Language learners in an instant!
Aled Gwyn Job
Dec 19
HELLO! Here is the latest edition from A Word From Wales, the newsletter for the Welsh diaspora in America. This will be the last newsletter for 2022 because of the Christmas holidays, so I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! In this edition, Ukrainian children lift Welsh hearts, A Welsh link to the World Cup winners and an update on the Wales/Liverpool connection.
CHILDREN PROVIDE NEW LANGUAGE HOPE
After the sobering news about the Welsh language in last week’s census revelations, some more encouraging news about Cymraeg this week.
Taking the form of three small Ukrainian refugees on Ynys Mon, who have managed to pick up the language at lightning-speed in only a few short weeks.
The three, who have moved to Ynys Mon with their families from Ukraine because of the war with Russia, only started learning Welsh at the start of September at the language immersion centre at Ysgol Gynradd Moelfre.
But they have astonished their teachers with their progress during that period.
Sofiaa, 8, Natalia, 9, and Donyata, 11 were filmed on S4C this week displaying their prowess in their new language.
With Natalie saying that her favourite Welsh word was “archfarchnad” (supermarket). Quite a difficult one for most Welsh speakers in truth, but said with absolute relish by Natalia.
Perhaps the fact that these children were already bilingual in Ukrainian/Russian was a help in being able to absorb Cymraeg so quickly, and of course children do tend to be better language learners in general.
Even so, it has led to calls to see this Canolfan Trochi (language immersion centre) concept now adapted and applied to adult newcomers in Welsh-speaking areas such as Ynys Mon.
Where newcomers could be immersed in Welsh for a specific period of time in a designated centre in order to help them integrate into their new community.
This would surely prove to be a more intense and language-rich experience than the usual 2 hours a week that new learners sign-up to here in Wales. Which at present is giving such poor returns in language gains, with only an estimated 5% of learners actually going on to become fluent speakers.
Obviously, such an investment in new immersion centres will cost money and with the squeeze on the public finances at present, it may not seem to be the best time either.
Nevertheless, it is an idea which deserves to get more traction as a real-time, and real-community response to the worrying census figure of 2021.
CLAIMING A SMALL PART OF A WORLD CUP WIN
After one of the best ever World Cup tournaments, Argentina are the new world champions.
Argentina triumphed against France after penalties after a pulsating final yesterday, which ended 3-3 after extra-time.
In a match which featured the two stars of the tournaments, Mbappe and Messi lining up against each other, it was the Argentinian who eventually triumphed, lifting the trophy in front of tens of thousands of Argentinian fans in Qatar.
An amazing end to an amazing career of a player who could justifiably be called the best footballer ever.
After Wales’s woeful showing in the tournament, seeing Argentina lifting the trophy proved to be some consolation yesterday in view of the Welsh connection with the South American country.
Since “Y Wladfa”- the Welsh settlement, which was set up in Patagonia in Argentina in the 19th century, has always played a part in Welsh consciousness.
With several hundred Welsh pioneers opting for a new life in Patagonia in view of political and social injustices back home in Wales at the time.
Even today, Welsh is still spoken in Patagonia, and there are Welsh language primary schools in the city of Trelew, which is in the Chebbut province. There are also Welsh chapels in Patagonia, which also do their best to maintain the Welsh heritage.
So, it could be said that Wales can share in some of the reflected glory from that marvellous win for Argentina yesterday!
LEARNING MORE ABOUT WELSH AND LIVERPOOL
A coach company is teaming up with a local historian to take a look at the fascinating role of Welsh people and the Welsh language in Liverpool next year.
Cwmni Elfyn Thomas is organising a trip to Liverpool in April 2023 along with the historian Gari Wyn, who will provide the commentary for the travelers making the journey to the old “prifddinas gogledd cymru” (the capital city of north Wales).
He will be covering the social, cultural, religious and economic aspects associated with the life of Welsh-speakers in Liverpool along the years.
As recently as 1890, 10% of the people of Liverpool were Welsh speakers and although that percentage has declined considerably since then, the Welsh influence in Liverpool is still as palpable as ever.
This trip is also of particular interest to the author of A Word From Wales, who is putting the finishing touches this month to his book “Y Sgowsar”.
“Y Sgowsar” takes a look at the life of a Welsh-speaker born and brought up in Lerpwl and his life in the city for over 50 years before he moved back to work in Wales in his fifties.
The book will also seek to reflect that fascinating relationship between Welshness and Liverpool through the life of John Medwyn Jones.
The book will be launched at the end of January 2023.
A dyna ni am 2022! I’ll catch up with all my subscribers in 2023!
Hwyl fawr
Aled
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