How do I get her to reply in Welsh?

Welsh General / Questions
#1

Dear Aunt Agony,
I’ve been going to an exercise class in Lampeter for “Gentlefolk in their Autumn years” and am highly “motivated” by our delightful instructor (Cymraes Cymraeg). However, every time I try to speak to her in Welsh, she either replies in English or looks blank. I’ve even tried making rib-splittingly funny jokes such as when she was encouraging us in one exercise with the words “high knees”, “high knees”, I quipped “High knees i gadw heini” - not a titter, not a glimmer :frowning:

What more can I do? Would feigning a heart attack be going too far?

Rejected of Ystrad Meurig

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#2

Try tighter lycra, Huw.

Stu

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#3

I think that’s a superb idea, and I want to see the video.

While you’re planning it all, though, you might like to test telling her in English that you’re working very hard to try and improve your Welsh, and you’d be hugely grateful if she’d be kind enough to use her Welsh with you. You’ll probably find out that she felt her Welsh ‘wasn’t good enough’ or ‘wasn’t formal enough’ or some variant on that kind of theme :sunny:

#4

I’ll do my best - but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take a selfie while enacting a cardiac crisis. Maybe Maureen will oblige - beth ti’n meddwl?

Thanks for the tip - which, of course, is sound advice for me and people in similar situations :smile:

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#5

When is this class?? If Maureen’s not willing to oblige just give me the nod and I’ll be there like a shot, camera rolling! :smile: :smile:

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#6

Steady Eddie: that might give her a real heart attack. :wink:

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#7

Hello, I have had this problem several times over the years. My husband watched in amazement as I , first language English, struggled on chatting in Welsh to a first language Welsh speaker replying in English. My advice would be 'dal ati '.
Be determined. Some Welsh speakers think it’s easier or more polite to speak English.

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#8

Many thanks / diolch yn fawr for all responses - light-hearted and serious. :smile:

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#9

Just to avoid confusion, Stu’s was definitely serious, and we want video of that as well. :sunny:

#10

Be careful what you wish for.
Sorry my head got cut off in the photo :wink:

#11

O nefi wen. Iesgob annwyl fi. Twt lol, Huw, wir!

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#12

Just realised this could be a great name for the forthcoming SSiW boy band …

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#13

I would like this a thousand times if I could. :wink:

#14

Not once you’d seen the pictures, you wouldn’t.

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#15

Hmmmm…I’m going to say probably yes, even then. :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: San Francisco lives up to its reputation. People and their attire (or lack thereof) have lost the ability to shock me. I’ve seen just about everything. Just Wednesday there were half a dozen fully naked men waltzing through the Financial District for the April Fools’ Day parade.

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