Well, in Slovenia we have two foreign languages to be learnt in primary school at the newest program and it begins one in 4th and one in 5th grade (I believe). Then in middle schools in quite a lot of them there are even 3 foreign languages to be learnt. I’m sorry, but I really can’t understand why such negative attitude toward learning foreign languages in school elswhere. I believe learning one other language can only enrich you as a person and give you new horizons of, not only knowledge but possibly life aswell.
And yes, @Bob exactly what I wanted to say, Cymraeg isn’t foreign language in Cymru so it surely can’t be counted in here …
I live in Pembrokeshire (a Welsh-speaking part of the county) with my hubby, who was born and educated here - but does not speak Welsh, as it was not encouraged at all when he was at school (he is 48) and it was not spoken at home at all either. His local friends of a similar age do mainly speak Welsh because it was spoken in their homes, but they all effortlessly switch to English whenever we are around! I have lived here since 2003 - and experienced his children now being encouraged to speak Welsh at the same schools he went to in the 70s. I often said I would like to learn a bit, as I was hearing it spoken around me so much (when I was working in a local guesthouse, when out in shops etc), but thought I had to go to adult education classes in order to learn, and just never got round to making the time. In the past few months I have been watching tv programmes where Welsh is being spoken, and then the programme last week when it showed children new to living in Wales being taught in a special unit before going to their local welsh-speaking schools. I was inspired, started to look for courses (realised that they did not start until September, but wanted to start before then), and found the SSiW app for my phone. This was yesterday - and I quickly moved over to the forum and website. I had started on Course 1 on my phone, but started the new Level 1 today on my computer. I have not told my hubby yet!! He will probably be very negative about it, and then start on how I have the time to do such a thing, but he is too busy on the farm. He does not talk much about not being able to speak Welsh. In the past at social events when everyone is rabbiting on in Welsh and I have said how uncomfortable I feel at being English, he has said that it is worse for him as everyone assumes he can speak it, due to coming from Wales. Now that I will be learning language that he does not know, he may well feel even more uncomfortable - but I am determined not to let that stop me. I always said that if I spent time in a country, then I would need to learn at least the language basics (we spend time in Spain, and I have learn a few words of that - SSiS will be my next project!).
Re: time commitment. I found that SSiW could be done at the same time as something else, if you have it on a phone/iPod/similar portable device (indeed, it went in better that way): ironing, cleaning, cooking, walking the dog, driving to/from work. Any activity that doesn’t need the ‘language’ part of your brain, really.
Also, if you really get into SSiW now, you might find that come September if you do start a class you go in at a much higher level than you’ve been expecting to.
Why not picking the right moment to invite him to learn together. You’ll have instant speaking partner of your own level and you know that (speaking) partner very well.
