Spoiler Alert! Sgwrs 17 (Advanced Content)

Ooo. That will be interesting.

…and so with a bit of work and a few listens I can understand what is said very well…which is of course very pleasing and constitutes an extraordinary amount of progress in a short amount of time.

It is only when you are thinking about something beyond, that you forget the progress made (or at least it is easy to forget).

I find there are lots of ‘take aways’ on these Sgwrs which indicates (of course) that I am still’work in progress’…but that is ok!

This week I found out many new things in the first couple of paragraphs:

dwm im - means I don’t know (I did track down a vague recollection of the many different, very shortened versions of ‘I don’t know’ - in Unit 28 of @garethrking 's Intermediate Welsh…which made an interesting re-read at this point)

bellach ddim yn bod - now doesn’t exist…yup ok…makes sense…

deutha fi…represents another alternative stem for dweud…

There were inevitably quite a few individual words I didn’t know too - difeithwch to mean devastation is a favorite - fagwraeth for upbringing…yup, I can see that…didn’t know tlawd for poor…it was a couple of paragraphs of pure gold as Aran puts it.

…its a very strange sensation when you are listening to something, expecting the meaning to kind of poke through from what you hear…when it doesn’t!

Upward and onward! Dal ati.

Rich :slight_smile:

4 Likes

This all sounds good - and yes, the squashing of words together like ‘dwn im’ (same as ‘dunno’ really) is quite challenging I’m sure. This Sgwrs was with someone who’s learned, remember, so she does have the odd unique turn of phrase or sentence structure - I’m allowed to say that because she’s my mum…! :blush:
But then we all have our linguistic quirks, second language or not!

2 Likes

Hi Martin, glad you enjoyed it! The next one is a lady from Cardigan - hope you get on well with it!

1 Like

Yes…and the Duncan connection too - I didn’t think of that! To be honest I thought the Welsh this week was of the type which is more compact and truncated words - long sentences with lots of clauses - the opposite end of the spectrum from the more long hand ‘learner” type sentences …so I would never have known just from hearing the Welsh …but when does a learner stop being a learner!!!

1 Like

Totally off topic, but I always came to my mind when I heard it and everybody keeps on asking “Cardigan like the sweater?” when I say where I’ve been. In fact I always say Aberteifi now. :grin:
But still curious if it’s related, and the only story I found talks about James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan. But he’s English, and only English places are mentioned so I can’t understand if it’s the same or there’s another one in England?

Also, I remember @rich mentioning going to a meet-up in Leeds, at some point - and that had reminded me I’ve been there once (for a series of coincidences)…at the Brudenell Social Club! :grinning:

This guy’s a recurring presence!

1 Like

Yes, interesting. I’m fairly sure there is direct connection as there is a Cardigan Road right next to the Brudenell Social Club ( great venue! …low on glamour…but great gigs!) in Leeds. I’m off to google that…!

1 Like

He did invent the cardigan…

…led the charge of the light brigade at the battle of balaclava (but the view is that it probably wasnt his fault)…

He didn’t invent the balaclava.

I’ve realised that I don’t understand the title system - Earl of Cardigan is title of marquesses of Ailsbury!!! but does appear to refer to the same ‘Cardigan’…the one in Wales

Just after that I lost the will to live…

…and so connection to Leeds still unknown.

:slight_smile:

1 Like

Yes another great Sgwrs.

Incidentally, is rhywsut for somehow also OK in southern areas?

I’m guessing that it is one of those words that doesn’t southernise, like rhywle.

1 Like

Yes I think so. Glad you enjoyed!

1 Like

Hi Beca! I really enjoyed this chat!

Out of interest did Gill and Duncan completely switch over to speaking Welsh together too?

1 Like

I enjoyed all you Browns too! I have also heard Duncan on the podcast Galwad Cynnar (very difficult becaus I don’t know the Welsh words for many plants animals or geological things and it is often in impenetrable Gog as well), and his interview on Beti a’i phobl.
But I am having difficulty with getting the live sgwrs on both my iphone and my MacAir. Sometimes it plays perfectly well and other times. like now it isn’t playing at all. And often it takes 2 or 3 minutes before each unit starts. Can anyone help?

1 Like

Yes, if you are having this type of problem go to the Advanced area and hold your finger on the Sgwrs which gives you option to download it.

See image below.

Thanks. I had done that before and then the download disappeared! But it is working again now.

They certainly did!

1 Like

Yes, the vocab is quite specialised isn’t it. Glad you’re picking up bits though.

That’s really encouraging!

I listen to Galwad Cynnar every week, and sometimes I get a lot from it, sometimes it is incomprehensible (and sends me to sleep very satisfactorily)! I wonder is there a book, possibly for children, with translations of common animals, plants and geological terms, that I could buy?

One problem with GC though is that is overwhelingly male, with the token woman often getting very little air time. It sounds very 20th - or even 19th century sometimes!

1 Like

I will certainly have a look, I’m sure there is. And I agree with you on the gender balance - or lack of - it can be a bit boysy can’t it…
Have you had a look on the Llên Natur website? Or if you’re on Facebook, on their page/group?

There’s this, which might be a bit simple for what you’re after. There will be Welsh books of terms for mammals etc, but there will be lists or suggestions of books on the Llên Natur website I would think. If you would like more help send me a direct message :blush: