I began to learn Welsh in my mid 70’s, and, even though I had a smattering of Welsh(which I didn’t know was there initi
Until I had started SSiW) it was initially hard to get my elderly brain in gear.
As one gets older retention and retrieval become harder, but they do improve with practice and I believe help to ward off dementia, so even if you are a bit late getting into language learning, stick at it, and try to take the wonderful, insightful advice in the preceding posts. I’m now in my mid eighties and the whole process of learning and practicing when I can (I live over the border) have brought a whole new dimension to my life.
Also, I hope what I have said will prompt you to encourage older friends and family that it is never too late to start.
I started from zero at the age of 78 because I wanted a brain challenge. Little did I expect to fall in love with Welsh, but I’m hooked. Once I feel a bit more confident, I may take a break in Wales and approach the natives!
I love to hear how we fall in love with Welsh. I’ve just finished Level 3 and have . started it again to fill in some gaps and keep practicing. The process for learning and pronouncing words and phrases works best for me through the steady repetition. I try my best to speak in the wild and go to some local Welsh conversation classes and with my art colleagues which is marvellous for learning useful vocab. I’m doing Dysgu Cymraeg Sylfaen, having completed Mynediad over two or more years. I’ve also just started SSiw Automagic which is tremendous for visual reference which helps a lot too. In one of my devotions this week it cited Cato the Elder who started studying Greek aged eighty and when asked why so late to such a difficult task, he replied ‘it’s the earliest age I have left’! In any case it’s worth having a go and enjoying the ride
Related to point 2 is something I came across - only very occasionally, and very mildly, I must add - when I started to use my Welsh ‘in the wild’: fluent or native speakers responding to what I said with “Oh that’s straight out of the textbook, nobody actually ever says that in real life”. At first I was a bit disheartened but then realised that, for one reason and another, Welsh is a very varied language, and actively developing (as English is). As learners, we have to start somewhere, and probably better to start with a slightly more formal style of language and then pick up colloquialisms later on, rather than the other way round. So I trust the system for going through the courses (I use Dysgu Cymraeg, SSiW and a bit of Duolingo) and then listen closely for different pronunciations/alternative vocab, when I’m chatting.
I don’t know that it’s necessarily “better”, but you’re right - we have to start somewhere! If you’re lucky enough to live in a Welsh-speaking community t’s perfectly possible also to start with the colloquialisms around you and become quickly integrated into your community, and pick up the formal Welsh afterwards. I know plenty of first-language Welsh speakers who never made that second step, and are quite happy speaking the Welsh that they know!
Your approach sounds perfect to me - listen to and note the differences, but speak whatever comes naturally to you
