It's a bit of a mind boggle, isn't it? Despite being quite sure that the Welsh language is actually beyond me, I plan to enrol in classes early next year. I think this lovely Welsh alphabet poster is an acceptable study companion, don't you? Frankly I think it should even be a tax deduction. Not that there's much to deduct from, being a bank balance friendly £15, unframed, from the lovely folks at Adra.
I'm particularly in love with the local-yet-completely-and-utterly-foreign aspect, and I think it would be a fab conversation piece. The only foreseeable problem, however, is that someone may actually ask you how to say it. Then you're mewn picil.
Hands up as the first person to know what that means without looking it up :)
ReplyDeleteOoo I could lie and say I know...but I clicked the link.
ReplyDeleteGoogle translate is my friend......
What sound does Ff make that just a plain old f wouldn't?????
THESE are the important questions.
I gave up at A.
ReplyDeleteApparently Llanidloes is Clan-id-loyss.
Obviously.
I speak Welsh (I have an A Level in it and everything) - is that cheating?!
ReplyDeleteI've never yet got past A B C CH D DD when reciting the alphabet for English friends before they all fall about laughing.
I would like this a present for my birthday, a week today. I shall repost on Facebook...
Common Welsh Alphabet questions answered:
C - is ALWAYS hard as in 'cat', never an s sound.
Ch - is a bit like a cat hissing, or as in 'loch'
Dd v th - is pronounced like 'th' in 'the'. Th is as in 'thistle'
F v Ff - Welsh single 'f' = English 'v', 'ff' is for 'f'
R v Rh - Rh is like a normal English soft r, R on its own is the rolled r sound.
Ll - if you're not Welsh, give up now! Seriously though, it's closer to a flattened S sound than a Cl - think about a long hissing 'Ss' sound and then flattening two thirds of your tongue into the roof of your mouth.
Welsh lessons available on request!
And yes I can say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyndrobwllllandisiliogogogoch!
Oh yes, and W and Y are vowels (pronounced 'oooo' and 'eee' or 'er' respectively)
ReplyDeleteNow you know all that, Welsh signs are easy - it's all phonetic.
So you can say "araf" (Ar-av), "ysbyty" (Us-butt-Ee), "Caerdydd" (C-eye-rr-deeth) and many other things that you may see on M4 signs.
I think A level is most definitely cheating......or we should be best friends. Either/or :)
ReplyDeleteLOVE THIS! I'm from wales but currently in yorkshire so everyone thinks it's a massive foreign land... So tempted to buy this just for conversation topics and being patriotic without the chavness that a flag brings. Thanks so much for posting! x x x
ReplyDelete