# Learn Welsh in the pub (Canton area, Cardiff)



## Ben Bore (Aug 22, 2005)

Apparently there's informal Welsh classes being held in the Clive Arms, Canton on Tuesday nights.  Just started 2 weeks ago.

Details:
http://de-ddwyrain.blogspot.com/2005/08/learn-welsh-in-pub.html


----------



## ddraig (Aug 22, 2005)

interesting, diolch

need to sort my Cymraeg mas to


----------



## Ben Bore (Aug 23, 2005)

Croeso,

Os ti'n gallu siarad ychydig o Gymraeg, byddai bechod peidio ei ddefnyddio, gwaeth fyth ei anghofio.  Gobeithio bydd gwybodaeth defnyddiol ar fy blog uchod.  Ga'i ofyn cwestiwn (neu dri) personol?  
1. Wnes ti ddysgu Cymraeg yn yr ysgol neu fel oedolyn?
2. Oes rheswm pan nad wyt ti'n defnyddio dy Gymraeg?
3. Beth fydde'n ei wneud yn haws i ti ail-ddechrau/ neu bod eisiau defnyddio dy Gymraeg eto?

_If you can speak a little Welsh, it would be a shame not to use it, or worse still forget it.  I hope there's useful information on my above blog.  Can I ask you a personal question (or three)?
1. Did you learn Welsh at school or as an adult?
2. Is there a reason why you don't use your Welsh anymore?
3. What would make it easier for you/ or make you want to start using Welsh again?

There reason I ask is because thousands of kids either go through Welsh medium education or are taught some Welsh at school but don't ever use it again for various reasons.  Some regret it when they're older and others don't, but I'm interested in finding out what could be done to attract these people back to speaking Welsh. If this sort of informal classes in a pub (as a possible refresher perhaps) appeals, I might try doing something similar myself.  

Please fell free to tell my to mind my own business_ (yn Gymraeg wrth gwrs  )


----------



## ddraig (Aug 23, 2005)

esgysodwch y camgymeriadau sydd yn dilyn os gwelwch yn dda   

ydw, dwy gallu siarad ychydig o Gymraeg a ie byddai'n bechod peidio ei ddefnyddio a dydw i ddim eisiau anghofio fe.
ma fi wedi 'bookmarkio' dy tudalen we a anfon i fy nhad fyd.

ddim problem ar y cwestiwnau!
1. wnes i ddysgu yn yr ysgol, yn y de, yr unig ysgol cymraeg gyfun yn y dre
2. rhwy wedi ddim ond yn diweddar wedi dod yn nol i Gymru ar ol fyw yn llundain am dros 15mlynedd, ddim siawns i ddefnyddio fe fynna.
unwaith, wness i teimlo lot o hiraeth (a yr hiraeth!) a mynd i'r clwb cymraeg yn grays inn road i weld amdano ymuno i gael fynd rhywle a clywed/siarad cymraeg. ond fel arfel oedd y pobol yna yn hen a chanalbwyntio arno canu yn y cor a chwaraeon    so nes i ddim yn nol ac ar y pryd oedden ni ddim yn gallu affwrddio fe fyd.
3. rwy'n byw yn Caerdydd nawr a mae ddim yn edrych fod fi'n mynd i fyw yn lloeger to.  rwy'n Cymro a dwy eisiau bod yn Cymro a ddim colli fyn iaith, a wath, troi mewn i saes.   dwy ddim yn gwybod beth bydddan wneud en haws ond cwrdd a mwy o pobol ac yn mynd i rhai gigs a noswaith diddorol.
er engraifft - y noson 'welsh rare beat' oedd arno yn clwb ifor bach rhyw wythnosau yn nol.
so efallai rhywbeth fel y tafarn yn canton!? os oes mae'n rhad ac am ddim a ddim yn rhi 'formal' am fod fi mas o gwaith ar y foment a ddim lot a arian i gael i mynd mas gormod.
wnes i mynd i'r mochyn du ar dydd sadwrn a roedd mam a tad yn siarad yn gymrag a ceisio cael fi a fy brawd i sairad ond roeddwn yn teimlo tipyn bach yn dwl a 'forced'.  hefyd dwy ddim yn licio'r crach a mae gogs yn mynd ar fy nervs tipyn fy'd. dwy'n gwybod bod yna yn anrhesymol ac yn twp ond dyma ble ma fi ar y foment.
dwy yn tipyn bach yn gwell yn siarad cymraeg, onest!
esgysodwch y cymraeg wail to os gwelwch yn dda.
a diolch   

please excuse the mistakes that follow and blatant discrepancies between the Welsh and english versions, it will not be a direct translation to anyone it's not obvious to   

I can speak Welsh, it is supposed to be my first language.  It would be a shame not to use it and a tragedy to lose it.
I have bookmarked your page and forwarded it to my dad.
1. I learnt Welsh at school and was at the only welsh secondary school in my town.  where we rebelled against being told to speak Welsh and did not see the value and importance when we were all knowing teenagers.
2. I have recently returned to Wales after over 15 years in london and did not have any chance to use it apart from the odd chance meeting with a tourist or elederly Welsh speaker.  i, at experiencing longing and pain for being away from home, even went to the Welsh club on gray's inn road, kings x to see about joining so that i could socialise and hear/use Welsh. it was a grand building but the people there were typically old and enthused about the same old stuff - choirs and sport. i never went back. i also couldn't afford the membership fee.
3. I live in Cardiff now and it doesn't look like i will be living in england again.  I am Welsh and want to be Welsh and do not want to lose my language and worse turn into an englishman! i have been called geordie and all sorts more and more recently and it distressed me that people could not tell i was Welsh.
I do not know what would make it easier apart from meeting more people/Welsh speakers and going to gigs/interesting nights.
for example they had a night at clwb ifor bach called 'Welsh rare beat' a few weeks ago where they (Gruff Rhys etc) had collected rare Welsh language stuff and were making a night of it, looked very interesting and i used to go to Cymdeithas and other gigs when i was a teen.  Ffa Coffi/Y Cyrff/Y Gewfrau/Crumblowers/ U thant/Cerrig Melys etc  

so maybe the pub in canton would be good as long as it's not too formal and free, as at the mo i am out of work and unable to go out a lot.
i went to the mochyn du on sat with my parents who were making an effort to speak Welsh and trying to get me and my brother to speak it too but i felt stupid and forced.  i also don't like the crach/snobby aspect of some Welsh speakers and the circles they circulate in, also north Whalians get on my nereves, the voice grates a bit.  i know that is unreasonable and stupid but it's where i am at at the moment.
i am a bit better at speaking Welsh honest!
please excuse my poor Welsh again, thanks






			
				Ben Bore said:
			
		

> Croeso,
> 
> 
> _If you can speak a little Welsh, it would be a shame not to use it, or worse still forget it.  I hope there's useful information on my above blog.  Can I ask you a personal question (or three)?
> ...


----------



## Ben Bore (Aug 24, 2005)

Ti'n gallu ysgrifennu (a siarad Cymraeg betia i) yn berffaith y nytar 
_You can write (and speak i bet) perfectly in Welsh you nuttar_  



> hefyd dwy ddim yn licio'r crach a mae gogs yn mynd ar fy nervs tipyn fy'd. dwy'n gwybod bod yna yn anrhesymol ac yn twp ond dyma ble ma fi ar y foment.


   

Mae'n wir bo na lawer o gogs yn y brifddinas, rhai ohonynt yn ceisio ail greu gogledd Cymru bach eu hunain ond gyda HMV a Starbucks, ond tydan ni gyd ddim run fath    Mae rhoi o yfwyr y Mochyn Du yn mynd dan yng nghroen i hefyd.  Mae llawer o bethau 'amgen' Cymraeg yn digwydd yn y brifddinas ar y foment - y gorau oedd nosweithiau misol ABRI  oedd yn digwydd yn y Toucan, ond mae rhain newydd ddod i stop *am y tro*.  Mae yna noson cwis Cymraeg ar fin ail-ddechrau yn y Goat Major mis nesaf sy'n laff ac efallai byddai diddordeb gyda ti cwrdd a grŵp o ddysgwyr sy'n cwrdd yn rheolaidd yn y mannau isod.  Diw'n meddwl mynd i rai o'r rhain i helpu dysgwyr ymarfer eu sgwrsio/eu diflasu am fy hanes yn bugeilio yn y gogledd.  Nai bostio fan hyn pan fyddai'n mynd.
_True there are plenty of gogs in the capital, some trying to re-create a small north Wales down south onlt with a HMV and Starbucks, but we're not all the same .   Some of the drinkers in the Mochyn Du get on my nerves as well.  There's a lot of 'alternative' Welsh events on in Cardiff at the moment - the best being the monthly ABRI nights at the Toucan, but these have come to a stop for now.  A Welsh pub quiz is about to re-start in the Goat Major next month which is a good laugh and you may be interested to meet up with learners who meet up regularly at the venues below.  I'm thinking of going to a few of these to help learners improve their spoken Welsh/bore them with my tales of being a shepherd up north.  I'll post here when I'm going._



> Er gwybodaeth, dyma'r cyfarfodydd Cyd yn yr ardal.
> 
> Pob dydd Mercher - Caffi "Hoffi Coffee" Heol Woodville,Cathays
> 14.00 - 15.00
> ...


----------



## spacemonkey (Aug 24, 2005)

I want to learn welsh but i'm scared.


----------



## spacemonkey (Aug 24, 2005)

ddraig said:
			
		

> i also don't like the crach/snobby aspect of some Welsh speakers and the circles they circulate in, also north Whalians get on my nereves, the voice grates a bit.  i know that is unreasonable and stupid but it's where i am at at the moment.


----------



## Ben Bore (Aug 24, 2005)

spacemonkey said:
			
		

> I want to learn welsh but i'm scared.



Of being in a large class full of stranges and being put on the spot?  I know the feelling from my time at French classes at school and an Italian course I did.  I don't know what to say apart from the fact that everyone's in the same boat.  Not that I'd know, but I imagine Welsh classes to be slightly different with extra support available (via internet + TV etc) and the fact that wherever you live in Wales, even in the south east, there are placs that you can go in between lesson to practise your Welsh with fellow learners and supportive Welsh speakers (even friendly gogs  )


----------



## ddraig (Aug 24, 2005)

spacemonkey said:
			
		

> I want to learn welsh but i'm scared.




I'll learn ya!


----------



## Ben Bore (Aug 30, 2005)

I've just popped into the Clive this evening to see what goes on and spoke to Iona, the tutor.  She's doing it as a favour to the landlady who wants to learn some Welsh.  It's basically a taster and just learning how to say simple things like greeting and the essentials like ordering beer etc.  Tonight was the really only the second week as everyone was watching football or something the first night.  There wes five there last week and four this week, so the group is really small.

Nos da.


----------



## Strumpet (Aug 30, 2005)

How cool! 

I know very basic welsh....can't spell most of it though    but my little one goes to welsh school and I want to learn it so I can help more with homewrok as she gets older. She is only 6 so for now I know enough.....


----------



## Dai Sheep (Sep 2, 2005)

Ben Bore said:
			
		

> Croeso,
> 
> Os ti'n gallu siarad ychydig o Gymraeg, byddai bechod peidio ei ddefnyddio, gwaeth fyth ei anghofio.  Gobeithio bydd gwybodaeth defnyddiol ar fy blog uchod.  Ga'i ofyn cwestiwn (neu dri) personol?
> 1. Wnes ti ddysgu Cymraeg yn yr ysgol neu fel oedolyn?
> ...





I'm learning Welsh now - but I wasnt interested in school. I think the problem is when I was in school (10 years ago) we were taught  virtually nothing of Welsh culture or history - the national curriculum is incredibly anglocentric. 'British' history was essentially a history of England - I never received a single lesson in Welsh history. This meant that thousands of young people were essentially excluded from forming an interest and pride in their own culture - and cetainly not in speaking welsh (especially in the shadow of powerful american and engish popular culture). It was only in the last five years and especially when I took up a degree course, which includes a large portion of Welsh history were my eyes truly opened to the rich culture and history of Wales and gave me the  desire to learn the Welsh language. This is a good site for Welsh learners if anyone is interested:
http://www.clwbmalucachu.co.uk/


----------



## Ben Bore (Sep 4, 2005)

Pob lwc gyda'r Cymraeg Dai.

Clwb Malu Cachu is a great site and set up by a Welsh learner who lives in England.


----------



## Dai Sheep (Sep 4, 2005)

Diolch yn Fawr, Ben.


----------



## drachir (Sep 26, 2009)

Very, very old thread revival, but does anyone know if this or a similar thing is still running?
I'd like to learn Welsh through informal lessons in a pub.
Cardiff uni are running a course in Y Fuwch Goch, but it's quite formal, twice a week and £275 upfront.

If it's not running, I wouldn't mind trying to organise it. I was thinking along the lines of finding a private tutor, then everyone pays a fiver on arrival which pays for them. Anyone up for helping if there's not already one running?


----------



## Infidel Castro (Sep 27, 2009)

The Clive?  Teaching Wlesh/Cymraeg?  Surely nothing good can come from that pub...


----------



## fogbat (Sep 27, 2009)

Dai Sheep said:


> I'm learning Welsh now - but I wasnt interested in school. I think the problem is when I was in school (10 years ago) we were taught  virtually nothing of Welsh culture or history - the national curriculum is incredibly anglocentric. 'British' history was essentially a history of England - I never received a single lesson in Welsh history. This meant that thousands of young people were essentially excluded from forming an interest and pride in their own culture - and cetainly not in speaking welsh (especially in the shadow of powerful american and engish popular culture). It was only in the last five years and especially when I took up a degree course, which includes a large portion of Welsh history were my eyes truly opened to the rich culture and history of Wales and gave me the  desire to learn the Welsh language. This is a good site for Welsh learners if anyone is interested:
> http://www.clwbmalucachu.co.uk/



May I ask where you went to school?

I went to a Welsh-language school, between 1991 and 1998.

We studied an enormous amount of Welsh history, in my opinion to the detriment of any other history.

e2a: Doh. That's a very, very old post I'm replying to


----------



## poisondwarf (Sep 27, 2009)

Infidel Castro said:


> The Clive?  Teaching Wlesh/Cymraeg?  Surely nothing good can come from that pub...



Especially with that lovely daughter of the landlady who likes to kick off when drunk.


----------



## Infidel Castro (Sep 29, 2009)

I used to drink there in 6th Form but only ever sporadically since.  It's an awful place.


----------



## Ben Bore (Sep 30, 2009)

I'm almost certain that it doesn't take place at the Clive any more.

The reason i started this thread (*over 4 years ago* ) was because I thought it might interest other posters here, but also as it was something I'd been considering stating myself.

I'd always fancied teaching Welsh for adults, but had never done anything about it, as I was a bit nervous about my grammar.

Anyway, in the last two years I've been on a few teacher training courses and tonight I'm starting to teach my third class, at Cardiff Uni.

Yes, £279 sounds steep, but when you consider there's 120 teaching hours, it works out at only £4.70 per two hour lesson.

Obviously I'd say this, but if you're serious* about learning Welsh (*sorry if that sounds condescending), or any other language for that matter, you really need to be studying at least once a week (ideally two or three) and on a  regular basis. 

I bet that having classes in a pub is a good idea, there's nothing better for getting people relaxed than a drink. Regarding them being informal, well  there is nothing formal at all about the classes held in adult education  centers - everyone there, both tutors and students are there for the fun of it, I swear it's nothing like being back at school and there are no exams art the end (unless you specifically want one).

I think some courses might start in January 2010, and usually Cardiff Uni hold a week of taster classes before hand. So if you don't feel like committing to a class right now, look out for the taster course to get an idea of what to expect.


----------



## ddraig (Oct 1, 2009)

'D plates'
http://www.fictionfactoryfilms.com/

D for Dysgwyr (Learners)

slightly funny in parts...


----------



## Gavin Bl (Oct 1, 2009)

Rydw i wedi dechrau dosbarth Cymraeg sylfaen, wythnos diwethaf, gyda Prif Ysgol Caerdydd. Mae'r dosbarth yn Llanishen, a fe mwynheuais i gwers un. Gobeithio, fe fydda i'n gorffen y cwrs!

I have started a foundation Welsh class, last week, with Cardiff Uni. The class is in Llanishen, and I enjoyed lesson one. I hope I will finish the course!


----------



## Ben Bore (Oct 2, 2009)

ddraig said:


> 'D plates'
> http://www.fictionfactoryfilms.com/
> 
> D for Dysgwyr (Learners)



Bastards, they never said it would be on-line!


----------



## drachir (Oct 3, 2009)

Ben Bore said:


> I'm almost certain that it doesn't take place at the Clive any more.
> 
> The reason i started this thread (*over 4 years ago* ) was because I thought it might interest other posters here, but also as it was something I'd been considering stating myself.
> 
> ...



Thanks for this. It's not that I thought £279 was too expensive for the course... I know it works out very cheaply, it's just that you have to pay it all up front that's put me off!


----------

