"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".