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