Um, hadn’t got that far yet… It looks like they haven’t noticed that someone forgot to put the form on the website! I don’t know if it’s worth an email - plenty of time yet.
Shw mae @netmouse and @AnthonyCusack the Eisteddfod team have now added the application form to https://eisteddfod.cymru/cystadlu/dysgwyr.
Enjoy the process!
But it does ask “how” the learner learned on the form, does it not? Or is it then a case of “nothing but the Truth” on the form, but not necessarily the Whole Truth at this stage?
If I were to apply, for example, this would presumably mean keeping quiet about SSiW at this stage but mentioning other pathways of learning I had used, like the fact that I spend a lot of time at a certain Canolfan Cymraeg in Wrecsam, speaking Cymraeg for a few hours each week (despite living in England) …
That’s certainly what I’d recommend. At the same time, it may not matter all that much - we’ve just had bits of feedback from learners who’d felt that the interviewers had ‘gone cold’ on them when they talked about SSiW - so it’s really more a matter of ‘potential gains = pretty much zero’ vs ‘potential losses = probably minimal, but hey, why go there’…
Presumably this is some no endorsement of private companies thing.
Whilst SSi is massively influential for those of us who use it. It is not the only thing that helps us progress to fluency: we speak with lots of people, listen to Radio Cymru, watch S4C, things on YouTube, read books, magazines, stuff on the web. go to gigs, theatre or other events and have insane conversations with ourselves in Welsh.
Probably the best policy is just be open and honest about all the various things we do in Welsh
Anyone from outside Britain who enters must surely have learned via the Internet? Oh, not if they are from Patagonia, but that’s a special case. I am sure I’ve seen people from other countries involved. Or am I imagining that? I doubt if Duolingo could make anyone fluent. So? Isn’t it SSiW by default?
I’m pretty sure there are universities around where you can learn Welsh. I’ve heard of Sweden and Poland each having at least one, and the summer university here in Helsinki has offered a Welsh course (maybe it still does?). I’m sure there are more
Diolch! It is brilliant to know there is that much intetest in yr hen iaith!
A couple of people told me to apply last year, but I thought it was a bit too early and also I had this kind of “nah, this kind of thing is for swots!” rebellious thing happening :D:D:D
With it being in Cardiff this year though, I must admit I’ve definitely given it more than a passing thought
Brilliant, let’s make it an SSIW fest! (Fairly discreetly!)
(But oops, I just booked two weeks in Germany during the Easter holiday - maybe not the best preparation…)
I’m actually at a wedding in Bilbao on the final weekend of the Eisteddfod, but still worth seeing how far we can get I suppose. Also, as I know I won’t get to the final I can just use it as a SSiW splurge
I’m sure they’ll do like they do at the Brit Awards
“Anthony cannot make it tonight as he is away recording his new album, but he did record this video message for us”
Well. I too’d and I fro’d but I’ve posted my form off.
Good man. They’ll love your story…