Hello all,
I've been re-reading some passages from a book entitled, "Davies the
Ocean; Railway King and Coal Tycoon", by Herbert Williams, 1991. This is
a biography about David Davies of Llandinam (1818-1890) and, while I have
a personal interest in this book as David was the nephew of my
3xgreatgrandfather, the book is a look into the local history of
Montgomeryshire in the 19th century.
I came across a sample of English spoken in the dialect of Montgomershire
which Herbert Williams quoted from the journal of the Powysland Club,
1890, The Montgomeryshire Collections, Vol. 24, article by R. Williams,
"Montgomeryshire Dialect" and found it so fascinating I'd like to share
it with you. It is, perhaps, the closest many of us would ever get to
being able to 'hear' our own ancestors as they would've chatted with one
another. I admit I have, on occasion, picked up traces of this dialect
among the local farmers I've met in Montgomeryshire, when I've heard them
talking among themselves. I expect those of you who live in Wales or
England are more used to hearing some of the old terms but those of us in
the U.S. would never hear this kind of speech. I find it rather
mesmerizing! The pronunciation of "Thomas" is particularly poignant to
me, as my greatgrandfather (and his father and his father before him) was
called Thomas Thomas -- 'hearing' the way it was said hi!
ts home, in a way.
'Well, John, how bin-ee today? What sort of a fair han-ee had?'
'Middlin'; I munna complain. I sold all my ship an' got two poun' ten
for the yews.'
'Well done. I wish I could ha' sold my pigs so well, but I'm afeard I
shall have to take 'em home today agen. This 'Merican bacon, I do think,
does spoil the market.'
'Times has been very bad, that's serten, but they'm a little better now,
binna they?'
'I dunno no, indeed. Besides rent, there's tithes and rates and taxes,
so many on 'em all, and servants is so hockard. I sometimes feel jest
ready to jack it up.'
'Wait a bit; dunna break your heart, man. This County Councell does talk
a dell about bringin' down the rates.'
'Ay, talk, and talk they 'ool; but I hanna seen much sign on it yet. It
inna them as talks most as does most. Small-neck'd bottles always keep
the most noise.'
'You are quite right, Tummas, an' very often it's them as canna look
after their own business as thinks they can mind other people's, and 'ool
spend a lot o'time and money about it, too.'
'Bother take their lecsions, I say. There's summat or other all the time
-- Parliament, Local Board, County Council, Guardians or School Board,
there's no pace to be had. It dinna use to be so.'
[end quote]
I hope you enjoyed this exchange as much as I did!
Best regards,
Julie Preston
juliefpreston(a)sbcglobal.net