Aberystwyth University

Speaking Welsh, needed or helpfull?

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Reply 20

nia512

Oh but don't bother speaking welsh with the woman who works in ck's. I swear, she actually TUTTED at me O.O

Aberystwyth University

Reply 21

cambio wechsel

I notice you've already mastered the Welsh for 'helpful'.

Reply 22

JordE

Half way through my second year and know about 4 words.
You won't need to learn it at all.

What I will say is that its good to learn how to pronounce place names etc.
You know you've mastered it when you can say Cwrt Mawr.

Reply 23

Wookie42

I thought I'd have a stab at learning Welsh when I got here, but soon realised I wasn't going to bother. Although there are plenty of Welsh students, the amount that speak the language isn't as high as you might expect - literally all my Welsh friends here speak in English all the time. That's just how its worked out for me, but I certainly had a different idea of what it would be like before I got here :smile:

Reply 24

HellOnHighHeels

'Cwtch' means hug (p. cutch)
Lots of phlegm is needed to pronounce many of our words.
'LL' is pronounced ''Thhhhhhhhll'' (As in thlangothlen for Llangollen.)
Brains beer is amazing, but it's actually pronounced Brains, as in the grey matter.

Reply 25

gagaslilmonsteruk

No need to learn many words. However 'Diolch' (Thank You) goes a long way. I've taught myself some words through reading them - though they are mainly on road signs everywhere around town! The regulars in the shops will address you in English if you go often enough- I'm a pretty regular face in CKs market so they address me with "want a bag?" instead of the local welsh variant. Erm other than that Welsh isn't needed (unless you are living in Pantycelyn where apparently everybody speaks welsh. That hasn't happened on the few times I've visited people there, but it does apparently happen. This year I do know many of the international students are placed there).

Reply 26

marcusfox

Original post by Premachu

I'm wondering if i should bother learning any Welsh, is it needed or usefull?

When I Rang Aber they spoke in Welsh. So yeah

Depends...

Useful?

If only to laugh at these, I'd say yes!

Reply 27

userdloat

Original post by Premachu

I'm wondering if i should bother learning any Welsh, is it needed or usefull?

When I Rang Aber they spoke in Welsh. So yeah

Remember Diolch (Thankyou), just in case lol, I didn't even have to know any Welsh to work in Iceland there when plenty customers are Welsh, they mainly spoke in English other than saying diolch :smile:

Reply 28

username865376

The only words I know how to say in Welsh are microwave (popty microdon), Wales (Cymru), welcome (croeso), and the number four (pedwar).

All of which probably wouldn't get me very far in a conversation. :rolleyes:

Reply 29

Kaiser MacCleg

Original post by Aek-94

The only words I know how to say in Welsh are microwave (popty microdon), Wales (Cymru), welcome (croeso), and the number four (pedwar).

Close, but usually it's either Meicrodon ("formal" Welsh) or Popty Ping (lit. Ping oven - slang). Nice try though. :biggrin:

Reply 30

JohnC2211

Ah Welsh...invented by a man losing at Scrabble!

Reply 31

EffieFlowers

It's definitely an advantage if you're planning on working in Wales.

But it's not vital, It's nice to speak it and all, but not a necessity.

Reply 32

funsongfactory

Not needed at all :smile:

Reply 33

EffieFlowers

Original post by marcusfox

Depends...

Useful?

If only to laugh at these, I'd say yes!

They have to be from Swansea as well!

Reply 34

Swanbow

Like others have said it's useful to learn how to pronounce place names but that's about it. You'll probably pick up a few phrases and words which will be cool to know but even not really needed aside from the odd diolch here and there.

Reply 35

SiobhanC

As someone who has applied for many jobs in Aber speaking welsh seems to be preferred, but a lot of students who don't speak welsh get jobs so it's not needed in most places.

Other than that it's not at all needed. It's good to know how to say where you live properly if you don't want to be laughed at by taxi drivers ... which has happened to me before. :rolleyes:

Reply 36

Irrepressible

Original post by nia512

Oh but don't bother speaking welsh with the woman who works in ck's. I swear, she actually TUTTED at me O.O

That woman... switches to talking in Welsh a lot quicker than she actually works.

You really don't need to worry about Welsh. As long as you accept the fact that the streets/places/halls/houses/stations/etc have funny names (both for spelling and pronouncing) and as long as you're not bored while scrolling down your uni emails to the English part, all will be fine. I've never had a problem with not speaking Welsh (even the CK's woman switches back to English eventually). Plus, you'll learn to pronounce names like Llandinam,Cwrt Mawr, Llanbadarn (tbh, I'm not sure for the spelling)Pantycel... well, the so called Welsh accommodation.

But for someone who's Welsh/wants to learn or improve his/hers Welsh, I think the uni has a nice policy to encourage those people. I'm also pretty sure they give some scholarship to those studying it as a part of their degree.