I’ve followed a link from the Comisiynydd Y Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Commissioner) that is supposed to lead to a source of ‘badges for learners’ and I’ve left them a message through their online form, so fingers crossed I’ll get an answer soon and can report back.
Has anyone actually had any success engaging in conversations due to wearing a badge?
Over the years I’ve acquired a little collection, but I’ve never been convinced that wearing one would help because they’re small and unobtrusive. Perhaps I should experiment with the “Cymraeg” ones now I actually feel confident enough to speak to people in Welsh?
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I have a lanyard in black and orange, saying “dysgur Cymraeg” which I wear with my ID card when working in the local museum. It explains that I’m a learner. Here where I live Welsh is the majority language so it helps people to understand that I’m not dopey, just learning. I also have a couple of the enamelled badges like the one at the bottom right, but with “Dysgu” added. I got those by writing to Aberystwyth University. They were free. They are readily recognised around here.
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I was wearing the orange one when I first started learning Welsh and there were Christmas stalls in Caerdydd. One of the stall owners gave me a big smile and addressed me in Welsh, nodding at my badge. I was delighted as I was still nervous about starting a conversation in Welsh myself.
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Not full conversations - but I have had a few comments come to me in Welsh in the aisles of Tesco, when I know for a fact they would have come in English without the badge (Oops sorry - excuse me - things like that when in a tight aisle).
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Thanks @Deborah-SSi and @Nicky. Your comments encourage me to give the Cymraeg badges a try. 
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And the opposite is true also. My default setting is Welsh first nowadays (as came to my downfall last week hahaha!) but when I’ve seen a staff member in Tesco wearing the badge or the lanyard I’ve always gone to them rather than the machine.
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Started an Wlpan course in 2012 (didn’t finish) and we were given a small metal lapel badge. Never had the confidence to wear it. It’s a good idea though.
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The dragon on this badge looks suspiciously like a giraffe, but it’s cute nonetheless.
And then there’s this one that I found on Pinterest. There was no attribution or shop link. Maybe it could be printed out, mounted on cardboard or some other such stiffened backing, and a pin attached. Sort of artsy-craftsy kindergarten, but hey… 
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Whoa, I just fell over this, if you want an easy-to-read badge. It’s from the Welsh Gift Shop, and they ship worldwide.
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[quote=“margarethall, post:22, topic:11673”]
Has anyone actually had any success engaging in conversations due to wearing a badge?[/quote]
Coming late to this, but the orange one is the one I have on my jacket, that I mentioned above. It does seem to be effective.
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Is that in USA or UK, Sionned? I rather suspect that Americans are more likely to respond than Brits, but would love to be proved wrong!
In the US people just ask what it means. In Wales, people do speak to me in Welsh.
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Hi Dee, I would love one of the pin badges that @sarapeacock posted above if you have any luck sourcing them…
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Right, I’ve had an email back from the National Centre for Learning Welsh saying that they’re expecting more batches of badges very soon, and asking me to let me know how many and where to send them to. There is no mention of the people needing to live in Wales, but that might just be an assumption on their part.
I’ll write back and see if they’re willing to post them out if I send a list of names and addresses
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Badges are so 1970s though, aren’t they?
Given that when people want to make contact it’s best done by eyeballing them, maybe it would be better to have the message tatooed on the forehead.
(You first … ).
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Perhaps a silver stick-on D-for-Dysgwr à la Arnold Rimmer would do…
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I take your Pt about the 70s but I’d say badges are back in now. All clothing has manufacturers or employers logo now and I have a spreadsheet to tell me what all of the different ribbons mean. Also it’s ok for grown people to wear Rugby or football shirts around town, which would have looked weird in the 70s.
So I’d be ok with the little speech bubble shaped badge. I like the look of them.
And therefore deeply cool. (Not counting all the dreadful things from the 70’s that are utterly uncool, like misogyny, smoke filled everywhere and Girl Guide uniforms).
Not big badges though - small ones. Big ones are verging on 80’s. Can’t cope.
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So, here’s the latest - the idea of sending badges to people in England was not rejected outright. Rather I’ve been asked if I have any idea how many learners in England would like badges (they said Lloegr, but I think it could reasonably be assumed that people learning in other parts of the UK would count as well.)
Felly, those of you want badges (inside Wales, or in other parts of the UK), PM me your name and address. I’ll make a list and send it on to them, and let’s see what happens
Croesi bysedd!
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