The Welsh Accent - Has it softened in recent years?

[munkeeunit]

As a child, and early teenager (some 20+yrs ago), I seem to remember the Welsh accent generally being quite harsh, and a little hard on the ear. I'm sure there's more than one accent across the country, but it stuck in my mind as having quite a cutting tone to it.

Maybe this was partly social and political, what with the miners strikes, and generally a far more grinding level of poverty than seems to be the case today, giving an angery undertone to the accent?

Or maybe, as languages do, it has simply changed over the years, as nowadays I find the Welsh accent to be generally very soothing and pleasant to the ear. Is this just me, or do others feel the accent has generally softened in the last 20 years or so?

 

[Belushi]

Well, which Welsh accent do you mean?

And accents do change over the years - you only have to listen to an elderly Londoner and a young Londoner to realise that.

I suspect all national and regional accents in Britain have become more homogenous due to improved communications, mobility etc and are likely to become even more so in the future.

 

[munkeeunit]

Well, which Welsh accent do you mean?

I don't really know my Welsh accents apart, more of a general observation over time.

 

[Idaho]

TV I would have thought. Things sound more and more similar.

 

[editor]

Some Keyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaardiff accents seem to be getting worse, likes.

 

[Ranbay]

you knows it spa !

 

[llantwit]

Some Keyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaardiff accents seem to be getting worse, likes.

You luvs it, you does.

 

[Ranbay]

safe init

 

[Brockway]

I'm sure there's more than one accent across the country.

Yes mate - there are 3. I suppose you mean a Valleys' accent which constitutes a Welsh accent to most English people. No it hasn't got any softer. Does poverty really affect accents? You're fucking nuts.

 

[colacho]

It's all so subjective how can you make a judgement? Most people I know in England have always found a valleys accent pretty mellifluous...
It has changed, though, without doubt- far more glottal stops, diphthongs and triphthongs in S. Wales now, something I personally don't like very much.

 

[ZIZI]

It's all so subjective how can you make a judgement? Most people I know in England have always found a valleys accent pretty mellifluous...
It has changed, though, without doubt- far more glottal stops, diphthongs and triphthongs in S. Wales now, something I personally don't like very much.

Which valley do you mean?

Each valley has a different sound. A Rhondda accent for example is far different from a Rhymney valley accent and compared to the Merthyr valleys it is quite posh.

Cardiff have an accent unique to Cardiff as do Newport who sound English (well at least to me-a Rhymney valley girl). The further mid Wales you go the accent gets softer but then by the time you get to the north its all nasal and spit.

 

[munkeeunit]

Does poverty really affect accents? You're fucking nuts.

I think at certain moments in time it does, yes, definitely, and the 70's and 80's were a particular moment in time when there was much more anger around.

 

[munkeeunit]

Each valley has a different sound. A Rhondda accent for example is far different from a Rhymney valley accent and compared to the Merthyr valleys it is quite posh.

Cardiff have an accent unique to Cardiff as do Newport who sound English (well at least to me-a Rhymney valley girl). The further mid Wales you go the accent gets softer but then by the time you get to the north its all nasal and spit.

Ok, I figure my comparison over time is going to be more the south, as there seems to be a fair deal of intermixing between south wales generally, and Bristol area.

 

[Biffo]

North West Wales = Glyn from Big Brother/a bit Scandanavian and weird
North East Wales = Sudo-Scouse
Mid Wales = Fairly neuteral, a bit of a mix
Cardiff = Kayaaaardiff Cockney
Newport = Rewnd the rewndebewt
Swansea/Rhondda/Bridgend = Welshy
Carmarthenshire and North Pembs = Really Welshy
South Pembs = Neuteral, little England beyond Wales
Anglessy = Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Feel free to edit and add to.

 

[RubberBuccaneer]

Ok, I figure my comparison over time is going to be more the south, as there seems to be a fair deal of intermixing between south wales generally, and Bristol area.

Don't start that again - Bristol and Cardiff don't mix

 

[RubberBuccaneer]

North West Wales = Glyn from Big Brother/a bit Scandanavian and weird like saying daw daw all the time
North East Wales = Sudo-Scouse agreed
Mid Wales = Fairly neuteral, a bit of a mix non-descript more depends on rurality i.e. burr if by Hereford way, more discernably Welsh if Aber way
Cardiff = Kayaaaardiff Cockney Bollocks, a beautiful twang
Newport = Rewnd the rewndebewt Yeah
Swansea/Rhondda/Bridgend = Welshy Swansea thicker sounding than the rest mush
Carmarthenshire and North Pembs = Really Welshy especially Welsh spekaers as first language
South Pembs = Neuteral, little England beyond Wales twatty we're not Welshers
Anglessy = Be afraid. Be very afraid. apart from the weekenders from Cheshire

Feel free to edit and add to.

Cheers - have done

 

[Brockway]

I think at certain moments in time it does, yes, definitely, and the 70's and 80's were a particular moment in time when there was much more anger around.

So if you get less money in your wage packet it makes you pronounce your vowels differently. Interesting theory....

 

[phildwyer]

Old blokes I've asked about this reckon all regional accents have softened since they were young.

 

[Belushi]

Old blokes I've asked about this reckon all regional accents have softened since they were young.

I think thats true - I think of my old Welsh and old Londoner relatives and they all had stronger accents than today.

 

[Brockway]

Cardiff = Kayaaaardiff Cockney

East Cardiff ie Llanrumney, has a touch of Newport worzel in it. North Cardiff is the poshest. To my ears Ely sounds the most "Welsh" in the sense that monkeeunit thinks of a Welsh accent. South Cardiff you can detect strong Irish and West Country lilts. Riverside a mix of Asian Welsh and faux Cockney.

 

[Brockway]

Old blokes I've asked about this reckon all regional accents have softened since they were young.

They also think Wagon Wheels are smaller.

 

[niclas]

Originally Posted by Biffo
North West Wales = Glyn from Big Brother/a bit Scandanavian and weird like saying daw daw all the time
North East Wales = Sudo-Scouse agreed
Mid Wales = Fairly neuteral, a bit of a mix non-descript more depends on rurality i.e. burr if by Hereford way, more discernably Welsh if Aber way
Cardiff = Kayaaaardiff Cockney Bollocks, a beautiful twang
Newport = Rewnd the rewndebewt Yeah
Swansea/Rhondda/Bridgend = Welshy Swansea thicker sounding than the rest mush
Carmarthenshire and North Pembs = Really Welshy especially Welsh spekaers as first language
South Pembs = Neuteral, little England beyond Wales twatty we're not Welshers
Anglessy = Be afraid. Be very afraid. apart from the weekenders from Cheshire

Best stick to what you know Rubber...

N E Wales ain't pseudo-Scouse, although the last generation has seen the entire coast from Flint up to Colwyn Bay adopt a sub-Scouse accent that's also common in Deeside and Chester. But the real N E Wales accents are Flintshire and Wrexham. Wrexham's has got more of a Shropshire twang about it but is far more Welsh sounding than the Deesiders. And if you want to get very particular about this, you can still tell if someone's a Jacko (from the village of Rhosllannerchrugog) the minute they open their gob.

The same is true of Barmouth - they're all Brummies there.

N W Wales - Ever heard of Bangor Aye? Totally different accent to Caernarfon Cofis. Agreed the Ynys Mon yodellers speak through their noses - very strange people.

Machynlleth - that mysterious place where Gog turns to Hwntw... legend has it that there's a pub with a public and lounge bars. You speak Gog in the lounge and Hwntw in bar. The English go to the snug.

Montgomery has its own accent - lovely. Most distinct for elongating "e" in place of "a", so "bach" become "beeeeeeeech". Hyfryd iawn.

The South? All sounds the same to me?

It's an interesting question - my kids sometimes use Cockney-style glottal stops they've picked up off the telly.

 

[RubberBuccaneer]

Best stick to what you know Rubber...

N E Wales ain't pseudo-Scouse, although the last generation has seen the entire coast from Flint up to Colwyn Bay adopt a sub-Scouse accent that's also common in Deeside and Chester. But the real N E Wales accents are Flintshire and Wrexham. Wrexham's has got more of a Shropshire twang about it but is far more Welsh sounding than the Deesiders. And if you want to get very particular about this, you can still tell if someone's a Jacko (from the village of Rhosllannerchrugog) the minute they open their gob.

The same is true of Barmouth - they're all Brummies there.

N W Wales - Ever heard of Bangor Aye? Totally different accent to Caernarfon Cofis. Agreed the Ynys Mon yodellers speak through their noses - very strange people.

Machynlleth - that mysterious place where Gog turns to Hwntw... legend has it that there's a pub with a public and lounge bars. You speak Gog in the lounge and Hwntw in bar. The English go to the snug.

Montgomery has its own accent - lovely. Most distinct for elongating "e" in place of "a", so "bach" become "beeeeeeeech". Hyfryd iawn.

The South? All sounds the same to me?

It's an interesting question - my kids sometimes use Cockney-style glottal stops they've picked up off the telly.

How can you have a real N.E. surely the pseudo scouse ones are from the N.E, as well.

 

[Biffo]

It's great that such a small country has so many accents isn't see? There's lovely. Tidy darts

 

[munkeeunit]

It's great that such a small country has so many accents isn't see? There's lovely. Tidy darts

Now, even though that's just typed words, it sounded lush

 

[davesgcr]

Swansea used to have its own distinctive "metropolitan" accent - well it did to us from the wide open ranges of the Ammanford area ......

Agree though on the lovely and distinctive Mid Wakes accent - quite rounded and very pleasant.

Everythign changes over time though - the survival of all accents is a minor miracle after the efforts of BBC English and now the media global world.

 

[munkeeunit]

Don't start that again - Bristol and Cardiff don't mix

I smell a Bristol / Cardiff half-breed in denial of the tractooorrrr blood coursing through his veins

That your tagline reads 'sitting in a tree' is a dead giveaway of your wurzel inclinations.

 

[ZIZI]

Ok, I figure my comparison over time is going to be more the south, as there seems to be a fair deal of intermixing between south wales generally, and Bristol area.

UUHH, WAD U SAY?? There aint no banjo playing round these parts butt

 

[Karac]

N E Wales ain't pseudo-Scouse, although the last generation has seen the entire coast from Flint up to Colwyn Bay adopt a sub-Scouse accent that's also common in Deeside and Chester
Whys that?

 

[niclas]

N E Wales ain't pseudo-Scouse, although the last generation has seen the entire coast from Flint up to Colwyn Bay adopt a sub-Scouse accent that's also common in Deeside and Chester
Whys that?

The most obvious explanation is in-migration - more than 50% of the population of Rhyl was born in England, so it's not surprising the accent has changed. The same is true right along the coast.