North Yorkshire Council Apologizes for Misplaced Apostrophe in Anti-Littering Campaign Posters That Misrepresents Local Dialect

Ever tried to decipher Yorkshire dialect? It can be a challenge even under normal circumstances.

But things got even more complicated recently when a local council’s anti-littering campaign made a notable error in its promotional posters.

The campaign, featuring the slogan “Gerrit in’t bin,” hit the streets with 800 posters spread across popular tourist spots and local newspapers in North Yorkshire.

The problem? The phrase should correctly be “Gerrit in t’bin.”

This small yet significant error has sparked frustration among local residents who take pride in their regional dialect.

Concerns from the Yorkshire Dialect Society

Rod Dimbleby, chairman of the Yorkshire Dialect Society, weighed in on the mistake. At 81, Dimbleby has been advocating for the preservation of the Yorkshire dialect and finds errors like this particularly troubling.

“It’s nonsense because it’s a real language and it should be written correctly,” he remarked.

Dimbleby added that with fewer people speaking the dialect these days, it’s crucial to get it right to help keep the language alive.

The Council’s Admission and Next Steps

The campaign, aimed at encouraging people to dispose of their litter responsibly during the summer holidays, was a collaboration between parish and town councils.

Unfortunately, North Yorkshire Council has admitted to the embarrassing slip-up and promised to fix their digital and downloadable materials.

However, the posters already printed with the incorrect apostrophe will remain in place.

Councillor Keane Duncan, who oversees highways and transport, acknowledged the issue, saying, “Punctuating Yorkshire dialect appears to be causing us a bit of a headache here at North Yorkshire Council.”

While some dictionaries list “in’t” as correct, the council will follow the guidance of the Yorkshire Dialect Society and adjust their signs accordingly. Despite the confusion over punctuation, the message is clear: in North Yorkshire, there’s only one proper place for litter—the bin.