A gennel is the Yorkshire and northern English word for a narrow alleyway or passage between houses — what other regions might call a ginnel, snicket, jitty, or cut.
A gennel is the Yorkshire and northern English word for a narrow alleyway or passage between houses — what other regions might call a ginnel, snicket, jitty, or cut. These tight little paths are a staple of older northern English towns, threading between terraced rows and connecting streets. Local kids use them as shortcuts, and locals navigate entire neighbourhoods by them. The word is deeply tied to the geography and identity of Yorkshire towns like Sheffield, where the term is especially common.
Cut through the gennel between the chip shop and the newsagent — it'll save you ten minutes.
"gennel" means: A gennel is the Yorkshire and northern English word for a narrow alleyway or passage between houses — what other regions might call a ginnel.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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"gennel" means: A gennel is the Yorkshire and northern English word for a narrow alleyway or passage between houses — what other regions might call a ginnel.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"gennel" means: A gennel is the Yorkshire and northern English word for a narrow alleyway or passage between houses — what other regions might call a ginnel.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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(Yorkshire, mostly, Sheffield, dialect) A ginnel.
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