Conversation-stopper

Last updated: 27 November 2005

Russell Jones from Rhosgadfan, near Caernarfon, has a local accent, but has been mistaken for a Russian in Scotland! He talks to friends Matthew and Darren.

your comments

Ron Foley, Swansea
Very happy with my Blaenau Ffestiniog accent, although left many years ago.
Fri Mar 13 14:26:28 2009

Dan Evans, Bodern
I grew up on Anglesey and am a fluent Welsh speaker and have the Holyhead accent which is using the word "yeah" in every sentence. I've recently moved to Flintshire and Welsh is more or less dead over here - it really does irritate me as I'm still in Wales! And I didn't even realise that I had an accent until I moved. Now I've got Scouse-sounding Welsh people taking the p**s out of my accent!
Thu Jan 10 13:12:15 2008

gwynfor pritchard, australia,
truth is i can't get rid of my welsh accent - after leaving caernarvon in 1955.been called a pommie [english] here a few times but soon put them right. i now class myself as a welsh/aussie and been called 'taffy' here since my army days and am only known by that name,they cant pronounce gwynfor anyway. I'm Welsh, with an accent known to all in my community now that I've educated them!
Thu Dec 28 11:51:33 2006

Robert, Williams, Bangor
I'm a fluent Welsh speaker who has lived most of my life in north Wales but did spend 10 years living in Germany. Although in north Wales people recognise my Welsh accent immediately, when I go abroad I'm taken for a German. This from other British people, not just the locals. It has happend in Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and twice while on holiday in Greece! What is the explanation I wonder?
Tue Dec 19 12:17:54 2006

Aled Hughes, St. Petersburg, Florida
I left Wales over 40 years back and live in the USA. But I was amazed when I visited Garddfon in Y Felinheli. I chatted to Billy the owner in English, and then spoke to my sister in Welsh. A couple of Welsh chaps said (in Welsh), 'blydi heck, a Yank who speaks Welsh'. What amazes me more is that the local language has changed since the 1960s. There are so many new words to learn! Then I met some idiot who had left Caernarfon to live in Birmingham for two years, but then came back. He claimed he'd lost his Welsh! What a total loser.
Mon Dec 11 10:34:03 2006

Lynne Fox, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
From Wales originally, lived in Canada for more than 20 years. I still have the "lilt" which causes some people to think I'm Irish! Funny thing is, when I say I'm from Wales, I get two reactions: 1) if they've any knowledge of our little country, they get warm and soft, awwww! or 2) they're very curious about this part of Britain and want to know more. Nice eh? (I personally think it's the accent. Gets 'em every time!)
Wed Mar 1 19:05:10 2006

Dai Jones, Fflint
It's so great to read the comments about the various accents in North Wales. Sadly, in the North East (especially Fflint), the Welsh language has all but died out and to make things worse, we sound like 'Scousers' when we speak English! There was a hilarious moment when I stepped into a pub in Caernarfon with my friends when we were over visiting my relatives, as an elderly 'Cofi', a bit worse for wear after a day's drinking and overhearing our conversation with the barmaid about where we were from, then commented: "Duw Mawr!....there's the proof for you - invasion of the vocal chord snatchers! Poor things, have a pint on us. It's not your fault!"

We were made to feel so welcome after that joyful outburst, as we must have looked so nervous when we first walked in!
Fri Sep 2 15:42:29 2005

Havvrone Rhodri , Saskatchewan,Canada
Even though I have lived in Saskatchewan, Canada, for 37 years my Welsh accent still remains, albeit not as strong as it was when I came here. But when I return to Wales people hear me as a Canadian, and they are surprised when I speak Welsh. I have been told that I speak more of a literary Welsh, of the kind that was spoken when I left the U.K. I have been mistaken as coming from South Africa or from New Zealand. Ond Cymraes wyf fi, yn dal i garu gwlad fy mebyd. (But I'm Welsh and still love the land of my birth.)
Sat Aug 27 04:15:55 2005

Sydney Williams, Porthmadog
I moved from Port 42 years ago, lived in different parts of London. I married an East Ender, then moved to Essex. Very few people can guess my accent, I have been asked if I am Norwegian, Irish, South African, amongst the few but never guess that I am Welsh, also Welsh speaking. However I am quite happy with this accent, although sometimes it can be quite irritating when people say "pardon", me thinking that I speak proper English. When I have been home to Wales I realise myself that the old Welsh 'twang' comes across very strongly. Nice to be different.
Thu Aug 18 20:57:26 2005

Paul Georgie
I believe a person's accent accumulates throughout his/her entire life. And that it also changes with who the other conversant is. I joined the RAF when I was 17 and found that my accent gradually started to change to accommodate other accents. It's a common occurence in the MOD. I suppose you could call it Celtinglish. Of course there's nothing quite like coming back to Cofi Land and reverting back to my favourite dialect and calling my large brother a 'cont'. You lot know what I mean.

I live in Holyhead at the moment and I currently spend a lot of my time saying "YEAH!". Then again it's better than saying "AYE!".

A lot of the people I work with struggle to place my accent, I put this down to Celtinglish - my accumulation of british and Irish accents. But there is one intersting point about my so called accent. Subconscious steps in at any time when i'm conversing with most Welsh people, it rapidly ascents to a glorious cofi accent. I don't realise I'm doing it. It just feels right.
Mon Jul 18 21:08:25 2005

Gwyneth McGill nee Jones, Canada
After living in Canada for some 48 years I had pretty much lost my accent so I thought, but while working in the U.S. with racehorses I was often mistaken for a New Englander, from the Boston Mass. area. Now that my father Dick Trevor Jones from Caernarfon and I are back living under the same roof once more I am told that when I speak with him my accent returns. Halleluhia.
Tue Jul 5 01:39:06 2005

Erica Jones from Caernarfon
I am very confident in speaking my native Welsh language, but when it comes to speaking English, I sometimes get irritated as i cannot seem to translate everything, to mean what i want to say in full. I am often known to speak 'Wenglish' with my English speaking friends, as i find it easier than trying to translate something, and ending up saying something wrong!
Mon May 23 15:20:09 2005

Dave R, Caernarfon.
Having an accent in english (to me a foreign language) is irrelevant, being able to speak the Welsh language is much more important to me. When I speak English, I have little or no accent. As I spoke most of my English away from Wales I imagine I've picked up the accents from these places. Hardly anyone can guess where I'm from when i speak English, though apparently, now i'm back living in Caernarfon I have been told that there is a slight twang returning!
Thu Feb 3 20:27:23 2005

Alwyn Parry
Ever since I saw My Fair Lady I have been intrigued by accents and indeed the way that they change in the UK even over a very short distance. I recall in my youth (50 years ago) The 'Bangor Posh Aye' accent compared to the Caernarfon speaker 9 miles away who would articulate his English in exactly the same manner as if they were speaking Welsh. I also recall my own problems where I would literally translate from Welsh into English and being embarassed but in reality it was no different to a Frenchman learning to speak English! Today, after living overseas for almost 50 years, predominantly in New Zealand, I am often mistaken for a South African and whilst I still speak Welsh fluently, although I probably sound like an antique, as of course my language has not become influenced to the same degree as had I been living in Wales.
Thu Dec 16 01:40:56 2004

Jason Edwards from Bangor
Whilst my Mam is a born-and-bred Welsh language local, my Dad's from Llandudno, meaning I spoke both Welsh and English at home. This has diluted my Welsh accent to a point where many people think I'm actually English. A strong Welsh accent is something to be proud of, but can lead others to think of us as, and I quote from a friend, "a bit dim".
Mon Dec 13 16:12:21 2004

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