Much to my surprise, Ar Drywydd Llofrudd by Alun Davies doesnât seem to have been reviewed here either, although Iâm sure Iâve heard loads of people mention it.
I wanted to give it a shout out because I found it utterly gripping. Seriously, go-to-bed-too-late-because-I-have-to-finish-this gripping.
In addition, unlike a lot of the common âfirst first language booksâ e.g. Bethan Gwanas or Manon Steffan Ros, which are very relationship-and family-oriented, this is a straight police procedural, so might appeal to a different audience.
It is for first language speakers, so not for a complete beginner, but I barely noticed I was reading in Welsh for chapters at a time so I think it would be fairly accessible to anyone with some reading under their belt, particularly with a dictionary app to hand. The great thing about crime novels is that ultimately theyâre really predictable so life experience can help you along through linguistic challenges.
Unfortunately I didnât buy the other two books in the trilogy at the same time.
This won the prose language medal at the 2021 Eisteddfod.
Swyn and her mother are on a road trip, taking the old VW round Wales, visiting old haunts and places theyâve always wanted to see. And thatâs really what this story is about, a mother and a daughter and their relationship. Although thereâs a sting in the tail, I thought this was ultimately a warm and joyous book, which makes a change compared to a lot of books Iâve read recently!
Itâs for native speakers but I think it should be fairly accessible to learners with a bit of experience and willingness to go with the gist rather than every word. Certainly easier than Llyfr Glas Nebo, which was my first âproper Welshâ book. Itâs Southern Welsh as well (but not too strong), whereas a lot of the recommended first books are Northern (Bethan Gwanas and Manon Steffan Ros).
Yes, I bought this when we were on holiday in Cereidigion last year and quite by chance discovered this little Welsh bookshop in Cardigan / Aberteifi. The fact that the stories are quite short but interesting (and, as often in fairy tales and legends, not always predictable) makes it useful when youâre not quite an absolute beginner but still not quite ready for proper novelsâŠ
Unfortunately itâs not for beginners as the sheer breadth of new vocab is huge. It covers the history of Wales from standing stones, the smelting of metal and hillforts up to the implementation of a sewage system, workhouses and almshouses, the founding of the NHS and everything in between. Itâs also written in what Iâd call âtextbookâ language with - wyd passives etc.
But for all that, if you like history or if you prefer non-fiction then Iâd get hold of a copy and dip in and out of it as you fancy. If you know a fair amount of history then general knowledge will fill some of the linguistic gaps and there are plenty of images to give you a clue.
Each topic is only a couple of paragraphs long so you donât have to read the whole thing end to end like you would a novel.
Many thanks @caroline-18, itâs on my list of books to buy since someone gave it a mench on Facebook. In case youâre not already aware, the author is taking part in Clwb Hanes Cymru on 4 April. Unfortunately I canât do Thursdays
Info here if this link works https://share.icloud.com/photos/0dbQYArXHiO6zEvYdCITTbRMA
I have this book & look forward to being able to read it. Another book I have in Welsh is History of Wales on Kindle. I have the English version in print form. So far I canât quite get through Bethan Gwanas
Hello! I was reading through some of the previous posts to learn more about good recommendations for entry-level learners. Iâm a very new learner, just starting Level 1 Challenge 11 - and am learning Northern Welsh as my Dad is from this region. I wanted to ask:
Does written Welsh vary depending on the North/Welsh region youâre learning?
In addition to the two suggestions noted above, are there additional recommendations for a new learner?
Iâm based in Canada so if you know of any online bookshops you could recommend, Iâd appreciate that - Iâm not sure I could find much printed Welsh literature here!
I would start with the Cyfres Amdani, level Mynediad. Theyâre books specifically designed for learners.
You might also like the magazine Lingo Newydd, which you can also read via an app. Itâs for learners and has content in three levels, so as you progress you can go back and read the more complex versions of articles.
Re bookshops, I love cantamil.com and Palas Print. Both are very helpful and will talk to you in English or Welsh. You can of course also buy from Amazon, but I prefer to support independent Welsh bookshops as they contribute to the economy and therefore sustain the language financially, where Amazon often removes Welsh language book reviews for âbreaching content guidelinesâ!
To your question about written Welsh, yes it does vary. Written Welsh varies a lot more than you will be used to from standardised majority languages like English, Spanish or German. Aside from the differences you learn early on, fiction often represents spoken norms when presenting dialogue or internal narrative, and non-fiction often uses literary forms that are only used in writing.
However if you stick with content for beginners youâll be fine as itâs deliberately graded to keep it accessible, and by the time you run out of that youâll be able to cope with the variation. My tip is to say the words in your head. 1) that forces you to absorb instead of translating and 2) saying the words helps you see through variant spellings to words you recognise. Also, saying the words helps you appreciate the use of language.
Oh brilliant - thank you so much for the recommendations and additional information!
Regarding the online bookstores, absolutely, I will definitely check out these smaller retailers rather than amazon; thatâs ridiculous that they often remove Welsh language books!
Thatâs so interesting about the written form varying like that, particularly for the dialogue as you said. Iâm looking forward to the day I start to notice these variances, but for now will definitely stick to the beginner level as you suggested.
Personally, I donât know. Itâs only available as paperback or Kindle versions on Amazon and, seeing as Iâve never bought a spoken word book, wouldnât know the best place to look otherwise. Sorry.
Iâve moved all the posts about Books To Give Away over into the Second hand books up for sale / giveaway here! thread, to keep this one for discussing particular books and reviewing them for others.
Fully aware Iâm replying to a three-year-old post here, but I remember reading this in English in primary school but could never remember the book title. I did however remember the little rhyme involving their surname, the name Francetti stuck with me ever since! Never expected it to come up on a Welsh forum.
Iâve not seen Agor y Drws up here so far, although thereâs a lot of posts to go through. Six short humorous stories written by a different author, each one (with the exception of one story) working up to a punchline. Recommended in mid-Mynediad, so very accessible. Mererid Hopwoodâs contribution, Annwyl Sion, had me in bits halfway through. Laughter is great, feels even better to chwerthin
Can also recommend Gorau Glas, by Lois Arnold (who is quickly becoming a fave of mine). Again itâs very short and early learner-friendly but has a cracking sense of humour.
