Welsh Medium Research Seminar

'Hynt a Helynt yr "U-Ogleddol" yng Nghanolbarth Cymru

('The Northwalian "U" in Mid Wales)

Focussing in particular on the locality of Bro Dysynni (around the Tywyn area), Iwan Wyn Rees looks at the use of one of the most distinctive characteristics of dialects in north Wales. Why is the northwalian "U" used by some and not others? Does this vowel sound diappear more quickly in some words or contexts? These are just some of the questions which Iwan seeks to address, highlighting  how the use of the ‘Northwalian U’ in one area of mid Wales can shed some light on the origins of this vowel sound.  For example, do we have evidence to suggest that it was widely used in south Wales at one time? Has this vowel influenced elementary structures within our dialects?

 

Iwan Wyn Rees is a  PhD student in the Welsh Department researching the use of two mid Wales dialects, namely Bro Dysynni (Tywyn area) and Harlech (where he was raised).  His study focusses specifically on phonetic variation and phonology in these areas. Iwan hopes to draw attention to the rich diversity of dialects used in this region of Wales, and to suggest that their elementary phonological structures aren’t necessarily similar to the dialects of north and south Wales.