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Rhyl
WELSH ENGLISH
Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
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1998
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© Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998, originally published by Oxford University Press 1998. (Hide copyright information)
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WELSH ENGLISH The English language as used in Wales. The term is recent and controversial. English is, however, the majority language of Wales and, as in other parts of the English-speaking world, a concise term such as
Welsh English (analogous to, among many others,
Canadian English and
South African English) appears unavoidable, however politically contentious. It is increasingly applied by sociolinguists to a continuum of usage that includes three groups of overlapping varieties of English: those influenced by the
WELSH language; those influenced by dialects in adjacent counties of England; and those influenced by the standard language as taught in the schools and used in the media. The influence of Welsh is strongest in the northern counties (sometimes referred to as
Welsh Wales), where Welsh/English bilingualism is most commonly found; it is weaker in mid-Wales, and weakest in the south, but even in such southern cities as Cardiff and Swansea the influence of Welsh is present.
Origins
It is not certain when speakers of an English dialect arrived in Wales, but it seems probable that Mercian settlers were in the Wye valley by the 8c. In the winter of 1108–9, Henry I established a group of Flemish settlers in Pembrokeshire and it is likely that there were English-speakers among that group. Other English settlements grew up in the 12–13c. Since most trade was in the hands of the English, the earliest regular Welsh users of English were almost certainly traders.
Pronunciation
Accent varies according to region, ethnicity, and education. RP is spoken mainly by English expatriates and its influence is strongest in the south-east. The following generalizations refer to native Welsh people: (1) Speakers of Welsh are often described as having a lilting or singsong intonation in their English, an effect created by three tendencies: a rise—fall tone at the end of statements (where RP has a fall); long vowels only in stressed syllables, the vowels in the second syllables of such words as
ˈincrease and
ˈexpert being short; reduced vowels avoided in polysyllabic words, speakers preferring, for example, /tɪkɛt/ for
ticket and /kɔnɛkʃɔn/ for
connection. (2) Welsh English is usually non-rhotic, but people who regularly speak Welsh are likely to have a postvocalic
r (in such words as
worker). (3) The accents of South Wales are generally aitchless. In North Wales, word-initial /h/ is not usually dropped, partly because it occurs in Welsh. (4) There is a tendency towards the monophthongs /e/ and /o/ and away from the diphthongs /eɪ/ and /əshtu;/ in such words as
late and
hope. (5) The vowel /a/ is often used for both
gas and
glass. (6) Schwa is often preferred to /ʌ/ in such words as
but and
cut. (7) Diphthongs are often turned into two syllables with /biə/ for
beer becoming /bijə/ and /puə/ for
poor becoming /puwə/. (8) There is a preference for /u/ over /ju/ in such words as
actually /aktuali/ and
speculate /spɛkulet/. (9) The inventory of consonants is augmented from Welsh by the voiceless alveolar lateral fricative ɬ (spelt
ll as in
Llangollen), the voiceless alveolar roll /r̥/ (spelt
rh as in
Rhyl), and the voiceless velar fricative /x/ (spelt
ch as in
Pentyrch). (10) In many parts of the south, /l/ tends to be light and clear in such words as
light and
fall; in the north, it tends to be dark in both. (11) The voiced plosives /b, d, g/ are often aspirated in initial position, as with /b
had/ for
bad, often heard by non-Welsh people as ‘pad’. The voiceless plosives /p, t, k/ are often aspirated in all positions, as with /p
hɪp
h/ for
pip. Consonants between vowels are often lengthened, as in /mɪsːɪn/ for
missing, and /apːiː/ for
happy. (12) The
-ing participle is often realized as /ɪn/, as in /dansɪn/ for
dancing. (13) There is a tendency, especially in the north, to substitute /s/ and /ʃ/ for /z/ and /ʒ/, so that
is becomes ‘iss’ and
division ‘divishon’. (14) The
-y ending in words such as
happy and
lovely is realized by /ɪː/: ‘appee’, ‘lovelee’.
Grammar
(1) Working-class users of English in Wales tend to use the following constructions, also found elsewhere in the UK: multiple negation (
I ‘aven't done nothin’ to nobody,
see?);
them as a demonstrative adjective (
them things);
as as a relative pronoun (
the one as played for Cardiff); non-standard verb forms (
She catched it,
The coat was all tore);
'isself for
himself and
theirselves for
themselves (
'E done it 'isself and they saw it for theirselves); the adverbial use of an adjective (
We did it willin': that is, willingly); the addition of
-like at the end of phrases and sentences (
'E looked real 'appy-like); and the use of the
-s verb ending with all subjects in the present (
I goes to school an' they goes to work). (2) Non-standard forms reflecting an influence from Welsh include:
do/did + verb, to indicate a regularly performed action (
He do go to the rugby all the time;
He did go regular-like); foregrounding for emphasis (
Goin' down the mine 'e is He is going down the mine;
Money they're not short of They aren't short of money);
there and not
how in exclamations (
There's lovely you are!); untransformed embedded sentences, especially after verbs of saying and thinking (
I'm not sure is 'e in I'm not sure if he's in); the over-generalization of the question tag
isn't it? (
We're goin' out now,
isn't it?); occasional
yes replacing a positive question tag (
You're a teacher,
yes?);
will and not
will be (
I'm not quite ready,
but I will soon); and
too for
either (
I don't like it.—
I don't like it too). (3) Look you (you see) is often regarded as a shibboleth of Welsh English in such sentences as
Tried hard,
look you,
but earned nothin'.
See is also often used:
We were worried about 'im,
see. The non-use of the subject pronoun is also characteristic of Welsh-influenced English:
Saw 'im,
bach.
Saw 'im yesterday.
Vocabulary
(1) Words drawn from Welsh generally relate to culture and behaviour:
carreg a stone,
clennig a gift of money,
eisteddfod (plural
eisteddfodau) a cultural festival,
glaster a drink of milk and water,
iechyd da (‘yachy da’) good health (a salutation or toast, from
iechyd health,
da good); the use of
bach and
del as terms of affection:
Like a drink,
bach? Come near the fire,
del. (2) Words that are shared by Welsh English and dialects of England include:
askel a newt,
dap to bounce,
lumper a young person,
pilm dust,
sally willow,
steam a bread-bin. (3) General English words with local extensions of meaning include:
delight a keen interest, as in
She's gettin' a delight in boys;
lose to miss, as in
'Urry or we'll lose the train;
tidy good, attractive, as in
Tidy 'ouse you've got,
bach. (4) The form
boyo, from
boy, is common as both a term of address and reference, and is sometimes negative:
Listen,
boyo,
I've somethin' to tell you;
That boyo is not to be trusted.
Social issues
Experiments reported in 1975 suggest that speakers of Welsh English are positively viewed in the principality. There is, however, considerable tension with regard to the use of the Welsh language, especially in schools and the media, and this can affect attitudes to English. Many consider that education should be bilingual, so that all Welsh people have access to Welsh as their ‘national’ language; others, however, including some parents originally from England, feel that bilingualism in schools puts an unnecessary strain on children, and do not necessarily regard Welsh as part of their patrimony. See
BRITISH ENGLISH.
WELSH PLACE-NAMES
The place-names of Wales represent mixed linguistic origins over some 2,000 years: Welsh, Norse, Norman French, and English, together with the Anglicization of Welsh names and hybrids of Welsh and English.
1. Welsh
The majority of place-names in Wales are from the Celtic language Welsh at various points in its history. Ten words commonly occurring in place-names are: (1) aber (‘river mouth’), as in
Abergavenny (‘mouth of the Gefenni’) and
Aberystwyth (‘mouth of the winding river’, the Ystwyth); (2) caer (‘fort’), as in
Caernarvon (‘fort in Arfon’) and
Caerphilly (‘Ffili's fort’); (3) cwm (‘valley’), as in
Cwmbran (‘valley of the river Bran’) and
Cwmfelin (‘valley of the mill’); (4) din (‘fort’), as in
Dinas Powys (‘fort of Powys’) and
Dinefwr (‘fort of the yew’); (5) llan (‘church’), as in
Llandaff (‘church on the river Taff’) and
Llanfair (‘Mary's church’); (6) llyn (‘lake’), as in
Llyn Vawr (‘big lake’) and
Llyn Glas (‘green lake’); (7) nant (‘stream’), as in
Nantgaredig (‘gentle stream’) and
Nantyglo (‘stream of the coal’); (8) pen (‘head, end’), as in
Penarth (‘head of the promontory’) and
Penrhyndeudraeth (‘headland of the two beaches’); (9) rhos (‘moor’), as in
Rhosgoch (‘red moor’) and
Rhosllanerchrugog (‘moor of the heather glade’); (10) tref (‘farm, homestead, town’), as in
Tregarth (‘ride farm’) and
Tremadoc (‘Madoc's farm’). The forms
pont (‘bridge’) as in
Pontnewydd (‘new port’) and
porth (‘port’), as in
Porthcawl (‘harbour of the sea kale’), entered Welsh from French and come originally from Latin.
2. Norse
Scandinavian raids in the 9–10c account for a number of largely Anglicized names around the coast, such as
Fishguard (‘fish yard’),
Milford Haven (‘harbour of the sandy inlet’), and
Swansea (‘Sveinn's sea’), as well as names ending in -(
e)
y (‘island’), as in
Anglesey (‘Ongull's island’),
Bardsey (‘Bardr's island’), and
Caldy (‘cold island’).
3. Norman French
The Normans invaded Wales in the 11c and have left such names as
Beaumaris (‘beautiful marsh’),
Grosmont (‘big hill’),
Malpas (‘bad passage’), and
Montgomery (the castle of Roger of Montgomery).
4. English
The long-term interest of the English in Wales, the porous border between the two lands, and the English conquest in the 13c led to three types of place-name: (1) Old English names, as with
Chepstow (‘market place’),
Holyhead (‘holy headland’, on Anglesey),
Knighton (‘knight's settlement’), and
Wrexham (Wryhtel's pasture'); (2) Modern English names, such as
Newport and
Welshpool; (3) Anglicized Welsh names, such as
Cardiff (adapting
Caerdydd),
Carmarthen (adapting
Caerfyrrdin),
Denbigh (adapting
Dinbych), and
Lampeter (adapting
Llanbedr, ‘Peter's church’). Because English has been spoken in the Gower Peninsula and south Pembrokeshire since the 12c, the area is known as ‘Little England in Wales’; English names in the area include
Cheriton (‘church settlement’),
Middleton (‘middle settlement’), and
Newton (‘new settlement’).
Double names
Many places, especially towns, which are known throughout the United Kingdom by their non-Welsh names, have unrelated and much less widely known Welsh names, such as
Abergaun (‘mouth of the river’) for
Fishguard,
Abertawe (‘mouth of the river Tawe’) for
Swansea,
Caergybi (‘Cybi's fort’) for
Holyhead,
Trefaldwyn (‘Baldwin's homestead’) for
Montgomery, and
Yr Wyddfa (‘the cairn place’) for
Snowdon (from Old English: ‘snow-covered hill’), the highest mountain in Wales.
Cite this article
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Football: RHYL MAKE HISTORY WITH UEFA TRIUMPH: Bloodied but unbowed; Rhyl leave ground with armed guard after Atlantas men viciously attack two players FK ATLANTAS 3 Zernys 12 (p), Laurisas 62, Peterikis 76 RHYL 2 Stones 32, G Powell 60 4-4 on agg; Rhyl win on away goals.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 7/29/2005; 700+ words
; ...By ROLAND HUGHES AN HISTORIC result for Rhyl in Lithuania last night was marred by ugly...overcame an FK Atlantas team, who left the Rhyl players as an army of walking wounded after...overshadowed what was a momentous outcome for Rhyl, who become only the third Welsh Premier...
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Lisa loves Rhyl... what can it offer the rest of us?(News)
Newspaper article from: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales); 10/6/2005; 700+ words
; ...By DARREN DEVINE Western Mail Why does Rhyl need the likes of home-grown pop star...s the beginning of October, I'm in Rhyl and it's raining - heavily. The time...in Partnership for the Regeneration of Rhyl', the poster proclaims. The image with...
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DAY AT THE SEASIDE... Ride around Rhyl and Prestatyn.(Features)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 8/21/2007; 700+ words
; ...was in charge of the Tropical House at Rhyl's botanical gardens on January 10 1997...featureswales@dailypost.co.uk CAPTION(S): Rhyl's funfair will close on September 2...help. Send your photos and memories of Rhyl fair - up to 200 words only - to Roland...
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Business PROFILE: I'll put Rhyl on the map for all the right reasons; Ian Eldred tells David Jones his vision of making Rhyl the place to work, rest and play.(Business)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 10/19/2005; 700+ words
; ...David Jones IF there's one businessman in Rhyl who knows how to marshall his resources...business confidence. He is chairman of Rhyl Business Group which will be officially...work to overcome the negative image of Rhyl that has stuck to the town for the past...
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Football: In Replay: Rhyl's great Don; Lilywhites legend Spendlove wins enduring fame In the first of our new series Mike McEvoy, who grew up in Don Spendlove's thrall, pays a personal tribute to Rhyl's goalscoring great.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 3/4/2003; 700+ words
; ...enquired the genial tourist. ``A place called Rhyl,'' answered Don. ``Rhyl, eh? They used to have a fantastic footballer called...endured. For here was a man who, in the eyes of Rhyl fans, for more than a decade and a half walked on...
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Football: Rough house tactics send Rhyl packing; It's Sud-over for brave Lilywhites' European dream.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 7/28/2006; 700+ words
; ...ROLAND HUGHES at the Suduva Stadium BRAVE Rhyl bowed out of Europe after an entertaining...challenges flew from Su-duva's players. And Rhyl's misery was compounded when Gareth Wilson...he could get nowhere near the penalty. Rhyl briefly broke forward, but within six...
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We agree, this town IS a dump; OPINION/WALES Backing for GP who says Rhyl is full of junkies.(News)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 1/27/2007; 700+ words
; ...townspeople. Many residents on the streets of Rhyl backed Dr Richard Landon's claims the town was...Stephen White, 53, agreed with Dr Landon about Rhyl's social problems. He said Rhyl was crawling with junkies and had passed the point...
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It's the Rhyl deal for Jackett's men.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales); 4/7/2004; 700+ words
; ...has he? Little North Wales part-timers Rhyl, in the FAW Premier Cup. Full-time...team. Hull, Doncaster or Huddersfield, Rhyl are not. But what they are is perhaps...football this season. Daft though it sounds, Rhyl are the Arsenal of the Welsh game. Although...
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RHYL: WELSH PREMIER CHAMPIONS 2003/4: Edwards:I never thought I'd get my hands on this trophy again; THE BIG INTERVIEW Rhyl captain Timmy Edwards talks to Post Sport's David Triggs.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 5/5/2004; 700+ words
; ...Triggs WHEN Timmy Edwards left TNS for Rhyl two seasons ago, he thought his chances...has been the rock on which part timers Rhyl have built their charge towards this season...admitted. ``I was pleased when it was Rhyl who came in for me two seasons ago but...
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HOCKEY: Davies duo lead the way as Rhyl trounce Saints.(Sport)
Newspaper article from: Daily Post (Liverpool, England); 10/6/2003; 670 words
; ...would have given him a hat-trick saved as Rhyl & District battled through torrential...would have given him a hat-trick savedas Rhyl & District battled through torrential...1 victory at Bolton the previous week,Rhyl found themselves a goal down on 20 minutes...
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Rhyl
Book article from: The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
Rhyl , town (1991 pop. 22,714), Denbighshire, N Wales, on the Irish Sea at the mouth of the Clwyd River. A seaside resort, it was at its height in the 1960s and 70s, but suffered when British travel abroad subsequently increased.
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The Alarm
Book article from: Contemporary Musicians
...MacDonald and Peters met at the age of four in Rhyl, Clwyd, Wales, while Sharp and Twist...Pistols ’ song, and performed in Rhyl for four years. They recorded the single...on the road. After a factory closed in Rhyl, many of its residents became unemployed...
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Kwik Save Group plc
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
...into grocery retailing, Gubay at first rented market stalls and a small grocery shop in Rhyl, North Wales. Then in 1959 he established his own shop in Rhyl and with it a new private company, trading under the name Value Foods Ltd. Although the...
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WELSH ENGLISH
Book article from: Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language
...alveolar lateral fricative ɬ (spelt ll as in Llangollen ), the voiceless alveolar roll /r̥/ (spelt rh as in Rhyl ), and the voiceless velar fricative /x/ (spelt ch as in Pentyrch ). (10) In many parts of the south, /l/ tends to...
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Iceland Group plc
Book article from: International Directory of Company Histories
...locations, keeping to the North Wales region. After acquiring a second shop and a 20,000-square-foot cold storage facility in Rhyl in 1973, Walker and Hinchcliffe put the Iceland concept into high gear. By 1975, the pair operated a chain of 18 stores...
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