Villages just miles apart where people speak different versions of same language

04 June 2023 , 22:05

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The nearby villages speak different dialects (Image: Daily Post Wales)

Residents of two villages four miles apart speak two different dialects - but say there is still “banter” between them both.

Welsh-speaking Conwy villages of Llansannan and Llangernyw speak different versions of Cymraeg with plenty of noticeable variations.

Both villages boast some of the highest Welsh language percentage figures found anywhere in Wales, with more than 65 per cent in both areas able to speak Cymraeg - a figure well in excess of the Conwy County average of around 27 per cent, reports NorthWalesLive.

Gwenno Davies was born and bred in the Llansannan area.

She said: "I think maybe the River Elwy would be the dividing line (between the two dialects). On our side of the river we say for example 'adre' (home) whereas they would say 'adra'.

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Villagers say there is good banter between them both (Daily Post Wales)

"It's the difference with the letter A and E mainly - another example is how we would pronounce Dinbych - people from Llangernyw would pronounce it as Dinbach whilst we would say Dinbech."

In general, the difference in dialect between people from the north east of Wales and those from the north west is quite noticeable with a marked difference in accent as well.

This Welsh language version of the Mason-Dixon line appears to be somewhere between the two villages south of Abergele.

One resident of Llangernyw, Mark, told North Wales Live: "There are some slight differences in the way we speak Cymraeg but it's mainly just the odd letter 'A' and 'E' that changes really, also we would sometimes use 'chdi' (you) instead of 'ti'.

“People from Llansannan probably have more in common with the Vale of Clwyd in terms of the Welsh they use, whereas we are probably more similar to places like Llanrwst.

"We all get along really well, a few of us often pop down to the Red Lion for a pint whilst a lot of the Llansannan lads come here for a few drinks in the Stag.

“There's always a bit of banter between us."

Thomas Lewis