Here is a database available to anyone interested.
Linda Shockey
School of Languages and European Studies
University of Reading
Whiteknights, RG6 6AA
0118 - 378-7469
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A 'Welsh accent' of English
I write from the University of Glamorgan in South Wales to say that we have
just made freely available on the web a description of a 'Welsh accent' of
English, specifically a study of the phonology of Rhondda Valleys English.
Such 'Valleys accents' are heard across a large area of South Wales and for
outsiders form perhaps the stereotypical 'Welsh accent'. The study and its
recordings can be accessed via the University of Glamorgan website
<http://www.glam.ac.uk/research> www.glam.ac.uk/research (under Research
Areas A-Z), or directly at <http://www.glam.ac.uk/rhondda-accent>
www.glam.ac.uk/rhondda-accent .
The study comprises a condensed version of my 1999 doctoral thesis 'A study
of the segmental and supra-segmental phonology of Rhondda Valleys English'.
It contains sound-clips illustrating the different sounds (consonants and
vowels) and prosodic features of the accent, together with an archive
containing transcriptions and an entire set of recordings. The study could
be of interest to staff or students researching into World Englishes, Celtic
Englishes, phonology / phonetics, or intonation / prosody.
The archive of recordings might also interest students of Welsh social
history, since the coal-mining Valleys of South Wales used to be well known
for their close community life, characterised by strong trade-unionism and
socialism, by sporting prowess (producing a stream of famous boxers & rugby
players) and by chapel life and Welsh culture (eisteddfodau, choirs etc).
The recordings were made, sadly, not long after the last of the coal-mines
had been shut down and communities in the Rhondda were suffering the tragic
consequences of economic depression.
If there is any 'academic' feedback from the research I would be glad to
receive it via email to my home <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
[log in to unmask] (I have retired from full-time lecturing). For any
technical queries - difficulties in down-loading etc - please contact the
University direct as indicated on the web-site.
Please feel free to forward this message on to any people that you think
might find the resource useful.
Yours faithfully
Rod Walters
17 Avenue Crescent, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, South Wales NP7 7DE (Tel +44
(0)1873 854404)
School of Humanities, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL (
<mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask])
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