian. They aren't. To be a Bristolian you have to be born in Bristol. Otherwise you are a "Bristol resident". Totally different.
Another way of spotting a "Bristolian wannabe" is their use of the word "Brizzle" to show how 'local' they are. It's on t-shirts. Journalists, radio presenters (the dregs) and so on all use "Brizzle" to make themselves "Brizzle and proud".
If you knew anything about dialects -up until the City Council started moving people about in the late 1970s you could tell what area someone came from because of their accent and with older people you still can. But all would say "Bristle" because that is Bristolian.
Derek Robinson was known throughout the 1960s/1970s and 1980s as the author of A Load Of Old Bristle, Krek Waiters Peak Bristle and so on. Born and bred in Bristol and for all the joking about his work recorded real Bristolian.
According to The Post of 16th July 2013:
"A DICTIONARY of Bristle is not the first literary foray into the local accent. Many Bristol Times readers will know of author, broadcaster and rugby referee Derek Robinson's books which first came out in the 1970s.
The original Krek Waiter's Peak Bristle, illustrated with cartoons by Vic Wiltshire, was followed by several more, including Son of Bristle, Bristle Rides Again and Bristle with Pride.
More recently there was A Load of Old Bristle (2002) and Sick Sentries of Bristle (2004).
Even the author's name was Bristle-ised to 'Dirk Robson'.
They were hugely popular in the 1970s and 80s it seemed like every bathroom in the Greater Bristol area had at least one copy.
Robinson says: "The nicest thing that anybody said about my Bristle stuff was something I overheard in the old Berkeley coffee shop on Queens Road, now long since gone.
"I was sitting in the next booth to a youngish couple, and she was quoting to him chunks of one of my Bristle books that she had memorised, unaware that The Author was nearby. Very flattering, especially as she kept having to stop to laugh at what she was telling him."
The books are still selling; the more recent ones are still available new, while the older titles still get snapped up second hand.
Robinson reckons you can still hear authentic Bristolian. "The great change in the population of the city has had an effect. Most of the people I meet were not born here. But those who were still speak in the same old way. If you need evidence, just eavesdrop on any building site, or hang around in the dressing room of any of the local rugby clubs." "
Well, I left school in 1973 and the books were popular reprints then.
The "ZZ" is Somerset/Gloucestershire. My grandfather, Bill, was born in Hanham which was then in Gloucestershire and is now South Glos. He used to say "Brizzle" so you say it that way -you ain't Bristolian. "Bris-tell" or, as Robinson explains, "Bristle as in brush bristle".
Above: "If I have told you once I must have told you a hundred times -put your old clothes on after Sunday School. You are up to your eyes in dirt!"
Sunday School...mine was at the top of Sevier Street and Ashley Down Road and run by Mr Pike (Baptist). Don't even ask!
But never EVER "Brizzle" so stop thinking that you can just say "Brizzle" and that makes you local. In the good old days if you were not born within the City gates at night you were locked out of the City. Bristol -so great they HAD to make it a City and County! upyers.
Learn about the city you live in. And, no, I do NOT live in "Brizzle".
Some history -part 1 and you do NOT have to read a thing.
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