I thought I’d better say hello as I’ve been lurking around here for quite a while without actively participating. I’ve been learning with SSIW since late last year and have been enjoying it immensely. Having grown up in South East Wales in the 70s/80s without any real access to Cymraeg, learning the language has been something I’ve wanted to do for many years. I didn’t really fancy Welsh for adults classes, probably thanks to bad memories of French and German classes in high school, but SSIW has been perfect for me. So, I’d like to say a huge thank you to @aran and the SSIW team for providing this brilliant resource.
Up to this point, I’ve completed Levels 1 and 2, and what’s available of 3 of the Southern course and also worked my way through the old courses and vocab material. The course 3 short form stuff fried my feeble brain!
To supplement the SSIW material, I’ve been regularly listening to a few Welsh podcasts, watching a fair bit of S4C (although I can’t bring myself to watch the soaps), visiting sites such as parallel.cymru and listening to all the Welsh language music I’ve had in my collection for years, but couldn’t appreciate fully.
The one thing I haven’t done, despite the constant prodding by Iestyn during the lessons, is use anything I’ve learned in the wild, or in an online chat. Inspired by how well the first batch of 6 month course learners have been doing in their hangouts (yes, I’ve been lurking around the YouTube channel too ), I’ve decided to put this right and have signed up to the WSP Slack channel. I hope to get on there as often as possible in the coming months.
Anyway, apologies for the long, rambling post. I’m probably making up for lost time!
Welcome to the forum Ade! Well done on completing all you have done so far.
Iestyn is (of course) prodding you in the right direction! I usually compare learning a language to learning to swim - you can read all the books and watch all the videos, but unless you get in the water… so yes, using your Welsh for real is the only way forward! There are plenty of us in the WSP group who will help you get going (we’re “semi-wild” I guess ), so please do come and chat on there, and if you have any questions as to how it all works, we’re only too glad to help.
I too grew up in South East Wales in the 70s/80s without any real access to Cymraeg by the way, so I know (literally) exactly where you’re coming from!
That’s great. Look forward to seeing you. On the plus side, I have found that being surrounded by the Welsh/English (Wenglish) dialect, construction and pronunciation of place names has really helped me to get the South Wales “Cymrag”
It is nice to think we 6mws have been encouraging or inspiring other learners even as we rack our brains, get dry mouth, um & er, but then there has been a lorra, lorra laughs. I wish you much joy, @ade-h, on your first safari into Welsh speaking without prompts and for genuine communicative purposes. I actually found it easier than any experiences with other learners. No comparing is possible… the person you talk to just likes to hear the fact you are making an effort and have something to say! Pob Hwyl!
Haha, thank you, Siaron. I had a quick play around with Slack when I registered, but I’m sure I’ll need help with it at some point, so that’s nice to know.
Thanks, John. I’m sure we’ll catch up soon.[quote=“lornarhodes, post:5, topic:13629”]
I wish you much joy, @ade-h, on your first safari into Welsh speaking without prompts and for genuine communicative purposes.
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Thank you, Lorna. I’m looking forward to it (and simultaneously petrified ).
), I’ve decided to put this right and have signed up to the WSP Slack channel. I hope to get on there as often as possible in the coming months.
), so please do come and chat on there, and if you have any questions as to how it all works, we’re only too glad to help.
).