I hope it’s OK to post this - I came across it yesterday and it made me laugh so much I thought I might let people here have a laugh as well, particularly those learning the North version of course! Elin Fflur reminds me of the gog girls I learnt Welsh off - and here she is coping with Gareth (no relation!) in a short interview that shows us all how chat-shows should really be done. Also demonstrates the eternal truth that if you want to sound like an authentic native-speaker, then you should definitely throw in English words here and there - everyone does it, and it’s fine!
I particularly like the bit where he says
Felly deud 'tha fi Elin, sut gest ti job ar Heno efo acen Gogledd Cymru chdi? So tell me Elin, how did you get a job on Heno with your North Wales accent?
And at the end, when she’s out of the door, he turns to camera and says indignantly
if you want to sound like an authentic native-speaker, then you should definitely throw in English words here and there - everyone does it, and it’s fine!
I take comfort from this. So it was OK for me to ask my Tregaron Butcher “Oes Loin of Pork 'da chi, heddiw?” / “Do you have Lwyn Porc, today?”
I also lapsed “seamlessly” into English when I described my mother-in-law’s broken arm although, on reflection, I could probably have managed “braich wedi torri” but not the gory details.
Perfectly OK. If Elin Fflur and Gareth! the monkey can do it, then we all can. And always say fishi for ‘busy’ - dw i’n fishi iawn. Sure sign of a native speaker!
Or just never with any stuffed anything as stuffed shirts tend to be boring!
p.s. Diolch @garethrking, great fun and I am 100% sure none of us thought you were related!
Some years ago, a member of this forum told the story of a colleague at work, who, whenever he was too busy to stop and talk (e.g. in corridors, between meetings or whatever), would just breeze quickly past, saying “fishi, fishi, fishi!”.
I can’t remember who it was who told this story, but if you recognise yourself, do feel free to comment, and validate, correct, or deny the story, or indeed enhance it, or elaborate on it. We all enjoy a story that grows in the telling.
Diolch yn fawr.
