I’ve been learning for some time both in class and on-line, although I haven’t used SSiW for awhile,slapped wrist!
In class I reached level Uwch (Cws Prifysgol Aberystwyth) about 4 years ago, but have slid back since, and my grammar is quite good, my vocabulary is a little wanting, due to lack of use, but when it comes to speaking, I freeze!
I regularly read the forum and recently came across the Bobsled Challenge. I spoke to Iestyn and Dee about it, and they both said 'Go for it".
I’m starting at Level 3, Challenge 1, having done all the previous (sometime ago). I’m having a problem hearing some of Cat and Iestyns’ responses, so have rewound to hear the response again, sometimes a few times. I still can’t hear what ‘complete rubbish’ is "roch lloiw?’ about 18 mins in.
I don’t have a problem with the opportunity to speak, since most of my friends locally are first language Welsh speakers.
BUT I need some kind of kick up the butt to turn the corner!
Sorry if too long and boring, but future postings will be shorter!
It might be a fit for you - it’s certainly a kick…
And complete rubbish, unless it’s different in the south, is ‘sothach llwyr’…
But…
With all your Welsh-speaking friends - Beavan, seriously, set up an evening (2 hours at least) once a week where you only speak Welsh with them. That will solve everything for you faster than anything else.
If that terrifies you, start small and build up - find one friend you trust, and start doing a 30 minute session in Welsh every week. After a few weeks, kick it up to an hour. Then two hours… then add more people… you’ll get there…
Today has been quite good, but my challenge was a bit difficult as my dependable friends seem to be away, so I chatted with my fictional neighbour about the progress I’m making in my garden. This is something we talk about frequently.
Roll on tomorrow, I can’t wait!
Today my pretend neighbour became ‘go iawn’, and I was able to explain what was happening, we then went through what I told him we discussed yesterday, but were only able to talk for about !0 mins. before he had to break off for an unexpected visitor. We will try again tomorrow. In the meantime, as my enthusiasm increases, I did another challenge. I didn’t realise that there were only 10 in level 3 so should be finished by the weekend
Wow!
Didn’t realise that southern challenges stopped at 4, doing challenge 5 north has been quite a feat in itself! I enjoyed it, and understood most, its just some of the differences I found a bit odd. Anyway I’m going for a coffee before doing anything else!!!
After thinking of many random things, the first word/phrase that I could not recall was how to fetch something. I knew it used the word ‘nôl’, but could not remember the structure. I’ve now found it.
Tomorrow I will press on with the next northern challenge unless you suggest something else.
Where do I find the listening challenges in level 2?, I don’t remember doing them, I feel I should!
Eek, sorry - was tied up with an intensive course last week - or I’d have recommended that you do a bit of southern revision rather than jumping into the north - but glad you survived, and that you managed to embed the SoundCloud (I’ll go and delete mine now…;-)).
I am intrigued by the Bobsled run idea. I’ve looked at the information and I’m thinking of signing up, but can you just confirm that the 10 week option covers the same things as the 10 day one but the challenges are issued one per week instead of one per day? I’d love to do a challenge per day, but I have quite a few trips away from home and other commitments over the next couple of months so one challenge per week is more doable.
I am ever so glad that I made your acquaintance in the context of the SSiW Caerfyrddin parti, Beavan. Many thanks for sharing your own take on your “language learning journey” and your enthusiasm for SSiW with me. I am still wondering how the trip to follow the rygbi, in South America, went… Did you manage to speak Welsh much along the way? Dw i’n gobeithio darllen bo ti wedi cael llawer o cyfle i ymarfer siarad Cymraeg yno ac yma!
Sh’mae eto, a diolch yn fawr!
