Tonight I went for the first time in weeks to my Welsh class, and was astonished to find that our strict Welsh female tutor had morphed into a fast-talking, wise-cracking Breton, (who spoke lovely Welsh). He was easily sidetracked into a discussion about the state of the Breton language - facing extinction.
So, Aran, please don’t wait too long before offering SSiBreton - and if you need someone to help you set up the course for teaching Breton through the medium of Welsh, I know just the man!
Of all other languages, this is the one I want most for myself, so we’ll certainly get there…
I wonder if this is the same Llydawr who took our class in a month long Wlpan Awst in Prifysgol Aberystwyth some years ago. I can’t remember his name but I do remember that he was enthusiastic and (of course) fluent with a distinct Gog acccent. I believe he had settled somewhere near Machynlleth or Dolgellau.
During my time as Swyddog Cyswllt Ewrop at PCA, I had a close administrative involvement with the ERASMUS Celtic languages network. I had the pleasure of meeting people from San Briag (Aber’s twin town) and the universities of Brest and Rennes. We visited a number of Sgol Diwan (Breton medium schools). Our impression was that Breton was attracting the same energy and commitment as Welsh especially towards the West of Brittany. I do remember that our Breton colleagues were particularly envious of our S4C.
Dear Aran, offering SSiBreton would be wonderful!
Finally got around to making a serious start with SSi Welsh, just about broke into challenge five this week. Really enjoying the challenges. Learnt Gaelic to fluency but always wanted to get some Welsh. Spent six months in Rennes a few years ago and managed to learn a bit of Breton with Oulpan but no effective way of keeping up with that apart from text books and a few bits and pieces on line but perhaps if Breton appears on speak something one day I could top up on the few fragments still in my mind somewhere.
What I found most interesting about the Breton language activists is that they have to struggle to achieve anything (no dedicated TV channels etc) and that means demonstrations every time they want to open a new school etc and this activism creates community around it and is attracts young people. Big demos of around four to five thousand people give everyone a chance to catch up and speak Breton. Maybe just like Gaelic as the language declines in the traditional areas perhaps the future is in the larger towns and cities where speakers, learners and activists can gather in numbers for various activities.