@gregnicholas, I was the same. I’ll be doing one final year of the Meistroli course because I do want to read and write Welsh as well as speak it, so I’m finding the more formal stuff helpful, but even though I didn’t really learn anything new by doing SSiW, it enabled me to use the language with much more confidence. The method really speeds up your response time and makes real-time conversations so much easier.
Possibly people like us would be a good source of SSiW customers? As far as I can see, the marketing all seems to be “learn Welsh from scratch with SSiW” but there are masses of people who do traditional courses and, in theory, know all the stuff but just can’t access it fast enough for use in the wild. Why not market to them too?
Diddorol iawn. I will also be doing a mastering course of some type soon.
But you are absolutely right. Every course i did started with 25/30 at each level and ended with 5/6 of us. There are many out there who learn the language very well through traditional routes but never make the step to using it. SSIW really is a wonderful resource whatever your language level.
The only slightly tricky thing is learning more than 1 way to say things! I learned in Cardiff yet we were never ever taught moyn- never, always eisiau. I’ve never heard “biti” for about before ever- always tua. That knocked me a bit when I started SSIW but they are just options for me to use and they definitely help me understand others better.
Yes good thinking - learn all of the variations I’d say.
As anyone who travels or makes phone calls to different regions, the same applies to English dialects - so I’m happy to learn the different ways of speaking Welsh too.
I popped into Ty Tawe (Swansea) again this morning and was invited to take a market research interview.
Some of you may be aware, but it was based on route of learning, use of Welsh literature, spoken Welsh in work and in general, etc. As an introduction, I was asked what level of Welsh I was at, which was great as it set the tone for the level of vocabulary etc in the questions.
Although I’m not really a market research type person, I must say that I got a real buzz out of it, especially as half way through, we diverted into a general chat about my Eisteddfod visit. Also, I might have mentioned SSiW once or twice
I glazed over once or twice, but I would probably also have done that in English. Altogether, though, I really enjoyed it.
During August this year, at nearly the age of 60 I decided I wanted to learn Welsh! My mother was welsh speaking born in Anglesey. She had a bit of a difficult childhood and never really spoke much in Welsh to us children. She died 10 years ago and we still have cousins in Anglesey who we visit every year . I have always wanted to be able to speak and understand Welsh and just decided to do it. I started to plod along on a more traditional route and felt I would never get anywhere particularly when I heard fluent Welsh speakers - it was just a blur!
I accidentally found SSIW and I can’t believe how effective it is! I have really gone for it and have completed Level 1 and I am up to Challenge 10 , Level 2. Today I actually had a conversation in Welsh with my friend’s mother and she was amazed at how much I could say and understand. The listening exercises really work so normal speed conversations are not so daunting to listen to. I do find that words/phrases that I thought I would NEVER get suddenly pop into my head and I am able to say them. There are still one or two elusive ones though eg rhaid i mi!
I do think it really helps to exercise your brain as well - when I first started I couldn’t remember all the words in the sentence I was trying to repeat in Welsh but now find I can remember much, much more.
Thank you everyone at SSIW - I am so happy to have found you!
I love the fact that several of us youngsters are learning Welsh together! And sure, it really does exercise the brain.
Sincerely,
Baruch (age 59 1/3).
If you don’t already, you might want to start watching Rownd a Rownd (and then come and join us in the Rownd a Rownd thread). It is made and set in Anglesey (Porthaethwy / Menai Bridge).
I have found that if I listen to pêl-droed on Radio Cymru I get a great workout for my prepositions. My breakthrough this morning was being able to understand the match fairly well and knowing who had the ball, where it was headed and who won the match.
I was doing so well my husband kept asking me what was going on.
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6.30pm. I normally watch it via Clic, some time after it’s been on.
(It also gets repeated, but I’m not sure when exactly).
You can check here: http://www.s4c.cymru/c_listings.shtml
Looks like repeats are Sunday mornings.
Edit: I have to say that the accents are pretty strong, but hopefully you are used to that!
Well done (even if I had to search “preposition”). A lot of people find sport commentaries a good way to pick up real Welsh. On the other hand the sport bulletins fitted into a short slot at the end of the news are a great way to listen to some fast Welsh and perhaps just catch a few familiar words without beating yourself up about what you miss.
Oh definitely! I love hearing the weather and understanding if it will rain, be clear or be sunny. One day I hope I am actually in the weather they are describing on Radio Cymru!
