'I want to be a Welsh speaker because...'

[neil-jones]

I am a raving welsh nationalist who wants to live in an independent, bilingual Wales

[neil-piggott]

I want to be a welsh speaker because it’ll enable me to help & converse with my Welsh Medium Educated Children. My wife is also a Welsh speaker, so I’m the only one in our family who can’t speak it!!

[lizwilliams]

I want to be a Welsh speaker because I want to help preserve the language of my ancestors. I also want to communicate with Welsh relatives in their first language!

[mariusz-listewnik]

‘I want to be a Welsh speaker because…’?

that way I can share the passion of my wife - Welsh language, culture and literature.

what’s ONE thing that pleased you that’s happened because you became a Welsh speaker?

I went to Wales and could hold an ordinary conversation with my wife’s Welsh-speaking friends.

[richardroyle_1]

… I want to understand what I am singing and I want to want to watch Pobol y Cwm without subtitles (perhaps I need SSIWenglish for that?)

[siaronjames]

I’m copying this link to another thread here in case it applies to anyone who might be interested Has anyone learnt Welsh due to their interest in Welsh music?

[Liz-Price]

I spent every holiday during my childhood on Anglesey and my Grandfather was from South Wales. My family still visit the island as often as possible and, for me, there is something indefinable (and inexplicable to me) about the pull I feel towards Wales, its language, and culture.

I wonder if it’s something to do with an awareness of how oppressed the language appears to have been and a developing sense of admiration for those who fought so hard to maintain its integrity and visibility.

Beyond that, I came across SSiW completely by chance … I gave Week 1 a go whilst we were on holiday in Anglesey, just for fun, and now I seem to have been bitten by the language learning bug!

Thanks so much to everyone involved in such a wonderful initiative.

[david-croucher-jones]

I wanted to learn Welsh because I now live and work in Wales. Hopefully by the end of this course I will be able to converse in Welsh throughout my daily life both socially and at work.

[g-parker]

That’s great to read! My kids go to Welsh medium ysgol and it’s teachers like you (soon!) that can excite them about the Welsh language - da iawn ti a pob lwc!

[esther-shaw]

I want to fully understand my children speaking Welsh, to be part of my local welsh speaking community and develop an even greater sense of belonging in Wales…the change…not being afraid to use my welsh out and about

[peggywood]

I live in Wales, and want to speak to my freinds and neighbours in their own language.

[lisahandcock]

I want to be able to speak with my patients in their own language. I am an anaesthetist and I find that many of my first language Welsh patients ‘wake up’ in Welsh even if they converse perfectly in English before they go to sleep. It is also very noticeable to me how any confused or demented patients respond so much better if I am able to speak even a few words in their first language.

[charlie-o]

I completely agree with that sentiment. Good luck!

[june-stait]

I want to be a welsh because I live in a Welsh speaking village - Llangadog and I don’t want to be a newcomer now I’ve lived here for 20+ years!

[mary-5]

I want to learn Welsh to be able to speak my own language! As a teacher (hopefully I’ll get more work soon) I want to be able to have confidence in speaking to help put things right. It was appalling that our language was stolen from us and that teachers (nasty ones) helped by doling out corporal punishment to little children who were only doing what came naturally…speaking their own language. I want to swap the Welsh NOT with a Welsh CAN!

I met up with other SSIW students at Blaenau Ffestiniog on Saturday. It was a lovely day for my first meet up, but I found it difficult to pick up on most of what was said of the History talks. I did have a go at conversational Welsh. I’m sure I’ll get better in time. Also I was interviewed for the Brocast Ffestiniog (I jumped between Welsh n English to survive!). There will be another gathering in St Fagans Museum of Welsh Life, Cardiff in December. Hopefully I will have developed my confidence by then.

[nataliesanders]

I want to be a Welsh speaker because…
We have visited Wales many times and I have always felt as though I was missing something by not being able to understand the language, having recently discovered that my Great Great Grandmother was born in Cilcennin I feel even more of a pull to learn her native tongue.
As for the change it will have, well…we are planning to relocate to N Wales when my husband retires in a couple of years and I hope it will help me to fully integrate into the community.

[jen]

I’ve always wanted to be able to speak Welsh. I have a GCSE and I’ve tried twice to learn using a Myneiad course book and before that teach yourself. I tried the old course in my 20s or late teens but didn’t stick with it. Trying again now and hopefully I will succeed. It would be nice to watch the next series of Un Bore Mercher and not Keeping Faith the English version

[Breandan]

The dragon sunk it’s teeth into me ever since I first heard Welsh several years ago. I would also like to add another Celtic language. According to the contact I signed that should happen March 1st 2020!

I have a dream of visiting Scotland, Wales and Ireland and only speaking in their respective native languages. Maybe by the time I am comfortably conversational in Welsh, SSiIrish will be ready!

[roel-1]

I came to Wales for study, and though circumstance i’m now back working there. I have no ties to Wales, but like it here and would like to make Welsh my fourth language / make it to the end of the 52 week course at least.

[geofftwo]

I want to be a Welsh speaker because I recently found I have a ( treatable) tumour and want to distract from the challenges ahead.