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

I want to be a Welsh speaker because I want to be able to converse with my children in this beautiful language. After I completed my Welsh GCSE many moons ago, I had a yearning to learn more. I love and appreciate Welsh culture so much. Just need to get to grips with the language! So excited to be on this journey…

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because I want to talk to my Welsh-speaking friends in Welsh, I want to restore/strengthen the language line in my family, and I want to use more Welsh in my work.

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because … I want to get a more active knowledge of this wonderfully expressive language and to take part in its culture - and also to watch ‘Rownd a Rownd’ without the subtitles!

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because of a conversation I had with a Welsh speaker nearly 2 years ago. And I look forward to understanding and enjoying more Welsh culture, particularly music.

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I spoke Welsh as a child and I would like to speak it again.

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I want to learn Welsh so that I can teach my daughter, Ceri, our ancestral language and prevent it from dying out.

I’m already able to read and understand most of a Welsh-language children’s book and eventually I’ll be able to read and understand multiple Welsh children’s books with my daughter.

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I want to be a welsh speaker because the more welsh I hear the more fascinating and beautiful I find it. Originally I wanted to be able to read the welsh notes and diaries of my great-grandparents, but now I want to be able to experience as much living welsh as I can.

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because I love learning languages and Welsh is a fantastic challenge - quite different from languages I’ve learnt in the past.

It will be amazing to express my thoughts in a language native to this island other than English.

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This is amazing. I would love to come to your open mic debut!

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because, to me, a language is at the heart of one’s being and I have been denied this. Being denied the language from a young age was a cruel deed of fate. It has coloured the whole of my life even unto my eighty-third year.

Intellectual reflection does bring understanding of the causes. I try to blame no one. God hasn’t listened to me because in heaven they speak only Welsh I am told.

I have absorbed many Welsh words and phrases but have not been immersed in the fundamentals of ordinary speech. This why I have joined SSiW - to start at the beginning. I see SSiW as being the best thing that has ever happened to the modern Welsh world as it educationally faces the root of the language problem in a loving and passionate way with linguistic understanding.

I have been associated with many projects relating to Wales, revealing some of the aesthetic beauty of Welsh poetry and music and upholding the concept of Welsh sovereignty, etc… Being able to converse in Welsh with attending people would have been a godsend.

This is why, for the sake of Wales, I want all Welsh people to be speakers of the language.

John Lloyd

My aunt from Caerwys was sorry I didn’t speak fluent Welsh. She did her best to encourage me. She was very religious. My father in law from over the border was addicted to languages but had no time for Welsh. He had no success in his efforts to teach me Urdu. He was a brilliant musician - but a tea totaller.

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What a lovely message! Diolch yn fawr!

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moving to Wales was such a life affirming decision and learning Welsh is making me feel that not only is this my home it is increasingly feeling like it has always been my home.

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because I want to feel I belong here in Wales, and to be able to read Welsh books.

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because I was dating someone who was welsh and encouraged me to learn even though I live in Yorkshire. We have split up now but it is not the end, I have continued learning because I love the language. :sparkling_heart: Wales is so beautiful so I am hoping to go there more in better times too :blush: :sunflower:

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I want to be a Welsh speaker because I’ve wanted to learn since I was a teenager (and I’m now 69), and the motivation to do so now came after a visit to Anglesey, when I was continually trying to work out the meaning and how to say signs and notices in Welsh. I also feel strongly that globalisation and the dominance of English is threatening many minor languages along with their culture. We need to keep our diversity!

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even though I left Swansea 35 years ago and have spent most of that time living outside of the UK, I have never forgotten my home. I’m a proud Welsh girl and have been feeling increasingly embarrassed when people ask me if I speak Welsh when they know I can speak Spanish. I would love to surprise people when I go home at the end of the year for a holiday.

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it’s the language of my friends and where I’m from

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I want to be a Welsh Speaker because I want to be able to speak the language of my country :slight_smile:

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Bendegedig to meet someone else in their 83rd year! I have been married to a Welshman for 60 years and am finally determined to learn to speak Welsh. We retired to Wales 16 years ago and after endless classes I can read Welsh and sort of write it BUT I still can’t speak it! My excuses are, my husband left Wales at the age of 10, he had a stroke so his speech isn’t perfect and I need hearing aids. Our conversations tend to be hilarious rather then fruitful, although I am doing a lot to increase his vocabulary!

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I hefyd! Feels wrong to live here and only know English. If someone moved to my home country and didn’t at least try to learn my language, I’d feel upset. Pob lwc!

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