Greetings! Having recently (one month ago, actually) got a start on SSiW Course 1, I finally got round to the forums to introduce myself and look into the extra practices available here. I’m loving the lessons so far and reckoned this was as good a thread as any to start with.
If the “Davies” doesn’t give it away, my background is partly Welsh, from my maternal grandfather’s side. My grandparents were my best friends growing up and I just seem to gravitate toward the more Welsh-leaning side of my heritage as a result. I’ve come across a few Welsh language inclusive programs and was pleased to see the language being used in mainstream media.
I’ve picked up a few courses in other (relatively obscure) languages - for fun, of course. Finally got on to Welsh, and so glad I found this program, because it certainly seems a much more natural way of learning a language. I came to this particular program after a local museum hosted an incredible curation of landscapes from Amgueddfa Cymru, which I toured almost a dozen times, including once with some lovely people from our local St. David’s Society, who recommended SSiW.
A very warm welcome to the forum, Jessica! Great to hear that you’re off to such a good start with the lessons - and please don’t hesitate to ask for help when you run into any of the inevitable walls that pretty much everyone hits at some point…
I came to SSiW after a fair bit of Google searching for Welsh language instruction. I started with Rosetta Stone, who used to offer a Welsh course, but no more, alas. Irish, yes, but no Welsh! I found SSiW after downloading an app on my iPad called Welsh Lessons. SSiW was one of the online resources mentioned in the app.
As for why I am bothering in the first place, it is because my parents were proud Welsh people and I never had any doubt about who I was. However, they were not Welsh speakers. They could sing it and pronounce it, and they may have had lessons in school, but they could not use it. I never knew my grandparents very well, but I believe that they were not Welsh speakers either. The Welsh language was their birthright and it was taken away from them, as it was from generations of Welsh people thanks to English educational policy in Wales, and they were not able to pass it on to me. My intention is to reclaim what is mine.
[size=9](Now … this is the most pleasant work before I go to bed … greeting new learnere/members here) [/size]
A mighty warm welcome to the forum @edmund! You will find this forum and community the most friendly place of the Net (and World if you ask me) and the best way to learn Cymraeg.
Now boldly go into the learning and never forget to turn on here when things are hard for you or happy ones!
I’ve tried learning quite a few languages, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Russian and Now Welsh. But I don’t think I enjoyed those Languages as much as Welsh. I’m certainly not saying those languages are beautiful in their own right. They just never gripped me as much, Now that could be down to lack on Immersion.I’ve never been out of the UK so haven’t had the opportunity to experience other cultures.(Something I will be rectifying ASAP).
If they were from South Wales, Edmund, they probably were forced to school in English only, or their parents or grandparents were. The Mineowners, Ironmasters etc. wanted a workforce which couldn’t ‘plot’ strikes etc without the foremen understanding. With incoming from the Irish potato famine as well, the language was virtually wiped out, oh, so fast!
It’s great to hear someone wanting to reclaim- no, claim! - their inheritance!
The situation in Wales (being long conquered and long lacking independence ) has indeed produced a lot of colonialist attitudes amongst the dominant culture and a lot of colonial attitudes amongst the Welsh- indeed, it’s a wonder and testament that we are still here at all! And though immigration has had, and still does have a tremendous and deleterious effect on the Welsh language, it is not from Ireland that this effect did or does come.
And though the Welsh language is strong and kicking in Wales, including in the south of Wales, it’s good to hear attitudes such as yours, which will help the Welsh language - and Wales itself- to endure.
Sorry, I, firstly should have realised that it was my greatgrandparents and most people’s greatgreat or more,.secondly, the motivation for the Welsh Not may never have been officially given, the idea that an English speaking workforce was easier for bosses was my interpretation, and I did know that was said in the north!!
However, outside the main mining areas, at the beginning of WW2, children were still going to school speaking Welsh and were then expected to learn in English from day 1, with punishment for speaking Welsh coming pretty quickly.
Plenty of mining areas where people spoke Welsh until the mines closed recently. In the Gwendraeth valley, people moving in for work just ended up being Welsh speakers - they had to, in order to work!
Similar with other industries.
The pattern and effect of immigration may have changed recently, and be having more of an effect than it did, but I really think that the situation of Welsh in the South was (and is!) not as sudden or as universally English as you imply
You are probably right, I always tend to put too much stress on anything I don’t like!!! However, there is an interesting difference between education in different areas. The Lord of Gower was conned into swearing fealty to the Norman King of England. This covered Swansea and south Gower, as the son didn’t take to having his inheritance nicked and managed to keep his lands in north Gower and the mainland west of modern Swansea. Nobody attempted to teach any of the people to read until the chapels started.
I mentioned this briefly in my first post a few hours ago, but thought I’d explain a bit more here since I’ve found this thread. I came across a Welsh boys choir singing “Calon Lan” on “Britiain’s Got Talent” while I was watching Youtube videos one day. Since I didn’t know any of the words and really had never heard Welsh before, I googled the song lyrics. I learned the words to the song and started looking for more. I found some channels on Youtube that attempt to teach people Welsh, but they really didn’t offer enough to actually learn the language.
In general, I LOVE learning languages, and have found that I have a knack for picking them up. I’m only fluent in English, but at one time had conversational fluency in French (after 5 years of study in school), and can carry on a conversation (for the most part) in Italian, which was actually incredibly easy to pick up after learning French!
What attracted me to Welsh is how very different it is from the other languages that I’ve studied - and mostly I like the way it sounds. I found SSiW on Google one day and have really enjoyed it so far. School has taken time away from it the past few months (I’m studying to become a structural engineer) but all-in-all I’ve spent about a month doing the lessons (some of them a few times like Course 1 6a and 6b) and challenges.
Being from the US there’s really no one to speak Welsh with here so I’m mostly making up my own conversations trying to come up with complicated questions and answers with the Welsh I’ve learned so far. After reaching Lesson 8 in Course 1 (Southern), I’ve now jumped over to Level 1 where I’m now up to Challenge 8 (though I will most likely have to do Challenge 7 again tomorrow).
Anyway, sorry for the super long reply, but in a nutshell I’m learning Welsh because I love languages and Welsh is awesome. And I’m here because so far SSiW has been such an incredibly fun and easy way to learn it!
I don’t remember I’ve said my welcome yet so here it is: Welcome to the forum Sarah!
Then on … (I always like to cheer people with my crazy ideas )
I hope you didn’t miss Lesson 6B out and managed to park the girraffe somewhere … - hehe
I warmly recomment that you cruise through the forum and you’ll see how many people from US is here. You might even surprisingly find out that you’re actually not alone from your area so, boldly go where all have gone before and take a journey through this magnificent forum!
Who is the only one from the area is actually really me. I’m from Slovenia and in my country there’s no one learning Cymraeg what to find someone who’d speak with me so I know what it means being alone in that matter but still, hey, here are so many great people, willing to chat via Skype, Google hangouts or whatever messenger they use that no one is alone and lonely in practicing speaking if you really want to practice with someone.
No worries … I’m the master of long replies so cheer up! We love to read good stories. (umm, well, at least I do).
However, if you stumble upon something what could hold you back in learning, here are always lovely and kind people to help so don’t hesitate to ask a question or write the problem down.
Croeso, @Sarah_25! I enjoyed reading your introduction. Lots of us from the US here. I know what you mean about making up your own conversations When you’re ready, you could find a Skype partner to practice with. And I echo what Tatjana said - never hesitate to ask if you have any questions. There are lots of very kind people on this forum willing to help!
Shwmae Sarah, a chroeso i’r fforwm!
Well, you have come to the right place for learning Welsh, as I can’t think of any better course than SSi to get you speaking proper conversational Welsh on the internet or otherwise!
Speak to @Sionned about putting you on the SSiW map. On there you will find other learners who live near you (there are LOADS of people from the USA who have learned Welsh through SSiW!). If they’re not as local as you would like them to be, you could always arrange to chat via Skype with another member. Also, if you subscribe to the weekly email, the bottom of that email lists some of the regular meets that take place - even in the States. And if there isnt one near you, and you discover other learners nearby, you could start one up.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the course, and remember we’re always here if you have any questions about the course, its content, or anything at all really!
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