
Everyone has been really friendly and helpful when I've had a go at a few sentences. Special mention to the lovely Nora who runs the learners' group in Talysarn and who patiently listened to my halting attempts at Welsh for about an hour without complaint. It was like having a personal language tutor - fantastic. And also to the guys in the butchers in Caernarfon and in Penygroes who now say things in Welsh first so I can try and understand, before repeating in English (I explained to them in Welsh that I was learning, trying to speak, and going to finish!).
Particular highlights for me in my Welsh-speaking so far are:
- asking the local librarian 'do you have the new book by X?' and being understood
- surprising the lady in the garden centre by saying 'I can wait' when another customer needed help while I was applying for a customer card
- asking the builders working on our house if they wanted a cuppa and then 'llefrith?' 'swgar?'
- then shouting up to them 'have you got the dog?' when the dog had apparently disappeared through the open door
- and best of all, being able to call out to my neighbour 'I have something for you' when the postman left her parcel with us.
I know these seem like small steps, but to me they're really exciting, particularly the being understood by other people, which is great! I am also finding that words not yet covered in the course are going in because I see them written down/hear them in other people speaking/have them explained to me, which is also really good, because I can use the constructions already covered and add to them a bit. I know I have a long way to go, but you have to start somewhere. To anyone nervous of trying your Welsh, I would just say 'jump in' - you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain.