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The Role of Linguistic Background on Sound Variation in Welsh and Welsh English

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Sociolinguistics in Wales

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Abstract

Yn y bennod hon, rydym yn ymchwilio i amrywio seinegol a ffonolegol yn lleferydd siaradwyr dwyieithog Cymraeg-Saesneg rhwng 16 a 18 mlwydd oed. Rydym yn gofyn a yw cefndir ieithyddol yn dylanwadu ar amrywio yn y ddwy iaith ac i ba raddau y mae’r nodweddion dan sylw yn debyg yn y ddwy iaith. Yn gyntaf, cyflwynir astudiaeth o lafariaid a gynhyrchwyd gan siaradwyr o Rydaman (Sir Gaerfyrddin) er mwyn canfod a oes amrywio seinegol o fewn yr ieithoedd a rhyngddynt. Yn ail, rydym yn dadansoddi /r/ yn lleferydd pobl ifainc o’r Wyddgrug (Sir y Fflint) er mwyn ymchwilio i drosglwyddo ffonolegol. Yn drydydd, rydym yn ystyried i ba raddau y gall ffactorau megis defnydd o’r Gymraeg yn y gymuned a chyffyrddiad iaith hirdymor esbonio’r patrymau a gafwyd.

Yn y bennod hon, rydym yn ymchwilio i amrywio seinegol a ffonolegol yn lleferydd siaradwyr dwyieithog Cymraeg-Saesneg rhwng 16 a 18 mlwydd oed. Rydym yn gofyn a yw cefndir ieithyddol yn dylanwadu ar amrywio yn y ddwy iaith ac i ba raddau y mae'r nodweddion dan sylw yn debyg yn y ddwy iaith. Yn gyntaf, cyflwynir astudiaeth o lafariaid a gynhyrchwyd gan siaradwyr o Rydaman (Sir Gaerfyrddin) er mwyn canfod a oes amrywio seinegol o fewn yr ieithoedd a rhyngddynt. Yn ail, rydym yn dadansoddi /r/ yn lleferydd pobl ifainc o'r Wyddgrug (Sir y Fflint) er mwyn ymchwilio i drosglwyddo ffonolegol. Yn drydydd, rydym yn ystyried i ba raddau y gall ffactorau megis defnydd o'r Gymraeg yn y gymuned a chyffyrddiad iaith hirdymor esbonio'r patrymau a gafwyd.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Despite having studied towards compulsory examinations in Welsh as a second language at the age of 16 (see above), the English monolinguals reported being unable to hold sustained and unrehearsed conversations and did not have any receptive exposure to Welsh apart from ‘incidental Welsh’ used in school. This is not surprising in light of recent concerns over the efficacy of Welsh Second Language courses in creating at least semi-proficient speakers in Welsh (Welsh Government 2013).

  2. 2.

    An intense immersion course is available for pupils who have attended English-medium primary schools and would like to complete secondary education in Welsh. These are not included in the study.

  3. 3.

    Northern Welsh contains two additional central vowel categories which were represented by the words hûd and hud. These were included in order to ascertain whether speakers produced these vowels (for instance, because of family connections to North Wales). However, hîd and hûd as well as hid and hud were homophonous for all participants, and consistently produced as /iː/ and /ɪ/, respectively. As a result, the two sets of categories were merged.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Jonathan Morris

  2. Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK

    Robert Mayr

  3. University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Ineke Mennen

Authors
  1. Jonathan Morris
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  2. Robert Mayr
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

    Mercedes Durham

  2. Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom

    Jonathan Morris

Appendix

Appendix

Table 9.11 List of real-word primes used in the study of monophthongs (Ammanford)
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Morris, J., Mayr, R., Mennen, I. (2016). The Role of Linguistic Background on Sound Variation in Welsh and Welsh English. In: Durham, M., Morris, J. (eds) Sociolinguistics in Wales. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52897-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52897-1_9

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