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Talk Pembrokeshire

Haverfordwest Castle

Welsh language tutor Martin Davies of Llanelli looks at the Welsh dialect in Pembrokeshire ...


Pembrokeshire

  • One of the most striking aspects is the use of diphthongs (two vowels together) in forms such as dwâd = dod (come), cewn = cefn (back), cwêd = coed (wood/trees), and wedd = oedd (was).

  • Another aspect, peculiar to this region, is the tendency to not use the dark y sound; in its place we frequently see i e.g. cifan = cyfan (all), finy = i fyny (up), i mochyn = y mochyn (the pig) , and sometimes, w e.g. cwmeryd = cymryd (to take), and cwmwdog = cymydog (neighbour).

  • Notice as well the tendency of a final dd to disappear e.g. perfe = perfedd (middle/entrails), and we = oedd (was).

  • Read Martin's feature: 'What Is A Dialect?'

  • your comments

    We're making some changes to the sites shortly and although this form will be closing, you will have other opportunities to contribute on our new-look site.

    Chris Evans from south Pembs
    I think a lot of the Pembrokeshire welsh comes from the crymych area. Had teachers at school from preseli area who said wes a lot and finy rather than fyny e.g. finy fan co. Not long returned from New Zealand - am quite concerned about the decline of the Welsh language in north Pembrokeshire without a corresponding increase in Welsh medium education in south Pembs (similar to what is happening in south east Wales). Has anyone else noticed/concerned about this?
    Fri Jan 16 10:44:07 2009

    Carol - Tyddewi
    The best Pembrokeshire word I know of is "jengyd" which means "to escape". Another quirk (not sure if this is just Pembs) is when a woman talks about a husband in the third party "Ble mae e'n mynd?" rather than "Ble ichi'n / iti'n mynd?" My mother used to talk like this to my father all the time - anybody else come across this?
    Thu Jan 17 12:10:51 2008

    Mick from Derby
    Dafydd, according to the excellent but incomplete on-line Welsh-English dictionary contained within the www.estelnet.com/catalunyacymru website, "pentigili" has the meaning "from one end to the other", the northern form being "pembigilydd". This dictionary was last updated a year ago but apparently disappeared yesterday (02/09/05). I hope it hasn't gone for ever as it contains a wealth of information on dialects throughout Wales. Hwyl fawr Mick
    Sat Sep 3 09:20:40 2005

    Steve Taylor o Abergwaun
    Do you really hear "i finy" for up? I've never ever heard a Pembrokeshire person use anything other than "lan". Not that I'm suggesting that Martin is wrong, I just wonder if this is restricted to somewhere I don't often go! I can clearly recall being in a pub with some Cymry Sir Benfro and spotting a sign explaining where the toilets were: "i fyny'r grisiau", which one of my "proper Pembrokeshire" friends derided as "Cymra^g gog ofnadw"! On reflection, I really cannot recall ever hearing anything other than "lan llofft" or possibly "lan lofft", at least in North Pembrokeshire. I also remember a discussion with a native of Pembrokeshire in the National Library as to how you would say download/upload in Welsh; he immediately latched onto dadlwytho/lanlwytho and remarked that *fynylwytho sounded faintly ridiculous!
    Sat Aug 27 12:22:18 2005

    Steve Taylor o Abergwaun
    In fishguard and its surroundings I have heard many examples of the eliding of final syllables and their replacement with /i:/. For example: Mynydd -> Mynni or even Mwnni
    Heddiw -> Heddi
    Tatws Newydd -> Tato Newi

    This tendency towards an /i:/ pronunciation continues further north and resurfaces in Aberystwyth in the local pronunciation of Penparcae -> Penparci.

    Also occasionally you will hear Rhocyn instead of Bachgen, and Rhoces instead of Merch. There seems to be a preference for Mo'yn over Eisiau (ishe), and a tendency to regularise the negative of the present tense; put simply, Dw i ddim -> Sa i.
    For example: Sa i'n gwbod.
    This pattern continues, eg. So fe, etc.

    Also, I am is usually pronounced as "'w i", the D seemingly being totally absent in this area.

    I have a big list of more examples, but I hope this will do to be going on with!
    Pob Hwyl!
    Thu Aug 25 21:48:47 2005

    Dafydd Jones. Cardiff
    I have heard the word "Pentigili" used in North Pembrokeshire. What does it mean?
    Sat Apr 23 21:21:02 2005

    Alwyn in Manorowen
    Many languages appear to have several words for what are apparently similar things, but reflect the importance of that described by the word to the people. My late grandmother was from St Davids and used to describe the St Davids and Solva dialects (which could at times be quite different). Two words that stick in my mind are "Gwlybaniaeth" for damp and "Gwlyborrhwch" for "heavily damp". Both translate as damp in English, but are subtly different.
    Wed Jan 19 13:31:29 2005

    David - Kidwelly
    Yes Liz we do use hancsiar in Carmarthenshire - did you know that in Glamorganshire they say nished?
    Wed Jul 7 12:50:01 2004

    Liz in Trefin - N Pembs
    Here in Pembrokeshire we use the word nicloth for handerchief - a friend told me that in Carmarthenshire they say hancsiar.
    Wed Jul 7 12:47:18 2004

    Do you have any examples of Pembrokeshire Welsh that could be added to this page? Send in your comments here.

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