Is it me, or do Welsh rugby players on average sound much less strongly-accented than in the past?

[Deleted member 91904]

A couple of non-rugby examples of Welshmen whose accents have declined substantially:

Rhod Gilbert in 2009


Rhod Gilbert in 2022


Aneurin Barnard in 2012


Aneurin Barnard now

If they've been living in England for years and years that could explain why they sound less Welsh

 

[BrokenWing]

I also don’t think you can compare Rhod Gilbert on stage doing a standup routine to Rhod Gilbert sat in a quiet room doing a zoom interview whilst probably still undergoing treatment for cancer.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

I also don’t think you can compare Rhod Gilbert on stage doing a standup routine to Rhod Gilbert sat in a quiet room doing a zoom interview whilst probably still undergoing treatment for cancer.

Actually, I think you have a point there - I am not 100% sure to what extent his accent has really declined, and to what extent he actually PUTS ON a stronger accent sometimes for comedic purposes.

 

[Demfad]

I know individuals may have mellowed accents away from home.
It is also a wider issue in many countries due to TV and travel/intermingling.

There was a famous Italian cyclist called Marco Pantani. Now he spoke a dialect of Italian when he was growing up. One of 50 dialects in Italy never mind different Italian accents. Due to National Television all those dialects are now gone and the accents have far less variance. Older folk who may not have watched as much TV and stayed local will keep the stronger accents but its a phenomenon everywhere.

I was in Dublin and two blokes asked me directions. I told them and asked them what part of North America they were from? They were from Dublin .........