Gwenhwyseg Explained

Welsh: italic=no|'''Gwenhwyseg''' or Welsh: '''Y Wenhwyseg''' (also called "Gwentian" in English) is a Welsh dialect of South East Wales.^[1] The name derives from an old term for the inhabitants of the area, Welsh: y Gwennwys.One of Gwenhwyseg's characteristics is the change in the long a vowel to a long e e.g. Welsh: y Ted a'r Meb a'r Ysbryd Glên rather than the standard Welsh: y Tad, y Mab a'r Ysbryd Glân ("the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit"). The diphthong ae is changed in the same way:

Standard Welsh	Gwenhwyseg
Cymraeg	Cymrêg
Traed	Trêd
Cae	Cê

This is a diphthong which varies in pronunciation over the Gwenhwyseg territory and not realised with same phoneme; it is also found in words like Welsh: pen, pren, pert, etc. This does not occur in monosyllabic words containing a short a like Welsh: mam and Welsh: naw as happens in some of the dialects of Montgomeryshire. Gwenhwyseg has influenced the English spoken in the area with English speakers using Welsh words and syntax (see Welsh English), e.g. "What is on her?" reflects Welsh Welsh: Beth sy' arni hi?.^[2]

Other differences between standard Welsh and Gwenhwyseg are:^[3]

English	Standard Welsh	Gwenwhyseg (Gwent Welsh)
to walk	Welsh: cerdded	Welsh: cered
to play	Welsh: chwarae	Welsh: wara
canal	Welsh: camlas	Welsh: cnel
window	Welsh: ffenest(r)	Welsh: ffenast
shoes	Welsh: esgidiau	Welsh: sgitsha
to do	Welsh: gwneud	Welsh: nithir
aunt	Welsh: modryb	Welsh: bopa
to speak	Welsh: siarad	Welsh: wilia
chair	Welsh: cadair	Welsh: catar

External links

Notes and References

Web site: Geiriadur Gwenhwyseg / Gwentian Dictionary. 2012-04-26.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/deddwyrain/bywyd_bro/pages/y_wenhwyseg.shtml BBC - De Ddwyrain - Geirfa'r Wenhwyseg
Web site: Gwent Welsh - the once common dialect that has almost disappeared. Sian. Burkitt. 25 February 2020. 24 January 2023.