Welsh?

[ParanormalAndroid]

Given that Welsh is so rare on the web and I've noticed a few users expressing their interest in it..
Are there any other Welsh speakers or learners in this community? Just curious, really, seeing as languages are such a central part of this community.
Os mae llawer o diddordeb yng Nghymraeg, wel, basai'n grêt.
It's fun to use, I'll give you that.

Some useful starter resources:
http://www.internetradiouk.com/region/wales/#bbc-radio-cymru-96-8-wenvoe (BBC Radio Cymru, broadcasting in Welsh over the internet. Fantasteg!)

(Here's a Super Furry Animals song in Welsh, so give that a listen too.)
http://www.geiriadur.net/ (Y geiriadur swyddog am Prifysgol Y Drindod Dewi Sant- mae'n eithaf sylfaenol, ond mae'n cywir iawn.)
http://geiriaduracademi.org/?lang=en (other one taken down, hoping for resurrection, this one's not bad either)
(Watch this space- I'll try to find more stuff.)

[Jade Stormsilver]

I think it's a beautiful language and would love to learn it... but alas and alack, there is no one here to teach me! I have a couple of words from some books I've devoured, but that's it for me.

[ParanormalAndroid]

I think it's a beautiful language and would love to learn it... but alas and alack, there is no one here to teach me! I have a couple of words from some books I've devoured, but that's it for me.

Well, I'm fairly fluent if a bit rusty, and there's another user here called Gwenno who's completely fluent- look her up. Always nice to see someone interested in our tiny, weird language.
Hoffet ti siarad Gymraeg? Wych? Fodd bynnag, mae'n eithaf caled i siarad gyda pobl, ond byddyn ni'n helpu'r ti.

[Gwenno]

Well, I'm fairly fluent if a bit rusty, and there's another user here called Gwenno who's completely fluent- look her up. Always nice to see someone interested in our tiny, weird language.

Eyup! My name was called and I appear it seems…. There's another Welsh girl on the forum as well, but she hasn't been active for a while, Laufeysdottir I think it was.

I think it's a beautiful language and would love to learn it... but alas and alack, there is no one here to teach me! I have a couple of words from some books I've devoured, but that's it for me.

If you genuinely want to learn Welsh I may be able to help a little bit, at least directing towards useful resources and possibly looking over any work you attempt. I worked as a Welsh teacher for a short while, as well as a language assistant so for once I actually DO know what I'm talking about. I don't have that much time to spend on the forum so don't expect anything fantastic, but it always makes me glad when people are interested in our lovely little language and I like to help where I can ^_^

For more advanced speakers wanting to practice I'd also be okay exchanging messages, but same rules apply, I don't have that much forum time so there will be times where I can't reply for days, that's just how it is time-wise 

[ParanormalAndroid]

TL;DR, Gwenno is far more qualified to do anything involving Welsh than I am, but I suppose I'm available for basic stuff.

[Jade Stormsilver]

I don't have that much time to spend on the forum

Ha! Same here! Honestly I need to be packing right now. Or job hunting. And being a student is so time consuming (when you're serious about it!).

If you genuinely want to learn Welsh I may be able to help a little bit, at least directing towards useful resources

I really would like to learn, though.

[Auleliel]

I think Welsh is really interesting. I wish I had time for serious study but I am just a passive/lazy learner for now. (Although for fun I taught myself how to sing the first two verses of Sosban fach... I have weird hobbies...)

[Krisse Kovacs]

I have never heard welsh ever, and when I saw it written, it seemed like keyboardsmashes. Well, this was my first expression on it, I am not interested to learn it but can you get some video or sound examples, because I would like to hear how it actually sounds like!

[ParanormalAndroid]

Auleliel: Welsh is definitely an interesting language, and learning songs is a good way to familiarise yourself with pronunciation! Also, Wales has historically been a very musical country.

Martti: The best place to listen to fluent Welsh is here: http://www.internetradiouk.com/mobile/region/wales/ (BBC Radio Cymru is the official nationwide station, but I'm sure others broadcast in Welsh too.

[Krisse Kovacs]

Martti: The best place to listen to fluent Welsh is here: http://www.internetradiouk.com/mobile/region/wales/ (BBC Radio Cymru is the official nationwide station, but I'm sure others broadcast in Welsh too.

thanks! I'll check it out!

[ParanormalAndroid]

thanks! I'll check it out!

Not a problem in the least, nice to see someone showing an interest in my tiny country's language.

[Crowfeatherwolf]

Hello, I'm going to be studying in Cardiff after the summer, and I'm hoping to enroll in Welsh 1.

I was wondering if you could describe how to properly make the "ll" sound, cause I'm saying it like a "hrrr" at the moment. I was also wondering about how "Y" works, and what "^" does to things.
I'm only OK at recognizing written Welsh because I took a Lit class on the Celtic countries in general, but I got to read the Mabinogion and Melog in it, so I'm hoping that is a good-ish base, along with bands like Y Bandanna, and Sŵnami (I don't think I'll ever be able to spell that right without looking, I'm too used to Tsunami).
On that note, are there a lot of English/borrowed words that get whatever "romanized" is in Welsh, and where I can look up their spellings?

[ParanormalAndroid]

Hello, I'm going to be studying in Cardiff after the summer, and I'm hoping to enroll in Welsh 1.

I was wondering if you could describe how to properly make the "ll" sound, cause I'm saying it like a "hrrr" at the moment. I was also wondering about how "Y" works, and what "^" does to things.
I'm only OK at recognizing written Welsh because I took a Lit class on the Celtic countries in general, but I got to read the Mabinogion and Melog in it, so I'm hoping that is a good-ish base, along with bands like Y Bandanna, and Sŵnami (I don't think I'll ever be able to spell that right without looking, I'm too used to Tsunami).
On that note, are there a lot of English/borrowed words that get whatever "romanized" is in Welsh, and where I can look up their spellings?

Trying to phonetically spell Welsh is difficult, actually.
The "ll" sound is almost like "lluh"- lisp the "ll", but it's a rough lisp.
"Y" in what context?
The "^" is a tor: placed over a vowel, it elongates the vowel sound.
The old literature is definitely a good place to start, although I'd recommend more contemporary work too, as Welsh has changed quite a lot since the old days. As for music, listen to some of the Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys, etc.
Also, if you want to listen to Welsh in context, listen to the Internet Radio here: http://www.internetradiouk.com/region/wales/#bbc-radio-cymru-96-8-wenvoe
I don't know if that was much help, but send me a PM if you want anything else and I'll try to help. Great that you're showing such an interest though.
(Also, what do you mean by "romanised"?)

[Dane Murgen]

(Also, what do you mean by "romanised"?)

I think crowfeather means  that the English words have been transliterated into Welsh eg bus--> bws or taxi--> tacsi (or at least I think that's how you spell it) (also, don't mind me I'm just trying to explain stuff. I really like Welsh, but I don't think I want to push my language wish list too far. I already have seventeen languages in it now!)

[ParanormalAndroid]

I think crowfeather means  that the English words have been transliterated into Welsh eg bus--> bws or taxi--> tacsi (or at least I think that's how you spell it) (also, don't mind me I'm just trying to explain stuff. I really like Welsh, but I don't think I want to push my language wish list too far. I already have seventeen languages in it now!)

Ah, thanks.
Well, Crowfeather: with "bws", "tacsi", etc, you'll find they're mostly relatively modern words that were Welshified (that isn't a word, but run with it) at some point after the Act of Union (grr). Generally pronunciation is phonetic, so they're not so bad.
(also, you can never have too many languages, Dane)