The Gower dialect refers to the older vocabulary or slang of the Gower Peninsula on the south Wales coast. It was Normanised/Anglicised relatively early after the Norman conquest of England. Relatively cut off from the Welsh hinterland, but with coastal links across south Wales and the West Country, the region developed their distinct English dialect which endured to within living memory. History The Gower Peninsula was geographically insulated from 'mainland' modern language influences until well into the twentieth century. A number of words and pronunciations were recorded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as distinct usages in Gower — many of which might once have been widespread but which had fallen out of use in the developing standard English. Some Gower words seem to derive from the Welsh language (e.g. pentan), but many more of the words and usages are cognate with English country dialects including those of South Devon, Somerset and Wiltshire. Vocabulary Angletouch - a worm Back - iron plate, part of a dredge Beader/bidder - person appointed to summon guests to a Gower wedding Bellamine - unglazed brown earthenware pitcher (cf Bellarmine) Bett - prepared turf used for hedging Blonkers - sparks Bossey - a calf still running with its mother Bubback - scarecrow; dull person Bumbagus - the bittern (cf Welsh aderyn y bwn) Butt - a small cart Caffle - tangle Carthen - winnowing sheet Casn't - cannot Cassaddle - harness piece for a draught horse Cavey - humble Charnel - box-like space above the fireplace, often used for hanging bacon Clavvy/ Clevvy - large oak beam supporting the inner wall of a chimney Clever - fine (adj) Cliffage - tithe on quarried limestone, payable to the Lord of the Manor Cloam - earthenware Cratch - haystack Culm - small coal used in lime-burning Cust - could Cuzzening - coaxing Dab - a large stone used in playing duckstone Deal - a litter (of pigs) Dobbin - large mug Dowset - Gower dish, similar to 'whitepot' (below) Drangway - narrow lane or alleyway Drashel - a flail Dree - three Dreppance - three pence Drow - throw Dryth - dryness Dumbledarry - cockchafer Evil - a three pronged dung-fork Frawst / froist - a dainty meal (n); frightened/astonished (adj) Gake - yawn Galeeny - guinea-fowl Gambo - a cart; wagon Glaster - buttermilk in the churn Gloice - a sharp pang of pain Gurgins -