CYMRAEG search COVID-19 (Coronavirus) For details on service changes visit our Coronavirus information and advice page. PEMBROKESHIRE ENGLISH Home / About the National Park / Culture and Heritage / Pembrokeshire English SHARE THIS While new settlers colonised South Pembrokeshire, plying their trades, setting up towns and villages and enclosing fields, the native Welsh remained in the north, beyond a ‘frontier’, labelled the Landsker Line in the early 20th century. The name of this ‘frontier’ comes from the Norse term for boundary being ‘sker’. This divide is apparent to a degree today, with South Pembrokeshire English being heard in Narberth, and Welsh just three miles away in Clynderwen. So the dialect of South Pembrokeshire is quite unique, being based on a bedrock of native Welsh, seasoned with Norse, to which, after the Normans arrived, was added a large helping of West Country English and some Flemish. HERE ARE SOME SPLENDID WORDS AND PHRASES PERHAPS UNIQUE TO THE AREA: Word Meaning all to clush/in a caffle confused all beleejers leisurely all for heat miserable day in summer all front all show (of person) angletwitch earthworm apple-flap apple turnover ba boy babaloobies pebble/weathered stone copings balshag ragged person bittie small brangel brazen-faced woman cackty cowardly person cack-handed awkward, clumsy cadge scrounge chopsy overly talkative capswabble lies, nonsense cobnobble chastise, knock on the head cockalorum wand used by charmers/faith healers drapsy lazy person dicky poorly, uncertain dimp simpleton empting pouring with rain en, un him, it enough blue sky to make a pair of drawers signs of weather clearing fantaddling fussing funkin unkind person furrable pushy furren foreign, abroad scaddly pluck scramble e.g. for sweets tammat small load …and many more, far too colourful for this webpage! WE ALSO HAVE SURVIVING DIALECT WORDS FROM THE WELSH, WHICH INCLUDE: Word Meaning cardydwyn small person (pron. Ker-did-win) clegyr big stone (pron. Kleg-ar) cluster smack around ear (pron. Klis-ter) heck / hercan to limp FROM THE VIKINGS Who harried the area from the ninth to eleventh centuries we have: Word Meaning sker field boundary haggard stackyard hagglestone hailstone FROM THE FLEMINGS The time they spent in England before they arrived in Pembrokeshire, coupled with intermarriage led to the early decline of their language. A few words are still in use: Word Meaning droppel doorstep hadridge wild charlock slop gap in hedge AMONG MANY WORDS OF WEST COUNTRY ORIGIN ARE: Word Meaning sker small coal evil hay fork drang passage pill tidal creek lake stream MORE ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK'S CULTURE AND HERITAGE LAND OF LEGENDS Discover some of the legendary tales that have links with Pembrokeshire READ MORE ON LAND OF LEGENDS STORIES FROM THE RIVER Listen to stories of how the Cleddau Rivers have helped shape the Pembrokeshire landscape and the lives of people who lived nearby. READ MORE ON STORIES FROM THE RIVER PEMBROKESHIRE SAINTS Pembrokeshire is blessed with a number of early saints such as St David, St Teilo, St Justinian, St Ishmael, St Brynach and St Caradog and with them c... READ MORE ON PEMBROKESHIRE SAINTS PLACE NAMES How many years have you been driving past the signs on the outskirts of your town or village not knowing what the name means? Many of our Pembrokeshir... READ MORE ON PLACE NAMES GET IN TOUCH Contact us and register your details to get the latest updates on what's happening in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. CONTACT US National Park Office Llanion Park Pembroke Dock Pembrokeshire, SA72 6DY Tel: 01646 624800 Email: info@pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk VISITING Plan your visit Access for All Carew Castle and Tidal Mill Castell Henllys Iron Age Village Oriel y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre QUICK LINKS About the National Park Authority About the National Park Planning Contact Us News Jobs Accessibility Statement Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Cookie Policy Sitemap © 2021 Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent. Cookie settingsACCEPT