What is Haverfordwest in Wales like?

Does interethnic marriage have anything to do with regional variations between North and South Wales?

• Historically, we know that people in North Wales generally speak their native language, but they have no discernible accent. On the other hand, people in Southern Wales generally do not speak Welsh; but overall, they tend to have a strong Welsh accent. In terms of linguistic etymology, how should we account for the apparent paradox between those who speak Welsh but without any discernible accent and those who do not speak their native tongue, but those people still have a discernible Welsh accent? In terms of latitude, North Wales is in close proximity with the North of England; but generally speaking, the people of North Wales do not speak with a Northern English dialect; but instead, they tend to have a Southern English dialect, which means they are not supposed to have any accent whatsoever. However, North Wales is not in close proximity to the South of England and there is a significant geographic barrier between the two regions, which begs the obvious: How should one explain the apparent similarities in the speech patterns between people of North Wales and the general population in the South of England? Historically, is there any evidence to suggest that the overall speech pattern of people in North Wales is directly a result of successive migrations of people from the South of England? Is the dialect of Northern Wales a result of historical intermarriage between English settlers and the indigenous peoples of this region?

• Answer:

  Where on earth do you get the idea that northerners don't have an accent? Other than people from around Deeside and the coastal strip who can sometimes sound a bit Scouse, people definitely have a Welsh accent - it's just a different Welsh accent from the southern one. Accents don't stop at borders, so Cheshire-type accents still exist west of Chester. I always thought I didn't have an accent as a kid - until I first heard my recorded voice! All my relatives definitely sounded Welsh - I don't any more, since I've lived in England for over 30 years ( and when I went back to pick up my A level certificate after a year at uni, I was accused of having picked up a Norfolk accent!). The other problem is that now when I speak Welsh, I have an English accent...