Hi all - just a heads up to those of you who are fans of FFIT Cymru on S4C, or who may be interested in the forthcoming series - there’s a podcast for dysgwyr to accompany the television series that’s been put together in conjunction with our good selves. This has taken up some of my time of late too, so normal service will now be resumed! This is what the podcast cover will look like, and I’ll pass on any links when it goes live. I assume it will be on the FFIT page of the S4C website.
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Many thanks for all your well wishes - who knew a kidney infection was such a painful thing?! But I made a life hack style discovery… a hot water bottle shaped like a snake that you can tie on to yourself! Fantastic for managing back pain!
I’m much better now and have almost finished my antibiotics course. Ymlaen!
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So… we find ourselves in new and uncertain times…
How is everyone doing?
Last week was supposed to be me back in the saddle after the kidney trouble, but then we were propelled into this strange new land, so it didn’t quite happen!
I have two children in what is now being referred to as the ‘Class of Covid’ - Leisa my daughter was doing her A-levels and my son Tomi his GCSES. And now they’re not! It’s all mixed emotions, as I’m sure you know from your own experiences with family and friends.
I am extremely fortunate that I work from home anyway and that work will continue, albeit with slight tweaks to content. There will be fewer Sgyrsiau, for the time being at least, until I master the tech for remote recording; but there will be more content written and recorded by myself. I am fortunate to be living with two - now out of work! - actors (Rownd a Rownd has stopped filming), so I will be writing short plays too!
How are you all feeling in yourselves? I hope you are healthy and not climbing the walls at home!
Cariad mawr i bawb x
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So glad to hear you are feeling better, @beca-brown. I hope you and the two young thesps are keeping each other’s spirits up. I feel for Leisa especially, having been hearing about her plans for her future ever since Beca a’i phobl began!
The whole of life seems to be moving online at the moment - I guess we are very lucky to have that option so that we are not completely cut off while hunan-inysu!
We are lucky here too that we not only have a garden but some empty open spaces nearby where, for now at least, we can walk the dog while still obeying social distancing rules. My heart breaks for families with small children who live in blocks of flats with no access to safe open spaces.
Byddwch yn ofalus, pawb, a cadwch yn diogel.
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Yes, we have many blessings to count don’t we. Living where we do means we are able to easily go for a walk and not see a soul.
Yes, it’s all been a bit of a blow for Leisa, to finish school so abruptly. She had begun her audition rounds and we were ecstatic that she’d received a recall for the Guildhall after her first audition, but that won’t be happening now of course. But she’s lucky that she was looking for a deferred place and not a place this year, so perhaps they’ll treat her auditions this year as being valid for next year too. I really feel for those hoping to start this year.
But, in the grand scheme, we are safe and well and hope to remain that way, so that’s the priority.
Cadwa’n iach a diogel x
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Hi all, a new Sgwrs is up - it was obviously recorded pre-lockdown! The sound isn’t great on this one unfortunately - the laptop didn’t pick up my new mic and I didn’t realise until I listened back. But see how you go anyway.
Hope you’re all keeping healthy and sane…
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Hi all - hope you’re keeping well. A new offering is up in Advanced - it’s a lighthearted fictional account of a family in Lockdown, called Dyddiadur Dynas Desbret. Siw, the character relaying the experience, is played by Leisa Gwenllian who you may know from Rownd a Rownd.
It’s a funny old time isn’t it and you’re not always in the mood for laughs, and then the next minute all you want is laughs and silly memes - that’s how I’ve been anyway.
So, for the days when you’re looking for laughs, this is for you…
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Someone was asking for the cat doing the ‘u’ sound - I forget who it was so if any of you can remember please tag them! Uuuuuuuuu!
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I’ve heard various descriptions of how the northern ‘u’ is pronounced, but have yet to understand just what the sound is like. Someone told me it is similar to a german ü (u with an umlaut) but others don’t seem to agree. Remembering that people often pronounce the same things different ways, what is it supposed to sound like?
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In South Wales it’s much more of an ‘eeee’ sound and isn’t much different to the way you’d say ‘i’ in Welsh, whereas in the North it’s a heavier sound, like when you see something yucky and say ‘uuuugh’! If you make an ‘eee’ sound and then stick your tongue out as far as it’ll go you’ll hear the sound change, and that, more or less, is the North (West) Walian ‘u’!
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Thanks! (I do like the illustration above… 
)
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Yes, I’m no expert, but if possible I’d suggest listening to Aled Hughes of Radio Cymru, actually saying Radio Cymru
Oops, really sorry, I forgot for a second -
Or Aran, Catrin, Beca and co.
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Diolch, Beca a Leisa Gwenllian. Thankyou so much for keeping these going.
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Hi all, another Dyddiadur Dynas Desbret is up
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Diolch yn fawr - I am really enjoying these! I had struggled to be motivated about my Welsh during the lockdown and related pressures, and they have really helped! Look forward to seeing you next Monday - I finished your novel today and thoroughly enjoyed it!
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Oh good! I’m aware that the Welsh is really slangy, but it’s true to life!
I know how you feel about the motivation. I have bursts of it and then periods of the absolute opposite… Funny old times!
Yes, looking forward to Monday! Glad you enjoyed the book!
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Out of interest, are there still plans for accelerated versions of the advanced content?
I have just done the first item in the Advanced Content and it was a bit off-putting from the beginning. I struggled because it seems to be North Walian. Are they all North Walian? There is no translation and I am unsure of some words e.g tydan ni, tydy, nac ydan. gynnon ni. I guess with a bit of an effort I could work them out.
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Hi Hewan. if you fancy trying the S Wales ones first, they are mentioned here by Gissela -
“To start with, here’s the ones I can remember because I had taken note of: 13, 19, 20, 24, 31” Also, number 26 is Siaron, who lives in the North but comes from the SE, so she gives a great link to grasping some northernisms.
There are some easier lead-in shorter items towards the top of the page. I don’t think you need to go through them methodically, like the challenges. Some are quite dialecty, which will help you in the future, but seeing as you have plenty to pick from, you can either do them in turn, or pick the ones you like to start with. I hope that this helps.
I would say that they are fairly hard going, for the reason of no pain, no gain. I usually need about a week for each item, so not 1/2hr like the challenges. But I found that gradually I have reached the stage where I can understand books and the radio.
Nearly all of the podcasts have a Welsh transcript and an English translations, if that helps. I also found the written introduction at the top of the sheet to be really helpful.
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I’m not sure tbh, but I will enquire!
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