Welsh and the weather go together
Post categories: weather
| 14:15 UK time, Tuesday, 8 December 2009
I've been learning Welsh on and off since I was a boy and have an O' level in the subject. After leaving school I didn't speak any Welsh but I took it up again in 1997 when I started working at 91Èȱ¬ Wales.
In 2005, I took part in the Big Welsh Challenge which was great fun. The challenges involved me speaking Welsh in aÌýnumber of different scenarios:ÌýNavigating a rally car, becoming a waiter and taking food orders as well asÌýdoing the weather forecast on S4C.
This was veryÌýdifficult but thankfully it was not a live broadcast so I could have a few goes. Apparently, one viewer was so impressed by my efforts that she cried!
I've also spent a week at the Ìýon the Lleyn Peninsula. I really enjoyed my time there because I was totally immersed in the language and my teacher was excellent.
Whenever I go to big events like the National Eisteddfod, lots of people speak to me in Welsh and some have even given me books and cd's to help me learn.
I love all the different Welsh place names and try to put as many as possible on my weather maps.
I try and speak Welsh whenever I can and fortunately have friends and colleaguesÌýwho speak the language, so I can practise on them.
It's all about confidence or hyder in Welsh andÌýnot being afraid to make mistakes.
Hopefully, I'll be fluent one day and, as you may have noticed, I try and include short Welsh phrases in my late evening weather bulletin on 91Èȱ¬ One Wales such as:
"Shw mae?" which means "How are you?" which over time seems to have become my catchphrase!Ìý
Here some other favourites I use from time to time:
- Tan tro nesa - Until next time
- Pob Hwyl - All the best
- Hwyl am y troÌý- See you soon
- Noswaith dda - Good evening
Recently, at the 91Èȱ¬ Wales Roadshow in Pwllheli, I recorded some weather phrases for learners and some basics such as numbers etc.
Check out more of my Welsh phrases on the 91Èȱ¬ Cymru website.
Pob lwc
Derek
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