This would be question for @garethrking as I’ve read he studied Slavic languages too.
1 Like
Yes, Polish is easily the most complex of the major Slavonic languages in terms of grammatical morphology (Sorbian equally so, actually) - Czech, Russian and Ukrainian a little less so, but still hair-raising! Then, I would say, comes @tatjana 's Slovene, slightly more complex than Serbo-Croat. But all the Slav languages except the radically simplified Macedonian and Bulgarian have more complex grammar than German, which - like all Germanic languages except Icelandic and Faroese - actually has a relatively simple grammar. For example, the French verb system is wildly more complex than the German one - German gets a bit of stick for a reputation that is largely undeserved. 
Welsh grammar of course is a doddle 
I hope you are all taking notes - there will a be short written test on all this next period…
5 Likes
Yes, and one of the least successful, for my money. I crashed and burnt with it - couldn’t keep going, parts of it got under my skin so badly.
1 Like
Yn barod idw i.
3 Likes
My resolution kept today by skin of teeth. Time flew! And challenge 1.6 is longer than those before! Now for relistening to listening practice!
2 Likes
English has dropped to third? Wow! I am just starting Spanish. Basically because I loved travelling in central America and know quite a few Spaniards. Maybe Polish is a better choice (so I can claim to speak the top three UK languages?) The only person I can speak Welsh with in our office (in Cardiff) is Polish! I’m wondering. Going off on a tangent, if your 1st language has a really tough grammar, does learning second languages generally become easier, as your mind has spent more time thinking about language? Attacking a third language seems easier to pick up having learnt a second language as an adult,(it’s just a question of the time to fit in practice of Welsh and SPanish) regularly,
1 Like
A little late for a new year’s resolution, but i’m going to try and keep a welsh diary/journal.
Done my first today
2 Likes
Hmmmm … are you at the end of this year already? We’re only at January 4th so it’s surely not too late.
Da iawn ti. Dal ati.
1 Like
Just did challenge 1.7! Keeping to one a day so far! This telling you all business makes me keep on going! Mmm… I can see the Forum would get a bit full if we all did that, so from here on in, I’ll only report if I fail!
2 Likes
I want to hear succeses too.
1 Like
There’s kind!
Question for @aran, I absolutely always say ‘wedi’ not ‘di’. It’s out of my mouth before I can stop it, totally automatic. Will I sound ever so formal and stilted? Oh, also, as I still tend…not just tend…auto-use ‘e’ for male, I preferentially use ‘hi’ for ‘it’. This seems safer when using Northern terminology. I hope I won’t be thought sexist!
Part way through 1.8!
Edit: Finished it now! I still tend to gag as my brain decides between words, I never, ever use pause, so end up in a chorus with Catrin! To @Pete2, I may have a go at voice recording and try sending the result to you, but don’t hold your breath. Every time I think of it, my brain ceases up again and I daren’t try it!
1 Like
No, not particularly… but being aware of it will help you figure out what other people are saying…
That’s absolutely fine. It’s only if you reach the point of actually copying Catrin that it turns into an issue…
1 Like
You could join the skype group next time and just listen to start with (though you may get angry and want to correct our many garbled mistakes).
Cheers J.P.
1 Like
My plan, unvoiced, but part of my resolution, is to start arranging Skype once I have done as much of the 2nd set of Challenges as I need to get a bit broader vocabulary! Currently, I get very frustrated because there are huge chunks of life for which I have no words, and all the ones you have taught me, well, most of them I don’t actually remember!! Now I must do Challenge 1.9!!
Edit-
Done that!
3 Likes
Looking forward to your recording
I have just realised something. When @aran says "helo " in Listening Practice… well @aran, you really do south Gog to my southern ear! It is the vowels. I suspect that I may say the words in the Northern course, but I will not sound properly Gogledd!
My sister-in-law says I sound as though I come from the south, so I wouldn’t worry about it too much
2 Likes
Managed to fit in 1.10 but it isn’t easy. The challenges get longer and I had trouble finding time!
2 Likes
Did 1.11 while Toffi out with Janet & her dogs, Hamish and Sasha. Dear @aran, in the last sentence I used more southern words than Northern. I known I say 'e’not ‘o’ and rely on the fact that it’s so quick it’s hard to tell the difference. Also, if I say “helpi di” instead of “chi di” will it matter? Real problem, I know it’s ortho ti after gofyn, but for some reason, I keep saying 'i ti "!
No, it won’t…
Actually, ‘correct’ here is ‘gofyn i ti’ - there’s probably a certain amount of crossover from ‘dweud’ in the wild - I’d probably say ‘gofyn i dy fam [wneud rhywbeth]’ but ‘gofyn wrthi’ on occasion (technically incorrectly).
1 Like