"Duck"

The most famous of all Potteries words must be "duck".  Roughly equivalent to "dear", it's used to address both men and woman, as in "'Ow at, duck?".

The origin of this word is the old Saxon word "ducas", which also gives rise to the Middle English "duc’" or "duk" and "duke".  It's use as a term of respect explains why it's perfectly acceptable to address a man as "duck".

"San Fairy Ann"

From research I have done I believe that this saying derives from the French "san faire rien" and was brought back to the UK by soldiers after the Second World War.

My grandmother often used it to mean "stuff you", particularly in the context of a man breaking up with a woman, as in "I'm off to Blackpool and it's San Fairy Ann to you".