Sorry, I only seem able to post the most daft questions.
Anyway…I am using Duolingo to supplement my SSiW sessions. I’m presuming it uses the South Wales dialect (so uses hoffi, instead of licio, for example), so I’m worried about finding myself with a sort of hybrid range of vocabulary (I’m doing the North Wales course). I substitute words when I know for sure there is a conflict, but when I don’t know…well, anything could happen!
Should I continue to use the app or not, do you think (quite enjoy it)?
I’ve never used Duolingo or done the SSiW courses, but having started learning Welsh (through ‘traditional’ methods) in the South where I’m from, then moving to the North and having lessons in Northern, then moving to Uni in Aberystwyth and having lessons in a mix of N and S (depending on the tutor!), then moving back to the North where I’ve been now for 16 years… I can assure you that from my own experience (past, present and, no doubt, future ) speaking a sort of hybrid range of vocabulary is absolutely nothing to worry about! (Indeed, sometimes it can be a bonus! ).
I’ve heard quite a few people following Duolingo and SSiW at the same time, and doing great.
So as long as you enjoy it, why not?
By the way, I’ve done a bit of Duolingo - right before SSiW and from time to time after - and I’d say it’s quite a mix of South and North if you go on, so maybe should I say pretty neutral overall?
Me personally I quit Duolingo mostly because I found it really boring and didn’t remember much.
And because I realized most of my mistakes were to get the (Welsh to) English correct, because structures and sequences are often so different from Welsh and Italian, and it was a totally useless if not counterproductive effort, so!!!
Hi Liz,
I followed the Southern course, and joined the Oxford group of learners. We are a mixture of North and South, but we understand each other. I think that it is useful to know both hoffi and licio, to use your example, though I would still say hoffi. I am aware that I sometimes use words or expressions that are more northern than the ones I originally learned, and I now definitely have a hybrid vocabulary, but never mind.
As for Duolingo, I started there and found SSiW later. I still use it to practice spelling etc. though it does get a bit boring sometimes. A group of SSiWers are following each other on Duolingo. Since you quite enjoy it, why not carry on? There is a thread somewhere where we agreed to follow each other on Duolingo. I’ll see if I can find it again.
Sue
I use Duolingo (I found it first, but now I’m doing SSiW). Duolingo is good for vocab and gives some basic grammar tips, but it can be frustrating, especially with its less-than-common sentences (A speed camera was chewed by a bear yesterday - for example). I get the impression that it leans “south”, but I don’t think it’s a problem. I actually thought hoffi was a northern word, since I studied the Cwrs Mynediad (Gogledd version) materials, and they used hoffi. Then again, I’m using SSiW northern materials, and a recent challenge had Licio’n i for “I would like” (If I’m remembering correctly, which may not be the case).
I like DuoLingo (573 day streak - go me!) but I don’t think it leaves you speaking very naturally, whereas SSIW does. However, I think it definitely has its place. As @JD_Hogan-Davies says, it’s great for vocabulary and grammar and the strange sentences don’t bother me as I don’t think of it as a phrase book, which I think is why some people question the usefulness of some of the sentences.
I’m rather of the opinion that you can’t have too many sources for learning, so Duo and SSIW together, along with S4C, Radio Cymru and books all help in acquiring the language.
I don’t worry about north vs south. I’m doing the southern SSIW course, but material I encounter could be either, so it’s definitely useful to know regional variations (you’ll hear “efo”, “licio”, “hogan” in music and on TV/Radio, for example), and sometimes I tend towards the words from the northern course for no particular reason (cyflym vs clou for “fast”, for example). Scroll down to Ibisc’s comments here https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/33700873 to see what DuoLingo’s Welsh course is based on.
I think it fades very quickly without constantly repeating practices. Unfortunately, some of the practices offer much easier material than the lessons. I remember the Memrise course materials based on Cwrs Mynediad better than I do Duolingo lessons. I’m sticking with duolingo, but sometimes I feel like I’ll never get through all the lessons AND remember them.
Yes, unfortunately you also see the very annoying league tables if you decide to follow people. You will find all our Duo names on the thread that I linked to above. The more the merrier. Duo doesn’t allow for any interaction though, which is a shame. I believe that the Duo course is going to be re-written to align with the new version of the Mynediad etc. courses. What a task!
@stephenbranley, your record is impressive. I agree that SSiW is easily the best for speaking, but the more learning sources the better.
Sue
The league system was one of the reasons I made my profile private. I used to like the clubs and belonged to a Welsh one for a while. I could actually interact with people on that one, and we could chat in Welsh. I’m not sure how leagues were an improvement.
I clearly don’t know what I’m doing with Duolingo (very new to it). I’ve followed you @JD_Hogan-Davies, but have no idea if my profile is private or public… Another question – is my Duolingo name my username?
The leagues were a terrible idea. It just encourages people to go for as many points as possible rather than actually taking their time and taking in what they’re supposed to be learning. I couldn’t care less what league I’m in and whether I’m going to be relegated or promoted. I want to learn at my own pace.
You can make your profile public or private in Account Settings -> Privacy
I’ve seen the Leaderboard but I didn’t understand how it works, and I keep on simply ignoring it.
By the way, I haven’t even completely figured what are those bubbles almost everybody here on the forum have on their user picture yet - but I guess it’s just I’m really not into this badges kinda stuff!
) speaking a sort of hybrid range of vocabulary is absolutely nothing to worry about! (Indeed, sometimes it can be a bonus! 
).
