Hi All, My name is Emmanuel Katto. I’m curious about the differences between North and South Welsh dialects. How does this affect learning, and should I focus on one over the other?
Please let me know.
Thanks!
Emmanuel Katto
1 Like
Bore da Emmanuel!
This is taken from the latest FAQ which will be available with the new SSi App:
• Should I learn the Northern or Southern version of the Welsh course?
The answer to this question is “It depends” – if you or your family live in a Welsh-speaking area, if you are descended from people in a specific area of Wales, if you have friends that speak with more of a northern or southern dialect of Welsh, etc. So if you feel a strong connection to North Wales or South Wales for any particular reason, choose that version.
If you live anywhere in the middle of Wales, it can be a little trickier as you’ll hear a combination of the two, so it won’t really matter which one you choose.
If you live outside Wales and have absolutely no connection to the country but you’re just curious and want to learn a bit of Welsh, feel free to make a random choice.
But be assured that in the long run, it doesn’t matter. People all over Wales use and understand both versions, so you’ll be fine whichever you decide to learn.
As you can see, there aren’t huge differences, but there are some different words and the accent is different. It’s not just north/south, however, as there are regional variations across Wales.
The main thing though is that you’ll be understood wherever you go. The differences aren’t so great that people can’t understand each other, and with TV, radio and people travelling around, people from all areas are familiar with the Welsh from other areas.
5 Likes
The only thing I’d add to that is that if you’re not in Wales, and not strongly invested in either, one further consideration is: there are more speakers in the South, but a higher percentage of the population who are Welsh speakers in the North. So if you’re trying to strike up conversation, there are definitely places in North Wales where it’s entirely natural to begin every conversation in Welsh, whereas in the South it might be trickier without family or friends. (I don’t think it involves Masonic handshakes in the South, but it might.)
2 Likes