In the first article I wrote on Welsh blogs, I mentioned a few outstanding blogs by and for language learners. Of course, the world of Welsh blogs has continued to grow, encompassing personal blogs, photoblogs, news feeds, and much more. This and future articles in the series will focus on different themes or categories in the world of Welsh blogging, and discuss their significance for learners in particular.
Blogs with a local or group-level focus are a fantastic way for internet-savvy learners and Welsh speakers to find each other. Particular Welsh groups can use blogs to post their schedules and news, while a blog with a regional focus can disseminate information about Welsh activities within a particular area. Since it can be difficult to find learners' groups and Welsh speakers to meet up with, a blog can provide the means for individuals to make contact. It also provides a centralized clearinghouse for new information, as it becomes available, and a location for listing resources.
In the case of Dysgu.com (Welsh for Adults in South Ceredigion), the blog also serves as a learning medium, thanks to its creator, Welsh tutor Nic Dafis. With each Welsh-language entry rated in difficulty from pawb (everyone) to rhugl (fluent), Dysgu.com provides learners with a chance to practice their reading skills. The site also informs visitors about events of interest in the area, from plays to intensive courses to meetings of CYD and Cymdeithas yr Iaith. If you live in South Ceredigion, be sure to keep an eye on this schedule of Welsh activities for the upcoming year.
Dysgwyr De-Ddwyrain is one of my favorite locally-focused sites. In addition to listing events for learners in South East Wales, the site's owner, Rhys Wynne, also does an excellent job of blogging a variety of Welsh-focused websites: blogs by tutors and learners, Welsh courses and get-togethers in different parts of Wales, resources for parents, and local papers (papurau bro), to name a few. Even for those who don't live in the region, the lists of links are informative and very useful.
Suw Charman, creator of the learners' website Clwb Malu Cachu, blogs in Welsh at Chocolate and Vodka, posting news and links of interest to learners in general and Clwb Malu Cachu visitors in particular. Again, this is great reading practice on a range of topics including books, music, and language.
For more advanced learners-and fluent Welsh speakers-Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg maintains a blog of news and events in Welsh language politics and local issues. There's an ongoing list of rallies, forums, concerts, etc. for those in Wales who want to get involved, as well as updates of Cymdeithas involvement in political and social causes.
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