I've just watched "Never Mind the Full Stops", a programme about the use and abuse of the English language. They showed a clip of what they said was Dudley dialect (although I think it may have been more Brierley Hill way because of some of the words used), and translated the word "fode" as "field". They obviously thought it was a mispronunciation of "fold", an archaic word for field. As we all know, it refers to the back yard of a court of houses. I've emailed the programme producers to enlighten them! My nan used to exhort me regularly to "onny play in the fode,not in the ossrode". Now the nearest field to our house in Smethwick was probably 6 miles away, and I'm sure she didn't refer to that! -- Chris Ramsbottom researching: BARRATT, DANCER, FELLOWS, GOODES, ROBINSON, TUCKLEY, WHEWAY MAHER all in and around Birmingham/Smethwick, 1850 to present day