Use of Schwa in Welsh English

The use of the schwa in Welsh English is less extensive than in standard English. In many words that have a schwa in standard English, Welsh uses a full vowel. This also influences the rhythm of Welsh English, which has a less signficant difference between stressed and unstressed syllables.

In words such as about, data and hospital, Welsh English retains full vowels in the unstressed syllables. This is very different from dialects such as that of Received Pronunciation, which reduces the unstressed syllables of about and data to a schwa, and the final syllable of hospital to a schwa and lateral or syllabic lateral.

Also notable is that in words such as but, dust and fund, Welsh English tends to use a higher and more centralized vowel than other varieties of English. In these words, the vowel is not stressed, but nevertheless, Welsh English uses a vowel which has a similar quality to that of the unstressed schwa.

Welsh English uses full vowels in many words which have reduced vowels in other dialects. This gives Welsh English a distinct rhythm. In stressed words, Welsh English often uses a schwa with a different vowel quality of other dialects, one that corresponds to the schwa other dialects use in unstressed syllables.