I am currently studying course 3 lesson 8,but I have often been puzzled by the difference in spoken welsh between I was =Ro’n i’n and we were = Ro’ni’n. The only difference is in written Welsh.
They both sound identical especially in lesson 8 onwards(as Aran says " the gloves are off" from now on) The affirmative rider R is also omitted in fast speech, which to my feeble mind makes them questions O’n i’n ? or O’ni’n?
When speaking you know the context but not when listening. so whats the answer? any ideas?
I’m not entirely sure what the question is…
If you’re worried about knowing whether someone is referring to themselves or to a group of people, you’ll find that context will give that to you almost all the time - and if you’re not sure you can always ask - any time a speaker is aware that there is uncertainty, they’ll be very likely to revert to a fuller form - you might even get a ‘roeddwn ni’…
I have to say that it’s and more and more listening. Fine tuning to the tone of the voices if people are asking questions…making lot’s of mistakes…time.
When you think about it, you have a very similar situation in English with you are (sg) and you are (pl). That is rarely a problem, if it is there are you all and youse to help out.
Yes. And what about the English words: were; wear;and,where. It reminds me of the foreign student learning English who fainted when he heard a radio announcer talk of someone being taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
And the other one, who packed his bags and went home when he saw a poster in London which announced ‘“Cavalcade” pronounced success!’
(“Cavalcade” was an entertainment by Noël Coward)