Well it could be - but I have my doubts as to whether there’s a causal relationship, because some areas don’t use the Fe/Mi very much (they never used it where I lived), and yet the generalisation of SM on inflected verbs is pretty much universal in speech.
The other instance of SM spread that you see in verbs is that the AM that the more formal language requires with negatives is very often SM in speech:
Phrynon nhw mo’r ticedi (more formal) Brynon nhw mo’r ticedi (more colloquial) They didn’t buy the tickets
Thala i mo’r bil 'ma Dala i mo’r bil 'ma I won’t pay this bill
no, sorry, although it translates as ‘long’ in some expressions, it can’t always be used to mean ‘long’ - a long walk or a long swim is a different type of ‘long’ (i.e. distance rather than time). For your examples you’d need to use ‘hir’ for ‘long’:
dwi’n mynd am dro hir
es i am nofio hir ddoe
The current Garddio a Mwy series has just finished (but still available on catch-up via the website) and the main presenters on that are North Walians. The comedy series Dim Byd Sbesial is very much Caernarfon dialect. The sitcom ‘R’un Sbit’ is being re-run at the moment, that’s mostly North Walian too. I can’t think of any other serious dramas/soaps though.
When Heno comes from Caernarfon (it doesn’t always), Gerallt Pennant and Elin Fflur are also Gogs, but of course they cover stories from all over, so there is usually a mix of dialects.
Another idea to hear North Welsh would be Aled Hughes’ radio show on Radio Cymru in the mornings or Tudur Owen’s show in the afternoons.
Remember, though, that within ‘North Welsh’ there are lots of different accents - Ffestiniog Welsh, Caernarfon Welsh, Denbigh Welsh, Wrexham Welsh, Anglesey Welsh, Pen Llyn Welsh, Dolgellau Welsh… they are all Northern but can sound very different!
Ward Plant is another good programme where very colloquial North Wales Welsh is used , set in Ysbyty Gwynedd and you will hear all different dialects from Gwynedd and Anglesey as it is the main hospital for the whole area
Thank you @siaronjames . I tried listening to Tudur Owen the other day but found him so fast i couldn’t understand a word but i’ll try listening to Aled.
I shall download some of her music to listen to in my car then @garethrking@siaronjames I sometimes feel in a rut just listening to the few Welsh learners in my class as when i come to talk to a Welsh speaker outside the class I find it difficult to get my ear in to what they are saying
In addition to Elin Fflur (whose music I love and listen to often!) you might check out Meinir Gwilym - her music is great, too!
Also, Radio Cymru has lots to listen to on the podcasts page here. I like the interview program Beti a’i Phobol, and Pigion-Highlights for Learners. Not all will be Gog, but it’s great exposure to lots of different voices and accents, and you can listen at your convenience (especially good for people like me who don’t live in Wales and find the time difference an issue when listening to live radio! )
Yes, RaR has dialect you could cut with a knife, but don’t avoid it on that account.
Dylan Iorwerth speaks a more cultured northern Welsh - he’s on Radio Cymru most weeks, and very occasionally on S4C.
Gari Wyn has a business programme on Monday middays on Radio Cymru, and I think he speaks nice clear northern Welsh. Worth listening to even if you (like me) have little interest in business.
