October 28 2005
Everything went well – this lot are naturals! I hope this is the start of a giant snowball of similar activity...
So...
What does a man do of an evening after a hard day’s work trying to do ‘Popeth yn Gymraeg’ (Everything in Welsh) in Aberystwyth? Ironically, I went to see an evening of silent movies in an old cinema with a pianist as accompanist; after a whole day of trying to find a way of giving the Welsh language a voice, it’s sometimes nice to concentrate on something which has no language at all.
Most of the films showed Aberystwyth in the twenties and what struck me straight away was the number of men who smoked – almost every single one of them. The projector started to blow smoke in sympathy; and more than once during the evening the poor pianist had to fill in by telling stories. Unfortunately the problems with the projector were more numerous than the stories he could tell and there was many an uncomfortable pause; but I must say, for me it was part of the fun – and a good night was had by all. Especially since we went to the Rummers tavern and met a poet or ‘persolari’ from the Basque Country. I learnt that “eskerrik asko” is thanks very much, and that ‘negu gorriak” means ‘hard winters’. Not only is Aberystwyth a conveniently central meeting point for Welsh people, it’s also a meeting for all kinds of other cultures, it seems.
October 29, 2005
Journey’s end – or is it the beginning?
One or two thoughts as things draw to a close...
Everyone in Wales has a relationship with the Welsh language – but not everyone acknowledges that.
So what’s our relationship with the English language? We who are lucky enough to speak Welsh?
In Wales, English has many identities; it’s a Welsh language (yeah butt, no butt, no buts, butt); but at the same time it’s a colonial language which threatens the very future of the Welsh language; it’s also an international language which helps us speak with other people in many different countries. In some eastern countries, English is “the language of freedom”; German or Russian are the languages of oppression in the Czech Republic for example.
However back in Wales for a Welsh speaker, speaking English concedes the argument for Welsh before you even begin. Gwnewch bopeth yn Gymraeg. (Do everything in Welsh).
I feel a pressure to keep going but I also feel the pressure to let others do it as well. Will the Aber gang carry on? It would be nice to think so. Will the series encourage others to do the same when it’s broadcast? It would be great to think so as well.
…but how do we make it more attractive and less of a burden? (Because it will seem like a burden to a lot of people)
What about doing PyG (Everything in Welsh) once a week?
e.e. Wednesdays for Welsh, like Dress Down Friday...
Or what about a campaign to normalize one word at a time?
Get everyone to say “diolch” instead of “thanks”? National Diolch yn Fawr Week??!!
Languages are lost one word at a time; why don’t we win ours back one word at a time?
Be confident, be friendly, be persistent...
Gwnewch Bopeth yn Gymraeg!!
Mwynhewch!/Enjoy!