I’m watching S4C to get some listening practice but a o lot of words are what I presume are south walian…menywodd ,laethb.Can anyone recommend a northern orientated programme?
What is the divide anyhow gradual or sudden or do the folk of Aberystwyth borrow from both regions
Angie
The ‘N-S divide’ is a bit of a misnomer because dialects can change from county to county and even town to town! There are people from the south speaking southern Welsh in the north, and people from the north speaking northern Welsh in the south, but generally everyone understands everyone else.
As listening practice goes, it’s just as useful to listen to S if you’re learning N (or vice versa), because you’ll get to understand words even if they’re not the ones you choose to use.
A lot of factual programmes will tend to try and balance where their contributors come from, so end up with a mix of dialects. Dramas are different because they will often be set somewhere specific e.g. Pobol Y Cwm is set in the south whilst Rownd a Rownd is set in the north. It’s always easier to stick through watching something you’re interested in, so it’s difficult to know what to recommend without knowing the type of thing you’d enjoy watching.
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As Siaron says, in real life there isn’t such a clear-cut division between N & S as there are in courses. In my opinion, it’s just not worth worrying about because the differences are really quite small. The vast majority of grammar and vocabulary is the same, and whilst accents vary a lot, it’s well worth trying to get used to that early on.
I think it’s better to focus on watching shows you enjoy, regardless of which region they are from, because you’ll stick with it longer.
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The comments here about north/south are quite correct - you’re going to find everything everywhere! (Think about English-language TV, and the variety of voices you hear on that on a daily basis.)
But if you would like to “get your ear in” with some northern accents here are a few suggestions:
- There’s a brilliant documentary about the band Ffa Coffi Pawb!, which ends up being about the wider music scene in north Wales in the 80s and 90s - lots of lovely north-west accents in this one: Clic
- The prison drama Bariau is still available for another month or so - the main character in this has an Anglesea accent (it’s a spin-off from Rownd a Rownd, but much darker!): Clic
- A bit of classic Welsh TV for you: C’mon Midfîld (set in north west Wales) was a really popular sitcom during the 1980s, and it always gets wheeled out at Christmas - here’s the Christmas film they made: Clic
- If you like “reality” TV, there’s Priodas Pum Mil, which is presented by a couple of northerners (here’s the Christmas special, where they had £15K to spend, rather than the usual £5K): Clic
- Or if you like cookery, the fabulous Chris Flamebaster (from Caernarfon) has a new series where he goes round learning about the food in Spain (Llond Bol o Sbaen): Clic (if you enjoy that and want more, I think his Scandinavian series is also up on Clic still)
- A really wonderful series all about death, with the lovely Kris Hughes (who’s also archdruid of Ynys Môn!), if you like documentary (Marw gyda Kris): Clic
- The chat show Sgwrs Dan y Lloer is a really popular one, and this episode has Noel Thomas as the guest (the Postmaster from Ynys Môn who was wrongly convicted) - I haven’t watched it yet myself, but it’s had loads of good reviews: Clic
- A series I love is Radio Fa’Ma, which is sort of a hyper-local chat show where they go and talk to residents in one particular place (so obviously the accents will depend on where they go, although the two presenters are northerners). Here’s the one from Llanberis: Clic This series also has them going to Rhyl and Penrhyndeudraeth
- Similarly, Cynefin is always a good bet for hearing local accents, depending on where they go (and it’s a brilliant series - really interesting and informative). Here’s the Llandudno episode, for example: Clic
Plenty to keep you going here! Can I give a plug for my monthly S4C Dysgu Cymraeg newsletter? You can take a look at some of the recent ones (and many of the programmes I flagged up in the November and December editions will still be available), and register to receive the newsletter every month: Dysgu Cymraeg | S4C
(NB: I’ve given the links to Clic here, because you can get Welsh subtitles as well as English there so it’s more useful to learners, I think. But these programmes should also all be available on iPlayer if it’s just English subtitles you want - or none at all!)
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Many thanks very interesting
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Thank you. Very helpful
O many thanks . I’ll certainly try those
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Slight tangent. Have just seen the S4C Dysgwyr newsletter from Sara. V. excited to hear about the Gwilym Bowen Rhys series in Patagonia! 
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It looks absolutely stunning!
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Not sure whether to post here or start a new topic, but…
Does anyone have recommendations for shows to watch (on S4C or elsewhere) which:
- would be interesting/enjoyable for a 3-4 year old
- would also be interesting (to some extent - doesn’t have to be amazing!) for adults
- are in Welsh but have English subs
(Would like some of my kid’s viewing to happen yn Gymraeg but we tend to all watch together so it needs to be something my English-speaking adults housemates will also get something out of!)
Examples of equivalent English programs that work for both adults and young kids ie on multiple layers might be:
- Cartoons like Hilda or Kipo which have good-quality plot arcs/writing but the visuals are interesting to a young kid.
- Something like Bluey which is a kids program on the surface but includes extra subtext that only adults will pick up on.
- Nature programs.
Something like Olobobs is maybe (borderline) entertaining enough for adults that it would work, but unfortunately it has no subs at all on S4C.. unless I could get hold of subs for the English version (Olobob Top) - no idea if those exist or if they would be in sync or not… hmm
Any ideas welcome - diolch yn fawr!
Iolo Williams has some great nature programs - Hydref Gwyllt Iolo and Natur Nadolig Iolo are both great, and he has a very clear accent, imho.
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Marw Gyda Kris was fascinating - and his Welsh was very easy to understand.
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Sorry I’m a bit late to this one - I’ve been on holiday! This is a really interesting brief! Agree with the ones already suggested - both Iolo and Kris are fantastic.
Bluey has just arrived on S4C (Blŵi), which is hugely exciting. There are’t many episodes up yet, but as each airs they’ll be added to Clic: Clic
I would also highly recommend Caban Banana, which is blimmin hilarious. Gareth the Urangutan interviews 5-year-old children on different topics so there’s limited vocabulary to each one: Clic
One I haven’t watched myself, so I’ve no idea if it would fit the bill, but which looks promising, is a rugby-themed pantomime (!): Clic
In terms of visuals, Y Sîn might be worth a go? It’s a programme about art across Wales - lots of different segments about all sorts of different people (from painting to circus to dance to hairdressing and anything else you could possibly think of), and it’s supposed to be using slightly simpler language, and presented by two former winners of “Learner of the Year”: Clic
I’ve just had the heads-up that Gwilym Bowen Rhys’s new series about Gwlad y Basg (the Basque Country) will be starting on S4C tonight. You just might catch a glimpse of yours truly in there somewhere 
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If anyone (like me!) kept meaning to watch Ar y Ffin but finding other things taking priority, it’s still available on Clic but only for the next 10 days. Last chance!
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