Giddy or Dizzy - which do you say?

’Ow do muckers, wonder if folk on ’ere would be willin’ t’tek part in a little survey? The question is which do y’say when y’feel a little light ’eaded, is it ‘giddy’ or is it ‘dizzy’?

I’d say giddy meself, but wonder what other Brummies would say? Be interestin’ t’know whereabouts in Brummagem folk come from an’ all? I’m from the south meself, grew up ’round Bournbrook, Selly Oak, Weoley Castle way.

Anyroad, ’ope y’don’t mind me askin’, as it’d be interestin’ to find out what others say. Ta in advance for any responses.

I use both, giddy mainly to the grandkids, not much use to your survey.

I was born in Hospital Street and now live in Great Barr, lived in Chasetown in between.
Lynne.

Giddy when I was a kid but probably Dizzy now. Although I'm usually referring to someone else as dizzy has more than one meaning.

Both of them after a good session in the Highlander or the Cock

Hi Bobowler
I would say I use both words. If I felt a bit wonky {theres a word} I would say I feel Giddy. If ti was someone else being a bit dozy {there's another one} I would say they were a bit Dizzy. I think to be fair I would use either.

The origins of words has interested me for years , this could be a great thread.

’Ow do muckers, much obliged to one an’ all for the replies so far. Wonder if we’ll ’ave a few more over the comin’ days? Anyroad, interestin’ to ’ear Lynne uses both words, though giddy with her gran’children, an’ that Voltman would ‘ave more than likely said giddy when ’e was young but now seems t’use dizzy.

Sheldonboy’s comments about the difference in use between giddy an’ dizzy also looks to mirror what Voltman said about referin’ t’someone else as bein’ dizzy, which, as Sheldonboy clarifies, is when they’re actin’ dozy, by which I tek it this mean silly or daft.

What I’m lookin’ for is where giddy and dizzy ’ave the same meanin’ of feelin’ light ’eaded, as there’s traditionally a regional difference when it comes to this, whereby folk only use the one word t’mean this not the other. I suspect that in Brummagem there’s been a shift, an’ so the more traditionally northern word of the two is beginnin’ t’now dominate.

Back in the 1950s the Survey of English Dialects looked at such things, an’ I’m keen to see how their results fit with modern-day usage. The question the Survey posed, which might ’elp mek things clearer was “When you turn ’round and ’round, you soon begin to feel ........? The answer should, generally, be either giddy or dizzy.

Ta t’all who’ve responded up t’now, an’ maybe some others will feel like contributin’ to things so I can ge’ a better picture of what Brummies say these days. Cheers for now, an’ thanks again for the postings.

Not really what you want Bob, as I come originally from Sussex, but I would always say Dizzy in answer to the question of survey. giddy is a word I would in my youth have used to refer (usually of someone else) to when they were not acting normally, including feeling dizzy. Don't think I've heard the word recently though

I think the main reason for change is television and radio. Most people never left their towns and villages in years gone by. Now since Coronation St, Eastenders etc sadly dialects seem to be blending into one another.

Americanisms are also quite common thanks to the idiot box.

’Ow do one an’ all, an’ ta t’everyone for the latest postin’s. Good t’ave yer contribution Mike, an’ thanks agen for yer ’elp with Alfred Causier an’ ’is beerhouse in Ladywood on the History Forum. Interestin’ t’know as a Sussex lad y’d say dizzy t’mean light ’eaded, but that in yer younger days y’would ’ave used giddy.

There’s actually another word from down where y’come from, an’ that’s swimy/swimmy, also sometimes found as swimmy-headed. Whilst not born there, me mom grew up in Gillingham, Kent, an’ ’er would say swimmy t’mean giddy.

Ar y’re right an’ all, Sheldonboy, about the wireless an’ telly ’avin’ an effect, an’ both mass media an’ education ’ave indeed been great levellers when it comes t’dialect speech in England. Thankfully, though, there’s still plenty of regional variety, which I believe we should celebrate.

Y’re not wrong about American influences either, Voltman, mind, summut else that’s ’ad an impact is contemporary music. In fact, in relation t’the issue of giddy or dizzy we mus’n’t forget Tommy Roe’s late-1960s hit ‘Dizzy’!

Anyroad, I’ll come back t’the traditional divide between the use of giddy an’ dizzy, as well as word origins, in another postin’, but in the meantime we’ll see if anyone else feels like tekin’ part in me little survey?

Hi, I say giddy if I have been spinning around and dizzy if I feel like passing out.

Lived in Sheldon most of my life

’Ow do Cleopatra, bostin’ t’ave yer posting an’ really interestin’ t’learn y’say both giddy and dizzy, but that y’make a clear distinction between the two in ’ow y’use them. Anyroad, thanks for tekin’ time t’respond, the more replies we can get the better!