Conversation practice with Catrin

Catrin is settling into this odd new life of ‘not-having-children-at-home-all-day’ - and trying to improve her ability to say ‘no’ to the 8 million different people/events/causes etc that all seem to want her time…:wink:

As part of that, she’s decided that she needs a little more structure - and that she’s going to put a day a week into SaySomethinginWelsh.

She asked me where she could offer the most help and value, and I immediately thought of the conversation practice sessions that I used to offer a couple of years ago.

Catrin’s not quite as greedy and grasping as I am, so instead of £20 per half-hour, she’d like to offer sessions at £15 per hour (or £10 per hour/per head for 2 people together).

If that sounds like something that would be fun and valuable for you, you can book by going here:

https://v1.bookwhen.com/ssiw

As you’ll see, it’s Thursdays only, and there are four slots available per week… :sunny:

[Now, I’m obviously slightly biased, but: it was talking to Catrin that took me from being a confident learner to a pretty fluent second-language speaker (although I used to get more than an hour’s conversation once a week, at least until we got married…;-))… so you’ll be in very good hands… :sunny: ]

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Catrin’s accent is so clear and easy to understand, and she is lovely to talk with. Lucky learners, that’s all I can say! :wink:

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I wish Eirwen had not seen this post. She is now threatening to charge me 14.99 pounds an hour to talk to me!

I am tempted to say that I would pay twice that if when Eirwen is angry with me she would keep silent - but I won’t say that because it might make her VERY angry.

Anyway we both agree that Catrin has the most beautiful and clear accent. And yes - lucky those who sign on,

Justin

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O_o … I didn’t even know how lucky I am and what HUGE (sur)prize I’ve got at the end of going through all Lessons and Challenges to disposal at that time …

I might sign in one day for that sgwrs … but not just right now … I just have to progress more before doing that …

And now one of those of my woves as here’s time for pay off: Next year this time I’ll get myself to be as fluent in Cymraeg as I possibly can be in given circumstances …

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She are Aran, as I am learning the South Wales version will this work for me. Diolch, Lynne

Sorry about the She are, I forgot to check before I sent! Shwmae (it tried Showman this time).

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May I suggest a wee change: “Next year this time I will be fluent in Cymraeg” :smile:

Ummm … I deliberately didn’t use that one … so you’re putting me into greater task …

Hmmmm …

might happen, might happen … :slight_smile:

I’m not @aran of course (obviously) but am interested anyway … how far are you in the course?

If you don’t get confused that easily and if you’re confident with what you’ve learnt I believe there shouldn’t be much a problem (speaking from my own experiences). At least it isn’t for me. I until now I’ve talked only with people who are learning/speaking northern “version” and I’m learning Southern too. The only who learns South version I’ve spoken with (at least if I remembered correctly) is @stella, but talking to people who are speaking Northern didn’t make me such big problems although there can be a bit tricky sometimes and it takes a bit of thinking and taking things from the context to understand.

Maybe I suggest to sneak into one of Nothern lessons and take some listening to establish would it be problem or not.

But, well, @aran would surely give you more proper answer to your question then I did. I just thought I’d share my experience with you, that’s all.

Oh, and, @lynne_freudigmann, you can always edit your post. The pencil sign beneath your post wil do the trick and open the post for editing. When finished you just click “Save Edit” button below and you’re done.

Hwyl!

Swmae Tatanya, thanks for your reply. I have completed course 1 and Level 1 and am on lesson 4 of Level 2. I am in the throes of trying Aran’s accelerated learning but have.only done one session of four lessons in a row. I have yet to find out if that method works for me. The south walian challenges only go to 9 so then I will have to go back to challenge 2. I’m hoping iestyn will stay a step ahead of me as I don’t want to stop now. I will have finished everything by the time I go to Bootcamp in April. I also look at and make a mental note of the north walian vocab as I go so I’m conscious of them at least. So far I have not spoken to anyone via Skype as I thought I did t know enough but now I feel I will stagnate if I don’t have a way to communicate. The Aussie group talks once a month but I would like more than that. Neil Roberts has offered to talk with me and I will be doing that next week when I wont be interrupted and can spend the week with welsh. Thank you for your comments and letting me know about the edit button. Hwyl fawr.

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From what you’ve just written, I’m prety positive you’re on the good way and conversations with Catrin shouldn’t put you into any problem.

Yes, I believe you need to go for conversations especially as (as you’ve written) you tend to go on a bootcamp in April (which is North I believe) so go for as much speaking practices via Skype or in the wild if you have any chance for this, as you can grab.

However, I have no doubt, yuo’ll do just fine whoever you speak to.

You are welcome. As a matter in fact, checking Really useful stuff topic I realized I didn’t say anything about editing posts yet so this should come on the list in the near future, too. Diolch yn fawr iawn!

Hwyl!

Yes, you’ll be fine, Lynne - there’ll be stuff where you need to say ‘Sori, allet ti ddweud hynny eto?’ - but that will only sometimes be the north/south thing - mostly, it’ll be the (superb) exercise of trying to understand in real time.

And besides, if necessary, Catrin does a terrifyingly convincing Pobl y Cwm accent…:wink:

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I’d love to try this one of these weeks (although I’m not too badly off for Skype partners just at the moment, happily). Looking at the booking link though, I think it might need tweaking - it’s showing 4 spaces available per time-slot, which I don’t think is what was meant?

Oh, is it?! Thank you - no, that’s certainly not right [rushes off to fix it before Catrin finds out]…

:star: :star2:

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Thank you Aran, I booked the 10 am slot for Thursday. I’m doing some intensive days this week in preparation.

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If @CatrinLliarJones is as patient as you are @aran then there’s nothing to be “afraid” of I believe … but I just have to "cofio am bit i voi neu dwi’n gallu … " just right now.

O, boy I forget so many things, remembering them again and forgetting again … this is like perpetuum mobile … neverending story. :slight_smile:

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Don’t worry, I’ll tell her not to bite…:wink:

Hehe, … does she bite otherwise. She certainly doesn’t look like that though. :slight_smile:

(Oh, but this really made me smile.)

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OK then, inspired by all this intensive stuff going on on Facebook, I’ve decided to splash out and have an intensive day on Thursday, while things are still relatively quiet before the xmas madness.

I’ve booked @Mererid at midday and Catrin at 2pm and will try and listen to Radio Cymru while doing all the chores in between!

In the evening I’m planning on going to a beginners’ ukulele session yn Gymraeg… if enough people in Barry turn out to have signed up… (Still sure I can’t persuade you, @faithless78?) :smiley:
http://menterbromorgannwg.org/ukulele-i-ddechreuwyr/

@sandramckenzie, I think we arranged to Skype on Friday pm? (I’ll pm you too.) I could still fit in another Skype earlier on Friday if anyone else would like to join the party!!

Bring it on!!!

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Oops, just realised Mererid said Friday… Anyone like to Skype on Thursday before 2pm? :smiley:

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