Author's Note: Click on the hyperlinks for useful websites to help you learn Welsh.
February 18, 2005
Welcome back to my Welsh language journal, straight from the learner's mouth. I've been practicing with my local Welsh group here in Knights Ferry, England, for a few months now, and I think it's safe to say that I can hold a reasonably interesting, if simple, conversation. That's quite a step up from Sut wyt ti? and Dw i'n hoffi cwrw!
As you may remember, I work in a pub called the Crying Fowl, and every Thursday evening the local Welsh group meets here to practice their Welsh, drink a few pints, and perhaps take in a football or rugby match on our television. I feel lucky to have a social arena where I can practice Welsh, because it's really made all the difference. It's just too bad that I don't live closer to someplace like Tŷ Tawe in Swansea or even the London Welsh Centre--having somewhere to meet, share resources and hold events is a real plus when you're trying to pick up a new language (and possibly a new girlfriend!).
For the time being, I've just been trying to do as much listening-and practicing-as possible. You might even call it overkill. I've been doing two free online interactive courses, Clic Clic Cymraeg from Coleg Menai, which teaches North Welsh variations; and E-Wlpan from the University of Wales Swansea-both with sound files galore for me to listen to over and over again. And believe me, I'm constantly needing to review everything I've learned in order to remember it properly. And I've been listening to Welsh radio online, too-not just Radio Cymru but also Radio Acen, which caters to Welsh learners like myself with mini-lessons, slow and clear commentators, and easier-to-understand songs.
The other thing I've been doing is writing down the conversations I've had with cute little Elen, whom you might remember from last time. I do my best to be suave when I talk to her, of course, which is a little hard in Welsh despite Clwb Malu Cachu's conversational filler cheat sheet. But, inevitably I make mistakes. So I try to use that as a learning opportunity. I write down the conversation as well as I can remember it, and then I go back and fix all the mistakes, copying down a corrected version-the version I of course would have preferred to experience.
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