How to speak Mackem in different languages as SAFC fans prepare for Europe - including asking for cheesy chips
‘You can order cheesy chips with ‘Des frites au fromage, s’il vous plaît’
A tongue in cheek language guide is on the way for Mackems who plan to follow Sunderland in Europe.
Two Sunderland AFC Facebook fan pages have joined forces to produce a new European language magazine which will be launched in time for the club’s first foray into European football in 53 years.
It is called “Talk Proper - A Language Guide for Sunderland Fans Travelling to Europe”, and features all of the European countries guaranteed a team in next season’s Europa League competition.
There’s a selection of recommended phrases for each nation to be used by travelling Mackem fans.
For example in the French section, you can order cheesy chips with ‘Des frites au fromage, s’il vous plaît’.
In the Spanish pages you can say “this is git mint” with “Esto es git mint”.
And in Dutch you can ask if there’s Samson beer on draft with “Heb je Vaux Samson op de tap?”.
Fan pages, Wear The People and Mackem Daft have joined forces to produce Talk Proper, following Sunderland’s last day drama in the Premier League, which saw the team finish seventh and qualify for European football.
Project Editor for the magazine guide, Mal Robinson, said the idea all came about from within the pub.
“We were all elated of course after the match against Chelsea (Sunderland’s final game) and after a few pints, we were already planning potential European trips. This conversation sparked jokes about whether they’d understand some of us abroad and the idea to produce a light hearted guide with Mackem phrases in various languages was born.
My personal favourite is ‘Kdo dal míč do sítě Geordies?’ which is Czech for “who put the ball in the Geordie’s net?”
Wearside establishments also feature inside the guide, including, Jacky White’s Market, Chillino’s, The Tram Car Inn, Thompson Park and The Cambridge pub.
Culinary items such as Panackelty, Peach Melba, the Pink Slice, Snakebite and Pease Pudding also make cameo appearances.
Mal added: “It’s a great little keep sake for people marking Sunderland’s first ever European football qualification via the league, with Sunderland only ever playing once in Europe after the 1973 FA Cup win.”
“Talk Proper” is £10 and is due for release on June 17. The guide can be pre- ordered in the meantime from www.talkproper.store