Duolingo Welsh - makes a change from knitting!

Witzend

*Chestnut*, what a shame your mother didn’t speak Welsh to you when you were little - learning is effortless at that stage, when your brain is programmed to mop a language up. Dds have sundry friends who are very cross that a parent chose not to speak to them in their mother tongues, because they thought it wouldn’t be needed - Norwegian, Vietnamese and Arabic are the 3 that come to mind.

I had a look at Wikipedia, where it says that a former form of Welsh probably came to the U.K. during the Bronze or Iron Age. I knew it was a very ancient language, like all the Celtic ditto, but no details. I like to think of it being spoken by my remote ancestors - or some of them anyway.

I’m finding Duolingo fine at this very early stage, but do feel the need to write things down, plus if I go much further I will need a book with the grammar and vocab. laid out to refer to. I sent for an Usborne beginners’ book, which I thought came with a CD, but it didn’t, which is annoying, although there are internet links for pronunciation and maybe more.

Hi Witzend!
Before I sign up, can you tell me please whether Duolingo is interactive in any way? My early (and only!) self-directed study with Gaelic was and that was brilliant.
Like you, I learn best with a primer (or several) in front of me.
I am also worried about knowing how easily understandable I will be to native speakers if I can't practice - AND be corrected- as I go along!
Thanks for any advice!

My heritage is certainly Welsh, I was born inChester (Very close). My parent were both from North Wales. My Nain was a Welsh Nationalist, her brother was a founder member of theWelsh Nationalist Party, but my parents chose not to encourage my sister and I to speak the language. Something I regret now, but living in Yorkshire now it would be extremely difficult especially with an aged addled brain.

Bore da, nanna8.

Well, if I ask you a question in Welsh, then if you follow the Duolingo course you will soon hopefully understand the question and you could then learn how to reply and you could post your reply in this thread.

So you would have communicated in Welsh.

Here us the question.

Athrawes dych chi?

Only if you want to do it though.

nanna8

I’d love to learn it,too but no one speaks it here. Gt grandma and gt gt grandad were from North Wales and I am proud of that heritage.

I don’t know where you are nanna8 (Australia?) but there are Welsh societies all over the world, birds of a feather definitely flock together when they are Welsh or have Welsh roots. I know they’d be delighted to welcome Welsh learners.

I’d love to learn it,too but no one speaks it here. Gt grandma and gt gt grandad were from North Wales and I am proud of that heritage.

Oh, I don't know how ``` got in there. It is not part of what I intended to write.

Bore da.

I have been writing notes of every word as it arises and every sentence and its translation.

It takes much longer to get through a lesson but I find it very valual;e to do.

For the words I write three things, the word in Welsh, the translation into English, and then, within quote marks, how the word in Welsh sounds to me using a sequence of English words or parts of English words that give the sound.

There are some lovely words, such as mwynhau.```

Chestnut, what a shame your mother didn’t speak Welsh to you when you were little - learning is effortless at that stage, when your brain is programmed to mop a language up. Dds have sundry friends who are very cross that a parent chose not to speak to them in their mother tongues, because they thought it wouldn’t be needed - Norwegian, Vietnamese and Arabic are the 3 that come to mind.

I had a look at Wikipedia, where it says that a former form of Welsh probably came to the U.K. during the Bronze or Iron Age. I knew it was a very ancient language, like all the Celtic ditto, but no details. I like to think of it being spoken by my remote ancestors - or some of them anyway.

I’m finding Duolingo fine at this very early stage, but do feel the need to write things down, plus if I go much further I will need a book with the grammar and vocab. laid out to refer to. I sent for an Usborne beginners’ book, which I thought came with a CD, but it didn’t, which is annoying, although there are internet links for pronunciation and maybe more.

My mother and all her family are North Welsh and native speakers but I was born in London. We visited the family often but my mother never taught me Welsh which I regret. She thought I wouldn't need it being English born. Now I study the family history it would be very useful to speak Welsh. I had a long complicated document in Welsh and my cousin's daughter had to translate it to English for me which was no mean feat! I was very impressed.

I am learning Welsh using Duolingo.

I find it fascinating.

I have been thinking that although it says that yn, which sometimes abbreviates to 'n as in Dw i'n and as in Dych chi'n does not translate into English, I think of it as meaning "doing".

Here is a song with lyrics in both Welsh and English.

I am nowhere near understanding the Welsh of the song at this time.

LINK > www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj3D1wQb0cA

Nos da.

I’m learning Scottish Gaelic, it’s fun and interesting. I would like to try Welsh too, I can remember a few words my Welsh Gran used. It’s a lovely musical language.

I have decided to learn Welsh too Witzend.We live on the Shropshire/Wales border.DH is Welsh,grandchildren are Welsh and so I figure I need to learn the language.

I hadn’t thought of duolingo and have been looking for a class locally.Will have a look at duolingo tomorrow.

DH speaks with the South Wales dialect, grandchildren learning the North Wales dialect.I don’t suppose when I speak it will sound like either!

Nos da. Good luck I’m Welsh but don’t speak it so I have just started a course on Duolingo it’s addictive. Good luck to you