Conversation in Pontypridd about accent, dialect and attitudes to language.
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BBC Voices Recordings
Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Goodwin, Marion Margaret, 1938 Nov. 10- (speaker, female, interviewee), Morris, Lindsay, 1952 Feb. 25- (speaker, female, librarian), Watkins, Karen, 1948 May 30- (speaker, female, novelist), Burgess, Albert John, 1935 March 13- (speaker, male), Burgess, Enid, 1938 Nov. 11- (speaker, female), Lewis, Ann, 1948 June 14- (speaker, female)
Morgan, Anita, 1932 August 06- (speaker, female)
[00:00:00] Speakers introduce themselves, mention where they have lived/their occupation. Discussion about their own/other peoples attitudes towards their accent. Anecdotes about peoples reactions to Welsh accent abroad. Experience of moving to Wales from North London and having some difficulty understanding local words/grammar. Anecdote about daughter saying daps in Harrow and not being understood.[00:11:43] Discussion about changing speech in different situations/when talking to different people, telephone voice, attitudes towards regional accents, being judged on their speech. Comment that it would be easier for people outside Wales to understand Welsh people if they spoke more slowly. Comment that attitudes towards Welsh accent have changed since 1950s. Mention attending elocution lessons to tone down accent because of youthful aspirations to become actress.[00:17:45] Discussion about local words/phrases, anecdotes about their use. How their children/grandchildren speak, influencing the speech of younger generations of family, effect of choice of school on their speech.[00:27:38] Discussion about use of swear words and attitudes towards swearing, how this has changed over time, influence of television. Mention euphemisms she used when her children were young, words she uses at home learnt from Prussian mother/grandmother. Swear words in books in library.[00:35:34] Discussion of words used to describe EMOTIONS.[00:37:47] Discussion of words used to describe PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES.[00:39:37] Discussion of words used to describe WEATHER AND SURROUNDINGS. Description of various rooms of house and their uses in past.[00:44:01] Discussion of words used to describe CLOTHING.[00:45:12] Discussion of words used to describe ACTIONS.[00:46:37] Discussion of words used to mean attractive/unattractive/moody.[00:49:26] Discussion of words used to describe PEOPLE AND THINGS. Mention terms of endearment used in various areas of Wales. Words used to mean running water smaller than a river/to play truant. Discussion about playing truant from school when young.[00:56:53] Anecdote about manager from Cardiff not understanding bosh meaning sink; first time she swore in front of her father; friend being teased about Welsh accent after going away to college. Explanation of various nicknames.[01:00:40] Discussion about attitudes towards regional accents, which accent they would/wouldnt like to have, why accents should be kept, what would be lost if everyone talked the same.
Recording made for BBC Voices project of a conversation guided by a BBC interviewer. The conversation follows a loose structure based on eliciting opinions about accents, dialects, the words we use and people's attitude to language. The six interviewees are regular users of Pontypridd library. Lindsay Morris, originally from London, is a librarian, while the others are all locals who are well-known to each other.