Sara's Online Bootcamp Experiences

Well, I find this first challenge rather interesting. I don’t know how the people I live with will take to hearing these strange words coming out of my mouth, but you’re right about the public commitment thing. I’ve really been out of the Welsh-learning obsession that I once had, so I’ve begun the bootcamp with Lesson 2 of Course 1, the Southern version. I’m a Canadian living in Southern Ontario but have always loved the Celtic languages, and WElsh seems to be the most accessible one for me at present. To add to the fun, I’m also blind, so this method of learning is particularly helpful to me because I don’t need to have any material printed in braille or anything. Thanks for all your work! This is fun!

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Brilliant - if you make the commitment, it has all sorts of knock-on benefits…:star:

I’ll look forward enormously to hearing what the people you live with think about it, and what you feel about their responses…:smile:

Are you doing the 5 day or the 10 day run?

I’m doing the ten-day run and I have to confess that I chickened out yesterday on my challenge. I’ll keep trying as the days go on however. I am looking forward to today’s challenge though. Of course, my spelling will likely be atrocious as I’ve not tried to write Welsh in a long time, but well, I’ll try anything once.

Spelling doesn’t matter…:smile: But I strongly recommend that you add yesterday’s challenge to your list for today - none of these things are in there without very good reason…:smile:

Go for it!

Here’s my dialogue. My friend decided to go all jane Austen on me for some reason, so I figure the dialogue should be titled: The Dashwoods Vacation in Aberystwyth or something. :slight_smile: Here it is, likely completely incorrect, but well, I tried and so did the online dictionary. :slight_smile:

English: Marianne: I’m so bored and despondent now that the man of my dreams has deserted me. How should I pass the time tonight?

Welsh: Marianne: Dw i’an velly diflas a digalon achos yr dyn am breuddwydion fy ro’en e cefnu fy. siwd dw i’n bydda passio yr amser heno?

English: Elinor: Why don’t you play your piano for awhile? Music always seems to comfort you.

Welsh: Elinor: pam wyt’i ddim yn chwarae piano dy tros amser? Cerdd yn wasted bod â golwg cysuro dy.

English: Marianne: No, I can’t! There are too many painful memories!

Welsh: Na’gw, dw i ddim an gallu. Mae’n hi gormod dolurus cofion.

English: Elinor: Well, how about reading? That new volume of poetry from your favourite writer just came out last week.

Welsh: Elinor: (Well,) siwd am darllen? Yr llifr newidd am barddas o ysgrifennwr hooff dy roe’n dod allan withnos anad.

English: Marianne: Is poetry really suitable for a tormented soul like mine?

Welsh: Marianne: Mae e barddas addas yn wir am dolurus enaid unwedd enaid fy?

English: Elinor: Well, if you’re really that bored, why don’t you help me do some cleaning around here?

Welsh: Elinor: (Well,) os t’i’n felly diflas yn wir, pam wyt’i ddim glan yma?

English: Marianne: No, I think I’d rather go for a walk in the rain, contract an illness and nearly die a premature death. See ya later!

English: Nagw, dw’i’n credu we i’n braidd mynd i cerdded yn y glaw, ennill saldra ac trengi tranc anamserol. Hwyl am y tro!

That’s a bit more literary than I’d expected! But very entertaining…:smile:

You need some fine-tuning, although you’ve given it a great shot. I’ll start off, and hope some others help (because I need to stop keeping the kids awake with my typing!).

I’m so bored and despondent now that the man of my dreams has deserted me. How should I pass the time tonight?

Dwi mor ddiflas ac isel rwan mae dy fy mreuddwydion wedi fy ngadael. Sut dylwn i basio’r amser heno?

Why don’t you play your piano for awhile? Music always seems to comfort you.

Pam na wnei di chwarae dy biano am dipyn? Mae cerddoriaeth bob tro i’w gweld yn rhoi cysur i ti.

No, I can’t! There are too many painful memories!

Na, fedra i ddim! Mae gormod o atgofion poenus!

Gosh - I only just managed ‘Shwmae. Ti’n iawn?’ - will need to get Sense and Sensibility out!
Great fun!!
Trish