I didn’t know radio cymru had podcasts. Diolch yn fawr @AnnaC and i’ll be sure to check out Meinir’s music too
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Diolch yn fawr @mikeellwood I would never have thought of listening to a business program but i shall definitely tune in and have a listen
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I would also have recommended John Walter, but he doesn’t seem to be on (Radio Cymru) at the moment.
(Used to be on Wednesday, early afternoons, or maybe midday; Dylan iorwerth seems to have taken his slot (He used to be in a longer slot on Monday evenings; there seems to have been some musical chairs with John Walter sadly losing his chair!).
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Usually/Normally, etc.
I heard “yn arferol” being used on Radio Cymru. I’m more used to “fel arfer” Sorry about the pun. Anyway, although I appreciate that they don’t mean exactly the same thing, are they more-or-less interchangeable?
yes, pretty much interchangeable - the difference is quite subtle. Geiriadur Academi has “fel arfer” under the heading “usually”, and both “fel arfer” and “yn arferol” under the heading “normally (=usually)”.
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I think yn arferol is in fact modelled on the English expression - my feeling is that fel arfer is both more common and more naturally Welsh.
Note also that fel arfer has a second meaning: as usual
I would use fel arfer for both usually and as usual, myself.
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fel arfer sounds to me like a literal translation of “as usual”.
(that’s how I think of it, anyway).
However, that is my English-language prejudice showing through, no doubt.
Yes, I think so literally, but as Gareth mentioned, also extending to something you would usually do. Also I think that on in arfer is something that I used to do, as you know.
I have often (no pun intended) wondered whether the same construction works in the present, for things I usually or am wont to do. Can I Dw i’n arfer something?
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I’ve wondered this too. I’m not very good at using wont in English though!
I also keep wanting to use it to mean that I am used to something, but can’t quite make it do that. [quote=“gruntius, post:4210, topic:3153, full:true”]
Another good one is “wedi hen arfer” meant like “I’m used to it”
[/quote]
See? How does that work? Arfer is confusing!
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I’m guessing, seeing as “arfer” can mean “custom”, it could be something along the lines of “have long been accustomed”.
Emphasis on the “I’m guessing”.
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Yes you can:
Dw i’n arfer mynd yno tua saith
I usually go there at around seven
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Lovely – I thought it made sense – but natural language doesn’t always do what you want it to 
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True enough
I’ve nearly finished my 1993 night class book now 
So just checking that I’m not way out of date:
For “sy” (who is/are)
I recall that we (SSiW) have “sydd’yn” or “sy’n” for sentences like I have a friend who knows your brother etc.
So, when there’s no “yn” afterwards, is “sy” by itself ok: eg Mae’r dillad sy ar y llawer yn mynd i’r bin. From the workbook, I guess for The clothes that are on the floor are going in the bin. Or would you go for “sydd ar”?
Either would be fine and natural here…
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Isn’t this doubling up on bod? Mae’r dillad sydd ar y llawr?
No - because the mae goes with the yn mynd further on. The sy ar y llawr is added information, not part of the main sentence.
Mae’r dillad [sy ar y llawr] yn mynd i’r bin
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That makes perfect sense - thanks.
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