The Yorkshire Meaning Of Liff by Joe Moorwood
Great Northern Books, £5.99

Three decades ago, Douglas Adams – he of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Fame – teamed up with humourist John Lloyd to publish a little black book called The Meaning Of Liff.

Described as “a dictionary of things there aren’t words for yet”, The Meaning Of Liff decided that there actually were names for these unnamed things – the names of villages, towns and cities which were just asking to be used for other things.

Thus, in a self-reverential way, Liff (a small place near Dundee) was attached to the definition: “A book, the contents of which are totally belied by its cover. For instance, any book the dust jacket of which bears the words, ‘This book will change your life’.”

Fast forward to the 21st century, and enter Yorkshire firefighter Joe Moorwood. After hearing an appeal on Radio 4 asking for new names and definitions for a programme devoted to the Meaning Of Liff, he went a step or two further... and offered not just a couple of ideas, but an entire booksworth.

John Lloyd (creator of the wordy TV show QI) immediately gave his blessing to the idea of publishing Joe’s “liffs” – all of them based on Yorkshire place-names – as a regional updating of the original book.

Hence we now have The Yorkshire Meaning Of Liff.

This is the perfect stocking-filler for the proud Tyke in your life, and offers a great deal of enjoyment flicking through the often hilarious, sometimes wry descriptions, or perhaps looking up your own hometown or village and seeing what Joe’s attached to it.

The definitions are amazingly apt for the word they are married up to... so much so that you might find yourself using these brand new definitions and words yourself.

Here are a few that might tickle the palate of Bradford folk:

Ben Rhydding: Communicating entirely in football banter

Burley in Wharfedale: An exotic adventure holiday masquerading as a charity fundraising event, in which the public-spirited participants seek sponsorship to cover the costs of a once-in-a-lifetime experience, generously donating the two per cent left over to a worthy cause.

Crossflatts: The resentful glares of the occupants of a crowded lift or train forced to come into close proximity to someone with a particularly unpleasant and contagious cold.

Eldwick: A pen with a chewed end.

Gomersal: A botched attempt to say goodbye to someone in the street before awkwardly heading off in the same direction.

Oxenhope: To gamely insert into a conversation a recently-acquired impressive-sounding word whose meaning, or context in which it should be used, you are not quite sure of.

Queensbury: The immaculately-turned out lady at the gym who seems to have no sweat glands.