As someone who spent many hours on Duolingo trying to learn Welsh, I can tell you Duolingo is NOT the way to learn Welsh (at least not in isolation). I think that's because it does all the things outlined as failure points; there's no tribe to connect with, you're left on your own passion to push you through, and there's no one to help you understand what you don't understand (and there's a lot of it). I'd love to learn more, but perhaps Duolingo isn't the tool for me.
I’m trying to carve out time to prepare a bilingual French/Welsh version of the show. I’m working with a French storyteller to create a script (not something I usually do) and hopefully I’ll feel confident enough to improvise more as we go along.
I agree, it‘s so hard to speak Welsh after the course has finished. I went to Wales afterwards to speak to someone, but I couldn’t find anybody to speak to. I was very disappointed. Now I forgot most of what I’d learned. I understand a word now and then.
I love this! I completely agree with your language learning tips. When I studied Russian at university, I learned intonation early on—getting the music of the language means that you’ll more likely be understood even if your grammar isn’t perfect. Later, I learned Bulgarian by living in Sofia (and taking classes). The English-speaking foreigners and I tacitly agreed to speak only Bulgarian among ourselves. We did pass along misinterpretations, but we also learned the proper language faster.
As someone who spent many hours on Duolingo trying to learn Welsh, I can tell you Duolingo is NOT the way to learn Welsh (at least not in isolation). I think that's because it does all the things outlined as failure points; there's no tribe to connect with, you're left on your own passion to push you through, and there's no one to help you understand what you don't understand (and there's a lot of it). I'd love to learn more, but perhaps Duolingo isn't the tool for me.
I’m trying to carve out time to prepare a bilingual French/Welsh version of the show. I’m working with a French storyteller to create a script (not something I usually do) and hopefully I’ll feel confident enough to improvise more as we go along.
I agree, it‘s so hard to speak Welsh after the course has finished. I went to Wales afterwards to speak to someone, but I couldn’t find anybody to speak to. I was very disappointed. Now I forgot most of what I’d learned. I understand a word now and then.
I love this! I completely agree with your language learning tips. When I studied Russian at university, I learned intonation early on—getting the music of the language means that you’ll more likely be understood even if your grammar isn’t perfect. Later, I learned Bulgarian by living in Sofia (and taking classes). The English-speaking foreigners and I tacitly agreed to speak only Bulgarian among ourselves. We did pass along misinterpretations, but we also learned the proper language faster.
Syniadau da! Diolch yn fawr!
Croeso, Wolfe!
As an English language teacher and storyteller I couldn’t agree with you more even though I’m not about to learn Welsh😊I enjoyed reading your post!
Thanks, Eleni! :-)
Thanks Eleni! Hoping all is well with you! Mx
Completely agree with that, Priscilla. Sometimes it’s deciding what we DON’T do that has that has the biggest impact.