Gower dialect
The Gower dialect refers to the older vocabulary or slang of the Gower Peninsula on the south Wales coast. It was Normanised/Anglicised relatively early after the Norman conquest of England. Relatively cut off from the Welsh hinterland, but with coastal links across south Wales and the West Country, the region developed their distinct English dialect which endured to within living memory.
History
The Gower Peninsula was geographically insulated from 'mainland' modern language influences until well into the twentieth century. A number of words and pronunciations were recorded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as distinct usages in Gower — many of which might once have been widespread but which had fallen out of use in the developing standard English.Some Gower words seem to derive from the Welsh language, but many more of the words and usages are cognate with English country dialects including those of South Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire.
Vocabulary
Angletouch - a wormBack - iron plate, part of a dredgeBeader/bidder - person appointed to summon guests to a Gower weddingBellamine - unglazed brown earthenware pitcher Bett - prepared turf used for hedgingBlonkers - sparksBossey - a calf still running with its motherBubback - scarecrow; dull personBumbagus - the bittern Butt - a small cartCaffle - tangleCarthen - winnowing sheetCasn't - cannotCassaddle - harness piece for a draught horseCavey - humbleCharnel - box-like space above the fireplace, often used for hanging baconClavvy/ Clevvy - large oak beam supporting the inner wall of a chimneyClever - fine Cliffage - tithe on quarried limestone, payable to the Lord of the ManorCloam - earthenwareCratch - haystackCulm - small coal used in lime-burningCust - couldCuzzening - coaxingDab - a large stone used in playing duckstoneDeal - a litter Dobbin - large mugDowset - Gower dish, similar to 'whitepot' Drangway - narrow lane or alleywayDrashel - a flailDree - threeDreppance - three penceDrow - throwDryth - drynessDumbledarry - cockchaferEvil - a three pronged dung-forkFrawst / froist - a dainty meal ; frightened/astonished Gake - yawnGaleeny - guinea-fowlGambo - a cart; wagonGlaster - buttermilk in the churnGloice - a sharp pang of painGurgins - coarse flourGwain - goingHambrack/hamrach - a straw horse-collar Herring-gutted - lean, skinnyHolmes - hollyInklemaker - busy personIpson - the quantity that can be held in a pair of cupped handsIte - yetJalap - liniment; laxative tonicJorum - large helping of tea or beerKeek - to peepKeelage - foreshore berthing fee due to the Lord of the ManorKeeve - large barrel or vatKerning - ripening; turning sourKersey - cloth woven from fine woolKittlebegs / kittybags - gaitersKyling - sea fishingLake - small stream or brookLancher / Lansher - greensward between holdings in a common field or 'viel'Leery - emptyLello - a fool; a carefree ladMakth - makesMapsant - local saint's feast day celebrations Mawn - large wicker basket for animal feedMelted - broken up, disintegratedMort - pigfat; lardMucka - a rickyardNeargar, fargar - nearer, fartherNestletrip / nesseltrip - smallest pig in a litterNice - fastidiousNipparty / Noppit - perkyNummit / Nommit - a simple lunch, e.g. of bread and 'soul', as might be sent to harvesters in the field Oakey - greasedOakwib - cockchaferOwlers - wool smugglersPentan - hob Pill - streamPilmy - dustyPlanche - to make a board floor Purty - to turn sulkyQuapp - to throbQuat - to press or flattenRaal - realRach - the last sheaf of corn to be harvested Reremouse - the bat Resiant - resident, particularly a person resident in the area but not having a feudal tenancyRiff - short wooden stick for sharpening a scytheRining - mooching; scroungingRying - fishingScrabble - to gather up objects hastilyShoat - a small wheaten loafShrid - to trim a hedgeSlade - land sloping towards the seaSoul - cheese or butter, as eaten with breadSpleet - a knitting needle a quarryman's barStarved - perished with coldStiping - hobbling a sheep by tying its head to its foreleg with a band of strawTacker - a youngsterTite - to overturnTowser - a rough apronUddent - wouldn'tUmman - womanVair - a stoat or weaselVather - fatherVella - fellowViel/Vile - a field. The name is still used to describe a commonly managed field at Rhossili on Gower, which is farmed in a mediaeval strip field arrangementVitte - clever or smartVorrit - foreheadV'rall - for allVurriner - foreignerWant - a mole Weest - dismalWhirret - a slapWhitepot - a Gower delicacy of flour, milk & currants baked Wimbling - winnowingWitches - mothsYau - eweZig - urineZive - scytheZongals/songals - corn gleaningsZul/sul - a ploughZz'thee knaw - do you knowUse of the dialect in art
Cyril Gwynn was a Gower poet who used the Gower dialect in his poetry.Phil Tanner was a Gower singer who used the Gower dialect in his songs, including the Gower Wassail.