To think that Cardiff is essentially an English city?

[hirwaun]

Despite changes over recent years to "welshify" Cardiff... to me, it essentially feels like an English city. Barely any different to Bristol over the channel.

If you look at surnames of people living there, and exclude those who have moved more recently from other parts of Wales... the vast majority of families have roots in England.

Culturally Cardiff feels very different to other bits of Wales, even those 5 miles into the valleys feel so much more Welsh.

The Cardiff accent is mainly an english accent, especially in the nicer areas and the older generation sound almost RP.

I used to know someone from Cardiff and she didn't speak anything but Welsh until she was about 7 or 8 years old. I don't think she'd agree with you.

How can the capital of Wales be anything other than Welsh?

Firstly, Cardiff is really not like Bristol. Secondly, it is definitely Welsh.

But YANBU for disliking anti-English comments.

I used to live in Cardiff and I don't agree with you.

The comment about your child was dreadful though. My DC were born in Wales and have a predominantly Welsh heritage. They are a small percentage English and another country. They've been called 'dirty English' and told to go back to where they came from.

Really? Where on earth are you in Cardiff?

I have never experienced this. Born and grew up here to Cardiff mum and English dad. Never any questioning of my Welsh credentials.

Married to an English man, with a DS in primary school. I've heard anything like that directed to him/ me/ my DH/ any of the other kids with an English parent...

I am Welsh Welsh born and grew up outside Cardiff.
Lived in Cardiff over 2 years loved it definatly felt Welsh.
Lived in Bristol last 20 years and definate difference that's for sure.
Cardiff accent bit more gutteral like scouse or North Wales.
Lots of fluent Welsh speakers especially around pontcanna.
Match days feels super patriotic.

Loads Welsh people live in Bristol.

Cities often feel different to more rural and smaller towns/villages so I'm not sure the comparator to other places is overly relevant. What should the Welsh capital city be like?

You sound completely insane!

I'm also Welsh, but more West than Cardiff.

I'm Welsh, DS's father was English but 1/2 Jamaican and 1/2 German bloodline.

Nobody ever said anything about his Englishness, but there was confusion at the school when his Jamaican grandmother tried to pick up the blonde haired, blue eyed kid, stating it was her grandson 🤣 The school rang me and we're really confused, I said "oh no that is his paternal grandmother!! The German genes just really came out stronger in that mix" 😳

Genetics are a strange thing...🤣

Cardiff is Welsh and they have Welsh accents.

Having said that no one I know actually speaks it. (Welsh family)

I agree with you about the comments from the school mum about your son. That’s awful. However, that does not mean you should argue that Cardiff is an English city - in a sense that would just be giving in to the impression that the English want to take over which I’m sure you don’t want to do.
On a lighter note, where in England would you find bilingual Welsh/English signage which you always do in Wales? Only possibly in places with a demonstrable Welsh connection such as a couple of Welsh chapels in London.

Speaking as an Englishman and a Londoner, I find Cardiff as English as Dublin.

I think most people in South Wales are going to have some English roots, due to migration during the Industrial Revolution.
But Cardiff isn't English - look at the pubs and the population on match days!
The university has a high proportion of students from Wales - when DS went, half his high school year were there too!

Ive spent a lot of time in Bristol & lived in Cardiff & there's no way they're the same! Cardiff is unmistakabley Welsh, it's the capital of Wales after all!
YABU

Like @Aggielera I'm from Bristol but now live in Cardiff and have for many years.

I don't agree that the two cities are similar at all. There's also a clear Cardiff accent which is definitely not English and even more definitely nothing like the Bristolian accent. Most people I know here are very proud of being Welsh, but equally don't have an issue with me being English - although a bit of lighthearted banter between my friends and me often occurs around rugby time.

The mum at your child's school does sound daft though.

It's 100% Welsh. As the capital city, it's more cosmopolitan than the Valleys or rural Wales. HTH.

Maybe Bristol is more Welsh than English 🤔

I suppose you think Wales is a suburb of England too.

I went to Cardiff once. Felt like I was in Wales.

Oh yeah - that's because I was.

In suburbs like Pontcanna, Rhiwbina and Whitchurch you'll hear Welsh being used very frequently - some of the shops even have a Welsh first approach.

There's also an annual Welsh language festival held in Cardiff Castle for a weekend every summer - there's plenty of Welsh being spoken in Cardiff...including in the 3 Welsh medium secondary schools and too many to name Welsh medium primary schools.

You not encountering Welsh speakers doesn't diminish that Cardiff has a strong Welsh culture.

It's Welsh.

😐 is this like when people tell me 'Edinburghs really just England'..
Go down and tell the Leithers that!

Hopefully it'll follow Scotland gaining independence and rejoining EU.

You may have let your mask slip a little when you referred to people seeming more English in the 'nice areas'...

The Bristolian accent is probably the only English accent that is different to all the other English accents because of our tendency (I'm Bristolian) to put an "L" onto the end of words. It couldn't be more different to a Welsh accent.
I am married into a family that comprises of English, Welsh and Scottish (including gaelic speakers).