Seven mispronounced places in Gwent - and how to say them

The history of place names in Gwent is one of words melding together and twisting until they become something new.

So, where do the places we call home get their names from? And most importantly, what should we be calling them?

Spytty

Today, Spytty is known for its retail park - but it probably gets its name from a hospital (Image: Sam Portillo)

Historian Tim Lambert traces the name for this corner of Newport back to the 14th century when friars built a hospital for patients with infectious diseases.

So, how does this neck of Newport owe its name to a hospital? Quite simply, Spytty is believed to be a corruption of the Welsh “ysbyty” (hospital).

Eventually, the area with the ysbyty became Spytty – even after the friars' hospital closed for good.

It's commonly pronounced "spitty" - but ysbyty rhymes with "butty", and so should Spytty. 

Caldicot

Caldicot looks simple but it was still enough to cause a council row

This town name looks simple enough - like Camelot, nice and phonetic.

And yet, it was controversial enough to trigger a council row.

How do you pronounce the first syllable? Cal- as in cull, or Cal- as in pal?

Last year, one Monmouthshire county councillor interrupted a debate to pick up on what he perceived as another councillor’s mispronunciation.

According to that councillor, a Caldicot native, it should rhyme with “pal” - though pals, at the time, they were not.

Rogiet

Rogiet - a word that looks more beautiful than it sounds. (Image: Rogiet Community Junction)

At a glance it is tempting to soften the “g” in Rogiet like it is a French word so it becomes Roj-et.

But the correct pronunciation of the “g”, according to the town’s contemporary inhabitants, is harsh like the “g” in frog.

This seems more obvious with old spellings of the word such as Roggiet.

Where the name comes from is another question altogether and one that does not have an academic consensus.

At least we know how to say it: Rogiet rhymes with flog it. Got it?

Bassaleg

Bassaleg might be the only place in Britain to get its name from this old word (Image: Sam Portillo)

Historians believe this Newport suburb could be the only place name in Britain which derives from the old Christian word “basilica” – a church containing the body of a saint.

In Newport, you will usually hear “baze-leg”, though a Welsh speaker might take a more say-it-as-you-see-it approach with “bass-a-leg”.

Ystrad Mynach

Ystrad Mynach could get its name from monks (Image: Google)

Ready for a quick Welsh lesson?

An “ystrad” is a dale or open valley and a “mynach” is a monk.

Some argue “mynach” could come from the word for a spot, point, or place, “man”.

The “ach” bit on the end seems to indicate a spot that is marshy.

How do you say it? Once you know the “y” makes an “uh” sound, it is quite straight forward. Uh-strad muhn-ach.

Bettws

Bettws is a case where the popular pronunciation has strayed from the Welsh origins

It's common to hear it pronounced "bettis", but if we are being technical, W does not make an “ih” sound in Welsh. Say: "bet-oos".

Gaer

If there is one thing we can agree on in this list: isn't Gaer beautiful? If only we could agree on how to say it...

The “ae” (in Welsh) falls somewhere between “guy” and “neigh”. When it is in the final syllable, it is closer to “guy”, and as Gaer is only one syllable – we say “Guy-er”!

Others say Gaer rhymes with hair.

Simple (not).

Cymru

Cymru continues to baffle some from across the bridge (Image: South Wales Argus Camera Club member Jim Cousins)

One that most Welsh folk will know but continues to baffle some of our English friends.

Again, the “y” makes an “uh” sound, the “u” sounds something like an “ee”. So: Cuhm-ree.

The word is thought to derive from the early Brittonic word for compatriot – “combragos”.

And so while the arguments about pronunciation will never end, at least we can say we are combragos.

Only... how do you say combragos?