Learner of the Year, first round in Monmouth on Saturday 7 May

I would have put them all under 40. I’ve looked for a photo to help me confirm this, but failed to find one. A couple of years ago I had a pre and post interview with Nia, but not this time. I don’t know why.

@margaretnock and @llanddinol - sorry to hear that you didn’t make it through to the next round. But I’m glad to hear that you aren’t too disappointed and that you had an enjoyable day!

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I am quite disappointed to find that they are picking, basically, kids who grew up learning Cymraeg over folk learning, with much more difficulty, as adults. Personally, I think the learner of most years is @tatjana!

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Can I hide somewhere? :slight_smile: - hehe

Not with that hat @tatjana!

This is a long-running challenge for Dysgwr y Flwyddyn. I suspect the only solution is to separate it into more than one competition, but maybe there isn’t the appetite or support for that.

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You’re right @margaretnock, probably not. :slight_smile:

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Aran

I competed last year aswell and exactly the same thing happend, the finalists all worked in Welsh and lived their life in Welsh. I suggest to the then organiser that the category should be divided into at least two sections, one where a learner used Welsh in their daily life in the workplace and possibly with their family and a second category for people who had learn’t welsh but were not able to use it in the work place or their daily lives but wanted to use it as much as possible in a social situation. The then organiser agreed that the idea would be considered but as I heard nothing I guess it was rejected. I will perhaps do the same thing again this year. It does seem to preclude anyone learning with SSiW from winning unless they use Welsh in their daily family and working life.

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And many of you say I should take part? Come on … I’m so far away with my knowledge of Cymraeg as is Slovenia from Cymru … :slight_smile:

But the hat and T-Shirt might do the trick. - HAHA! :smiley:

The winner four years ago was from Patagonia.

Yeeesss, but they (mostly) live in Cymraeg comunity, don’t they. :slight_smile:

As I remember he was teaching Cymraeg or doing something to promote Cymraeg in Patagonia! Even if @tatjana , @seren and others did a lot to get folk in Belarus, Slovenia etc. to learn some Welsh, I don’t think the Eisteddfod organisers would care!!

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Personally I think that anyone brave enough, let alone competent enough, to enter Dysgwyr y Flwyddyn is amazing.

I’ve never looked at the process very carefully, but do we know what their success criteria is? Are they after the most fluent learner? The learner who’s come furthest, fastest? Or a poster child to generate more learners? I bet the judges’ conversations are trying to juggle a lot of competing criteria.

Fingers and toes crossed but one day I’d like to get as far as the rest of you and be in a position to find out. For now, you’re all pretty heroic in my eyes. :star:

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Yes, that, several times over. The uncertainty doesn’t help them or the learners, but I’m not sure there’s an easy and obvious solution (apart from the ‘multiple competitions’ route, which I would guess they’re concerned might end up with not enough competitors in any of them…).

From everything said until now i agree with this.

:slight_smile: I didn’t do anything yet … just talking like a rain in all languages (except Italian and German) I know. I believe some people already got some head ache listening to me. - hehe :slight_smile: ASPIRIN anyone? :slight_smile:

I believe fluency and knowledge of the Cymraeg culture is the leading thing … I’m (shamefully and unfortunately) not skilled enough in any of them … and I didn’t do much for promoting Cymraeg in Slovenia obviously No one, apart from me, is learning it yet and the author of that Anthology of Welsh Literature I’ve spoken about in another thread, didn’t bother to respond to me either … So notning much done from my part …

@tatjana Supporting other learners is I’m sure, one of the criteria they are looking at, and you are one of the stars here.

@aran, @steve_2. It did feel a little like applying for a job without having had a job description beforehand.

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Cyhoeddi rhestr fer Dysgwr y Flwyddyn
https://www.eisteddfod.cymru/cyhoeddi-rhestr-fer-dysgwr-y-flwyddyn?_ga=1.137716915.206416168.1438429224