Yes, I think that’s right. Many words seem to go through stages, right number of syllables, double letters or not, partly right, before they eventually appear. Even then they come and go.
Sue
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Thanks, Alice.
Well, I have done Level 3 challenge 1 and I feel a bit stunned at the moment. I must have bought too many hotels. 
I think that we were playing Monopoly.
See you in Level 3 soon? January? You too can buy shops and hotels.
Sue
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I’ll get there as soon as I can 
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Finished Challenge 18 =D
How’s everyone else doing?
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Currently working on Level 2 Challenge 23 and Course 2 Lesson 18. Had quite a lot of distractions the last two weeks (just bought a new flat), but trying to crack on again now…
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Wow congratulations on both!
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Awesome, great work! 
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Oh, you put that wonderfully, Alice, and it makes perfect sense! It immediately struck me that I’m doing just that - trying to ‘haul the words out’ from a cognitive remembered/translated mental structure. I seem to be awfully cerebral for someone so unschooled. When doing the next Challenge, I’ll do my best to let go of this uptight way of learning and try, as you said so aptly, to speak Welsh
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Thank you Claudia. I don’t know if I’m doing it right, but I hope so. I think Aran would have said something if I was doing it wrong.
How did it go tackling the next challenge with a different way of thinking about what you are doing?
A good thing this week for me, is when watching ‘Bing’ (children’s animation) with little one yesterday I understood whole sentences, to the point I feel I am really understanding the dialogue whereas before I could maybe catch the gist by being able to pick out a word or two. My listening has really come on.
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Wow, it must be such a thrill to be able to understand whole sentences and even whole dialogues! You’ve finished level 2, right? 
I don’t know why, but my brain seems to need forever to process Welsh, maybe because it’s totally different to the Romance language and German I speak. Maybe that’s the reason why I try to learn Welsh in such a ‘brainy’ way…maybe I still lack the feeling for it….sigh.
I’m sure Aran fully and heartily approves of your approach of learning Welsh…I mean, I can only speak for myself, but that’s how I feel. 
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Just as I fully and heartily approve of your courage and determination… 
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No, I’m in Challenge 19. Working on it.
Thanks for the encouragement. =) Keep going with your Challenges. Are you doing listening practice at work too?
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Thought I’d have a look in today (using my one good eye) and seen that this thread has moved along very nicely. You are all making such progress!
To answer your question: Done Vocab 1 and had an enforced absence Tuesday to Saturday. Then got half of Vocab 2 yesterday and had a cataract removal today but should be able to get back to it tomorrow. I need sight for this but hearing for the lesson so that suits my situation well! At a time when others dress as Santa or an elf I will be the pirate.
Raymond
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.[quote=“aran, post:51, topic:10252”]
Just as I fully and heartily approve of your courage and determination…
[/quote]
You’re very, very kind to say that, Aran. It’s just that I must admit that my determination isn’t as steadfast as it may seem. I often have doubts that learning Welsh is really meant for me, as I feel I lack a real connection to Wales; it’s maybe a desperate attempt to somehow feel I belong somewhere, but I don’t. I just know that I feel drawn to Celtic languages and culture(s), God only knows why…
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@Claudia_Beryan, I’ve just spent time with four other Europeans with no previous connection to Cymru or Cymraeg, but they feel passionate about both. Don’t think that to learn the language there has to be anything other than a desire to do so. It doesn’t need to be ‘useful’ or ‘practical’ or ‘financially worth while’. In fact, without a desire there is probably little point. Those who learn, without those incentives, from outside the UK, I find very inspiring.
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I’ve never met anyone whose determination is entirely steadfast.
The fact that you had the courage to come back here after saying that you were giving up is hugely, hugely impressive.
You can do this, Claudia.
And we’ll support you every step of the way… 
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Just checking in to say I’ve done L2 Ch19, and halfway through Ch20. I feel I need to press on if I am going to finish L2 this year but I am making progress.
How’s everyone else getting on?
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I’ve also challenge myself to finish L2 this year. I’m currently on 22 and trying to do one lesson per day, so I should just make it.
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Well done Margaret, keep up the good work.
Actually it was Ch 20 I’d finished earlier, not 19. And I’ve done 21 as well, and set up the audio recording to use for Ch 22-25 of L2, and I put L3 Ch1 on there too.
I’ve been thinking I need to plan what I am going to do to keep up and improve my welsh through next year. I know regular conversations is key and I’ve not followed up some opportunities.
Also been wondering whether to look into the traditional evening class locally, now I can speak a little informal welsh. Has anyone here done evening classes after SSiW, to expand their welsh-speaking aquaintance, or to begin on formal reading/writing etc, or any other reason, and if so how did it go? [edited to fix typo]
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Lots of people have done classes after or alongside SSIW. This can be fraught with problems when trying to decide which classes are suitable for you. Some people have never been to a class so they think they need to start right at the beginning. This is generally a Big Mistake! When you get to the end of level 2 you have really come a long way in learning Welsh. If you do decide to go to classes I would suggest that you be certain that you can change to a different class after two or three weeks if you find the class you are attending too easy. And few SSIWers find they need to drop to a lower level. And of course, what the teacher teaches, or what the course offers, will not be exactly the same as that taught by Aran and Iestyn. What a class will teach will be grammar and reading and writing and there is unlikely to be the same emphasis on speaking as with SSIW. If you want to improve your speaking, a class possibly / probably won’t help very much. A speaking group will, or Skype meet ups will probably help you more. If you want to do more reading or writing or understand more about grammar then a class may be of benefit to you.
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