On the Forum I know there’s an active thread about Great Kids' TV shows for Beginners - Deian a Loli & More!
a few about specific series and soap operas, and a few more generic (and quite old) ones.
But I haven’t found one for suggestions about for non-drama programmes on S4C Clic.
i find them very useful as ear training and to learn new vocabulary.
Anyone would like to share what they’re enjoying?
Any random comments about programmes you’re watching?
[I’ll write something in another comment later!]
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I start with a random comment:
one thing I’ve noticed is that my ability to understand what’s going on, without subtitles, has really improved in one year.
And this makes me think that watching TV is a very effective way to practice listening.
I notice I tend to catch more or less the same amount of things in most programmes.
However one funny and quite astonishing thing is finding highest and lowest peaks.
One day I was euphoric “Oh wow, I can’t believe I can understand like 95% of the words!!!” with Parti Bwyd Beca - Aberteifi (not currently available on Clic, but does come back from time to time)
While the next day Codi Hwyl America instantly shattered my illusions
https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/programme/802404571
I swear I can understand just the odd word in what Dilwyn Morgan says, as if it was an entirely different language.
And no more than 5-10% of John Pierce Jones’ words.
However, with English subtitles, I think it’s a very entertaining programme!
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Hi Gisella! I do drop in to Prynhawn Da and Heno, often because of Facebook promptings (from my “liking” their FB pages, I suspect). Ditto Hansh. The Slack WSP or Slack workspaces often harbour recommendations from @nia.llywelyn or regulars from among SSiW learners in hangouts, and one series that has surprised & charmed me has been Popeth yn Gymraeg, a series whose programmes, though all having the same theme, have both progressed and been very varied.
https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/programme/108839338
I enjoyed reading your piece in Parallel and suspect you’ll enjoy the last one of the series - set in Aberystwyth - but I suggest you do start with number one - Dysgu Cymraeg, set in the far South East. Subtitles in Welsh have left me guessing about some apparently key vocab, so, in my next round of watching the series, I’ll have English subtitles on (and yet try to ignore them mostly!).
‘Keeping my ear in’ or ‘getting into easy Welsh recognition’ in the first place both seem to be very unevenly achievable things for me. Gareth on Hansh and his interviewees are just unintelligible one minute, and then suddenly making some sense. Problem words may precisely be the English words, adapted to sound Welsh, and peppering the dialogue.
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P.S. Anorac is six months old but I’m intending to watch it all through some day, instead of just seeing it in brief snatches…
https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/search?s=Anorac
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Hi Lorna!
oh, Anorac is my kinda thing (not only for Datblygu, ha), so I saw basically when it was released on S4C clic!
But it can definitely be seen in snatches. To tell the truth I didn’t see it all at once myself!
Thanks a lot for the notes and tips! As for Popeth yn Cymraeg, I’ll keep an eye on the list for when it becomes available outside the UK!
(I’m not using tricks to watch things that are not available at the moment, so I just wait patiently until I can see them)
p.s. glad you enjoyed the piece on Parallel.cymru.
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I watched Rapscaliwn the other evening… that was… different!
I’ll be honest, alcohol was involved in my choice of programme. I was disappointed that no Cymraeg subtitles were provided though.
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I have the impression they’ve started to add Cymraeg subtitles more often in new programmes, since they probably realized learners are a big audience of theirs.
But yes, not all the time.
Well, people outside the UK can only see things from this list:
https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/Categories/99
(and it’s already great that they made a specific list just for us, so we don’t have to click on each programme to find out any more).
But I hope this topic is interesting for people from anywhere, including the UK, so all tips and comments are welcome of course!
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Rhannu (a quiz show) is good for vocab and listening to different accents - and although it’s mostly general knowledge subjects, we’ve tried to squeeze in Welsh-related questions wherever we can!
Also, you could try spotting when this happens: you may notice from time to time that when Aled, the presenter, reads the questions and the choice of answers - which appear written in a box on the screen, so you get to see them! - sometimes he will translate certain words into English (e.g. the caption will say “Môr Iwerydd” and Aled will say “Môr Iwerydd - Atlantic Ocean”. This is because even first language speakers don’t always know the Welsh terms, which is kind of reassuring for the rest of us!
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Yes, I’m watching Rhannu and learning vocabulary and a lot of things about Wales too!
And one very funny moment for me was when topic was food.
There was a question about Pizza Margherita: super easy for me, while it was clear from the comments that none of the 16 contestants had a clue. And although the reflections the one who was answering totally made sense, the answer she chose was wrong!
Right next came a question about half-and-half (or something like that?). All the contestants went “oh so lucky, everybody knows that!”.
The guy who was playing, in fact, guessed it and won the round.
While I had no idea of what it was - except maybe some sort of skimmed milk!
However I still don’t know if it’s an UK or Welsh-only thing!
p.s. oh by the way, now I’ve got Dan ni’n barod i rhannu! stuck in my head too!
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This just popped up on that Twitter…
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I enjoy Rhannu too. The questions are easy if you happen to know the answer, but so difficult if you don’t. I think that I remember you, @siaronjames, asking if any learners would like to take part. Did you get any? And yes, I had noticed Aled translating place names etc.
Sue
To be honest Sue, I don’t know if we got any because as one of the question writers I’m not allowed to be involved in actual contestant selection or filming (only advertising! ), so I don’t get to see the show or who’s on it until it’s on TV.
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No, I see that it wouldn’t do if you were chatting to contestants. If there are any learners, it doesn’t show. They all seem very confident and fluent.
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Reading subtitles while under the influence? Pob lwc efo hynny!
@gisella-albertini here via 6/6 Slack random channel recommendation from @robert-gee: rhaglen am Meic Stevens https://www.s4c.cymru/clic/programme/803269194
Diolch! Dw i’n edrych ymlaen i’r cyfle/gyfle i wylio’r rhaglen ‘na…
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I’ll have to wait for this one too.
The good side of seeing it so often is that now I’m able to understand what’s the matter. Until not so long ago this warning message looked just like a handful of random syllables thrown on the screen!
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yes, sorry - there was just too much archive material and music for us to be able to afford licensing that one for worldwide
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Having asked for our documentary, I now have an idea of the costs so I understand that it’s basically impossible to do something like that for a worldwide audience!
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There’s a new series of Cynefin which just started this week. We also like 3Lle which is often available on the iPlayer.
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There’s an interesting programme about Egyptology called Yr Aifft - several episodes still on Clic at the moment, some of which I think are also still on iPlayer. Old enough that unfortunately there are only English subtitles, but still good.
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