Go to the first post - this means to the beginning of the topic and click pencil mark besides title of the topic. Clicking on it it will open the chance to edit the title. If you are not - for any reason - able to do so, let me know what title you’d like and I’ll do it for you.
For the cover … I didn’t have in mind editing it but rather composing something different. I already have something in mind and will post later when I finish things.
Now … yes … to the next race of your “Challenge” and “Level”.
I’m honoured to be called this way. Thank you in deed.
This really captures the amazing positive energy that learning generates, especially overcoming the hurdles we all face in tackling a language. But it shimmers with mystery too–a fitting symbol of the ancient roots Welsh has and where it may lead…
This also has an epic quality, so maybe the race will take on mythic proportions as it opens up new horizons. So watch out friends, this time there will be no going around in circles (as in a normal track), but plenty of challenges and lessons to learn as we break free thanks to the magic of SSiW.
So here we are, at the starting line, but wait… Gwers is so keen, it started before the ‘off’, ignoring the ‘Zero Lesson’ (for South Walian). Back up Gwers! OK, now that little misunderstanding has been sorted out and is behind us, yes… THEY’RE OFF! Gwers flying like the wind… What fun we are going to have as we join them in all the thrills and spills.
They are not officially published on FAQ page yet, but you can find them here: Course guide to level 2 - Southern - Scroll down the topic and you’ll find notes for Challenges as they were released. Course guide to level 2 - Northern - The same thing … scroll down the topic and you’ll get them all.
I hope it helps … of course it helps! Those are level guides. - hehe
No, this isn’t some newly-minted Welsh word despite the ‘dd’ in the middle (and I certainly hope it isn’t one to be found in any dictionary, and turns out to be rude or nasty). It’s the sound of hooves gaining momentum as both Gwers and Challenge head out again.
As I suspected (and Tatjana predicted in her Book Cover) this ‘race’ will be quite different–more like a competition in search of the Holy Grail aka ‘fluency’. Only one day into the second stage of this quest, already Gwers had to go back to the start (to go over lesson Zero–sneaky that, but Aran did issue a clue and a warning at the start of Lesson 1), and then Challenge had to go in search of the Lesson guides (Notes). Fortunately, although hidden from my immediate sight, Tatjana came to the rescue with the link to faithful work done by ‘Faithless’–one of the Angels, or Magicians I’ve now met along the way.
So folks, now I know how to speak in the ‘Southern Negative’ like a native, it’s on to the next clue, next hurdle able to say “I do not want that” or “I am not going there”
While our two trusty steeds (Gwers and Challenge) have both negiotiated the third parts of this next (intermediate) stage in the quest, they do not seem to be racing, but rather exploring new ground together with some very unexpected surprises…
One found a magic email that said ‘Open me if you dare’. I opened and read it–it provided a major clue on this adventure to discover my roots and recover my heritage–the chance to do an MA in Celtic Studies… But it meant ‘getting a move on’ in applying, tracking down people and information. Was this going to be a detour, or the path that leads to the Holy Grail?
Friends, amazing as it seems, I am taking that path, with my two magical horses to carry me and whatever I need for the journey. Tally ho:horse_racing:
It’s been a while… And maybe this thread is redundant, but before it becomes extinct, here is some exciting news specifically for the hard of hearing who are learning to SSiW, or more to the point trying to HSiW (hear something in Welsh).
Friends, those of you like me who rely on hearing aids are probably aware of the huge and rapid advances in technology that can help us. But if you have not checked lately, let me share some brilliant news. Just before Christmas I was almost tearing my hair out in frustration with the limitations and problems with my ‘devices’. However, thanks to the support and patience of others on this forum, who did interpret certain sounds and words for me, not only did I gain more confidence through SSiW, but I became increasingly determined not to be defined by my deafness, but to enjoy sounds again. One thing led to another, and maybe that positive spirit communicated itself to my audiologist who contacted the various suppliers and offered to let me try the ‘latest’ and ‘best’ advanced system. What a Christmas present!
Bottom line–I ‘hear’ better now than I have in 25 years. I have a phone that connects directly into my hearing aids and a gizmo that lets me connect directly to my computer and MP3 player so I can listen to SSiW better than ever. And if all that is not good enough, the supplier simply charged a ‘restocking fee’ and the minimal cost of an upgrade. Without the impetus to learn Welsh and a SSiW Skyping friend/mentor who also is very hard of hearing but a techno-whiz I would never have known how good life could be!!!
One last comment… You know the musical intros to the lessons? They are now literally like music to my ears, and whenever I start a lesson the music seems to connect me with all you great folk also on this journey. I also always listen to the music at the end now–it is like a friend saying ‘nos da’–'till tomorrow.
I leave it to whoever administers this Forum to decide whether I should resurrect this thread or join a newer one on this new-look site. I was confused by the dates against the new ‘What am I hearing’ thread–is it the newer more relevant version of this? If it is, I just wanted wrap this up by encouraging not only those of you trying to decipher what you are hearing, but also those who struggle with hearing anything–not just Welsh. You would not believe what is possible–or maybe you would, so good luck in chasing down what works for you.
Best wishes and a big DIOLCH YN FAWR IAWN,
Marilyn
I’m extreamely happy to hear such great news about your hearing abilities.
Further on: To my knowledge there’s no thread like this so you can freely bump it up as long and as many times you want. All in all, here’s a lot of interesting and useful reading in it.
And more further: YOU WERE HUGELY MISSED not only by me but I dare to say by many of us.
PLIS–help. I spoke too soon boasting how well I hear things–looks like I still stumble on the occasional sound.
Course 2, Gwers 9–what is the little S. Wales’ squeak sound instead of the ‘h’ in ‘hi’ eg dylai hi? Is it a ‘v’?
It was introduced in Gwers 7 or 8 initially–I should have asked then.
Squeak aside, I am forging ahead now and have set a new goal–to finish Course 2 by the end of September, with the Vocabulary sessions.
Easy peasy eh? Oh, for those of you wanting to expand your English usage and sound Canadian… Just add an ‘eh’ at the end of your thought or sentence. Good eh. Is there a Welsh equivalent?
I wondered if it was one of those weird and wonderful South Walianisms. I gather there are some variations even between valleys and villages.
I have worked in PNG which used to have over 1000 distinct languages (just 700 last time I checked) because of the vertical terrain separating the valleys.
So what’s the odd squeak or hiccough between friends?
The beer will be flowing at the Red Dragon tonight as the Vancouver Welsh Society hosts a choir from Wales, so I am sure to hear a variety of hiccoughs
OK Tatjana, let’s brush off the wonderful story books you created.
Both horses are needing to focus on training over the next couple of months, but rumours around the stables say that ‘Gwers’ can already take hurdle #9 in his stride. That means he is starting to get in shape for the second race (aka Course vs Level).
What about the ‘Champ’? Is he still ‘taking it easy’ after a fall at the 5th fence of Level 2 during practice earlier in the year?
Anybody having trouble with ‘my sister’? Not literally my own sister but the pronunciation of my sister in the southern course. I can’t quite work out what is being said in the statement Challenge 21. I’d rather ask my sister. Bydden well da fi ofyn (my sister). By my reasoning, my sister should be …fy chwaer but I am hearing something different. Any assistance greatly appreciated. I believe there may be more than one translation for ‘my sister’.
Diolch
