One for the Welsh posse

[Lumpy]

Round here it’s all some derivation of ‘duck’.
I’m not sure me and my tongue could cope with beautiful Welsh.
Regional words are really important as that is what makes the countries (GB) unique.
Cob for bread roll etc bring it on.

[Runtpuppy]

I've been trying to learn Welsh using Duolingo. However, even that can't help me much if I keep skipping lessons half the time!

[Mikey]

I've been trying to learn Welsh using Duolingo. However, even that can't help me much if I keep skipping lessons half the time!

At least you are trying which is more than most of radio wales/cymru to be honest. Pentwyn was on the radio the other day pronounced Pen twine. It's quite grating to hear a welsh word pronounced on a welsh radio channel badly.

Generally I find that when someone phones me up and has to confirm my address, everyone from all the call centres of the world other than the welsh generally try and pronounce the address. People from Wales though generally get you to do it......! whats that all about.
It's almost as if we are embarassed we can't pronounce our own words, we are embarassed we are wenglish and not welsh.

I'm not fluent by any stretch of the imagination, my wife is though she phones her hometown chinese and talks to them in Welsh, throws me every time. My welsh understanding is a bit like hearing a joke and understanding the subject matter but missing the punchline. I've tried many a time to learn a different language with duolingo I'm now fluent in ordering bara brith in France, Spain, Germany, Andorra, Austria, Portugal, Finland and the wider UK. Shame they don't have any.

[Runtpuppy]

At least you are trying which is more than most of radio wales/cymru to be honest. Pentwyn was on the radio the other day pronounced Pen twine. It's quite grating to hear a welsh word pronounced on a welsh radio channel badly.

Generally I find that when someone phones me up and has to confirm my address, everyone from all the call centres of the world other than the welsh generally try and pronounce the address. People from Wales though generally get you to do it......! whats that all about.
It's almost as if we are embarassed we can't pronounce our own words, we are embarassed we are wenglish and not welsh.

I'm not fluent by any stretch of the imagination, my wife is though she phones her hometown chinese and talks to them in Welsh, throws me every time. My welsh understanding is a bit like hearing a joke and understanding the subject matter but missing the punchline. I've tried many a time to learn a different language with duolingo I'm now fluent in ordering bara brith in France, Spain, Germany, Andorra, Austria, Portugal, Finland and the wider UK. Shame they don't have any.

Really? That's sad! After having 'been at it' for a few months now, I personally think pronunciation is the easiest bit in the language! Unlike English, the rules are pretty consistent with Welsh.

I decided to start learning Welsh because my husband is half-Welsh. However, no one in his family (including his Welsh mum) speak the language. They lived just across the river from Wales, in the Wirral.

I figured someone in the family should know the language!

Duolingo is great if only I could be a little more consistent with it I was initially, but ever since I started working, I don't seem to have time for anything. Also, there are days when I do have the time but don't want to do anything that requires concentration and thought.

[Mikey]

Trouble is Runtpuppy there are only 1 in 4 in Wales that are fluent, the schools are trying to turn the tide and S4C helps increase the numbers and the importance of the language but, there are historical reasons why some communities have lost the ability to speak it. Look up the 'welsh not', this will give you a little understanding of one of the reasons why Welsh is not more widespread today.

There are loads of Welsh language schools around and they are keenly attended but, it's difficult to teach children and not the adults otherwise how can the adults help with their childrens education.

It's a bit like French or Spanish being taught in English schools, everyone learns it for a short period of time but how many go on to learn it effectively as a second language.

It's very difficult to reintroduce a language to the masses.

[Runtpuppy]

Trouble is Runtpuppy there are only 1 in 4 in Wales that are fluent, the schools are trying to turn the tide and S4C helps increase the numbers and the importance of the language but, there are historical reasons why some communities have lost the ability to speak it. Look up the 'welsh not', this will give you a little understanding of one of the reasons why Welsh is not more widespread today.

There are loads of Welsh language schools around and they are keenly attended but, it's difficult to teach children and not the adults otherwise how can the adults help with their children's education.

It's a bit like French or Spanish being taught in English schools, everyone learns it for a short period of time but how many go on to learn it effectively as a second language.

It's challenging to reintroduce a language to the masses.

Yeah, I see your point. It's difficult to learn a language that's not spoken around you. We did Sanskrit in school, and I sucked at it. Today, I regret not putting in a bit more effort in learning it.

Hopefully, people will realise that their roots are important. It would be unfortunate if the Welsh language died out. I think it's a beautiful language.

I am waiting for the day Duolingo comes up with a course for Sanskrit. I'd sign up for it in a heartbeat!

[Mikey]

It's a shame there aren't more language options in schools, either as part of the curriculum or as an extracurricular option.

Around here Welsh and French is taught in school but there is no option for Mandarin or Spanish or Hindi or Latin. When you consider which languages are mostly spoken throughout the world English is only third with 336 million, and french is 14th with 79 million, there are only 10 million people outside of France that speak French. Yet there are 848 million that speak Mandarin the most spoken language globally and 399 million that speak Spanish the second most spoken language.

Isn't it about time that we looked beyond our nearest neighbours France and started giving our children a real opportunity in education to really look globally with opportunities.

Wow this soon morphed away from a gentle topic!!!!!

[veggiechicken]

When I was in school (yes, I know, things have changed since then) French and Welsh were compulsory until the 3rd Form when you could drop Welsh and take German or Latin instead. Only 4 of us learners continued with Welsh and there were 3 native Welsh speakers.
Duolingo was summat new to me so I've just tested myself on the Welsh one. Since when did the letter J become part of the Welsh alphabet - it was used twice including a made up word "Joyo" for enjoying, IIRC.

[Runtpuppy]

It's a shame there aren't more language options in schools, either as part of the curriculum or as an extracurricular option.

Around here Welsh and French is taught in school but there is no option for Mandarin or Spanish or Hindi or Latin. When you consider which languages are mostly spoken throughout the world English is only third with 336 million, and french is 14th with 79 million, there are only 10 million people outside of France that speak French. Yet there are 848 million that speak Mandarin the most spoken language globally and 399 million that speak Spanish the second most spoken language.

Isn't it about time that we looked beyond our nearest neighbours France and started giving our children a real opportunity in education to really look globally with opportunities.

Wow this soon morphed away from a gentle topic!!!!!

It sure did!

A friend of mine moved to Sweden about 4 years ago. She had to learn Swedish, but since she was immersed in it, she learned it in 2 years. I mean, she did work very hard at it and she is smart.

Since education is free, she decided to learn another language. Since she works in fashion, she toyed with French and Spanish. Eventually, she went with Mandarin! She says the biggest fashion market is China and it would help her more than Spanish or French.

[Mikey]

To be honest, as far as the UK is concerned China is still a massive untouched market for our goods.

A few years ago pretty much all our clothes were being manufactured in China now most of them are made in Vietnam and Malaysia. As Chinese workers demanded better rates of pay our clothes moved to the new cheap. Chinese employees are getting wealthier and more worldly wise and with this comes more demand for foreign goods so not teaching Mandarin in schools is not only madness it shameful.

[Runtpuppy]

To be honest, as far as the UK is concerned China is still a massive untouched market for our goods.

A few years ago pretty much all our clothes were being manufactured in China now most of them are made in Vietnam and Malaysia. As Chinese workers demanded better rates of pay our clothes moved to the new cheap. Chinese employees are getting wealthier and more worldly wise and with this comes more demand for foreign goods so not teaching Mandarin in schools is not only madness it shameful.

Bore da, Mikey! Sut dych chi? (that is that's all the Welsh I can try out without embarrassing myself :P Or maybe I already have! :O)

Maybe some day they will start teaching Mandarin in schools. Also, with digital education coming up, maybe they could even have each kid learning the language of their choice. That would be interesting.

The thing is, how many of us realised how important a language is as kids? Like I said, second language classes in school were considered a drag.

I think awareness is the key here. The Welsh Not thing you mentioned earlier was all about creating shame around speaking Welsh. Once that taboo is gone, maybe people will eventually want to get back to it. Fingers crossed anyway!

[Mikey]

I think awareness is the key here. The Welsh Not thing you mentioned earlier was all about creating shame around speaking Welsh. Once that taboo is gone, maybe people will eventually want to get back to it. Fingers crossed anyway!

Dai Iawn Diolch. Sut wyt ti heddiw?

I don't think it was about shame, probably more control. English was the dominant language at the time and considered the only language suitable for education. If you go back far enough though Welsh or a common ancestor of Welsh was the written language of choice throughout Britain. So I think language has always been a fluid thing and given enough perspective can ebb and flow like the tide.

Who's to say that in say 200 years we won't all be speaking a common language, I know if I get there I still won't have grasped Latin.

[Runtpuppy]

Da iawn, diolch! Dw i'n wedi blino... mae hi'n rhy heulog heddiw! (is that correct?!)

Where's the fun in having just one language! I love languages and would love to learn as many as I can. I'm just not dedicated enough :\

[Lumpy]

I love the idea of regional languages as let’s face it regional slang, adjectives,nouns and verbs cascade throughout English.
Half of my family were Welsh. My Great Grandmothers name was Alwiss(?) Ap Griffidd.
Diversity is essential to growth in my book. Cornish, Gaelic, Irish or Welsh should be encouraged as it’s historic.
Have you heard some teen speak? I can’t do gangsta.

[Runtpuppy]

Diversity is essential to growth in my book.

I agree 100%! Yes, local and historic languages should definitely be encouraged.

I keep coming across teenspeak on the internet Thank god for urban dictionary!