Welsh language

An ancient farmhouse in Wales.

The Welsh language is the Celtic language of Wales that is still spoken throughout the country. Around 21% of the people of Wales (about 600,000 people), as well as some people outside Wales, can speak Welsh. Many people in Wales say they can understand some form of Welsh, such as spoken, written, or can read Welsh, even if they do not speak it all the time. Almost all Welsh people understand and can use the English language. Welsh is a compulsory subject for children in all schools in Wales, and it is taught as a second language in non-Welsh language schools. In Welsh, it is known as Cymraeg, or yr iaith Gymraeg, which means "the Welsh language" in Welsh.

The Welsh language is related to the Cornish language, spoken in south-west Great Britain, and also related to Breton language, spoken in Brittany in the north-west of France.

Language Mutations

Welsh has mutations. Mutations are when a sound (in speech) or a letter (in writing) changes at the start of a word. An example is the Welsh word "gwneud", which in English it means "to do", and "dod", which means "to come" "dewch i mewn" which means "come in". Sometimes the word changes from "gwneud" to "wneud", and from "dod" to "ddod". These sounds (in speech) or letters (in writing) changes also occur within, and at the end, of words, although the simplified classification found in ordinary books does not mention this.

Pronunciation of place-name by a Welsh speaker.

Poster in the Welsh language in 1915.

Formal and Informal Welsh

In Welsh, there is formal and informal Welsh. Formal Welsh is used when writing, in formal documents, and when speaking to a group (because it also includes the plural), when speaking to someone older than yourself, speaking to someone you have just met, or someone you would like to show respect towards. Formal words and phrases use variations of "chi", meaning "you." Sometimes, people will ask you to call them "chi."

Informal Welsh is used when sending e-mails or sending text messages to your friends or family, and when talking with people you have known for a long time. Informal words and phrases use variations of "ti", meaning "you." Sometimes, people will ask you to call them "ti."

How to say things in Welsh

There are some sounds and letters that exist in Welsh but not in English, such as the letters (and sounds) ch and ll. The first sound is pronounced like the Scottish Loch Ness, and an example Welsh word that uses the 'ch' is "bach", which means "small." Ll is a voiceless 'l,' and is made by placing the tongue on the top of the top gum, and blowing. A Welsh word that uses the 'll' is "llan", which means "church." Both 'ch' and 'll' are single letters in the Welsh alphabet, along with 'dd,' 'ff,' 'ng,' 'ph,' 'rh,' and 'th.'

Here are some things to say in Welsh. How to say it is in brackets ().

• "Croeso i Gymru" (Kroy-sore ee Gum-ree) - Welcome to Wales
• "Dewch i mewn" (Dew-ch ee mewn) - Come in (formal Welsh)
• "Bore da" (Bor-eh dah) - Good morning
• "Nia ydw i" (Nee-ah uh-do ee) - I am Nia (i.e.,My name is Nia)
• "Pwy ydych chi?" (Poi Ud-uch ee) - Who are you?, or What is your name? (formal Welsh)
• "Sut ydych chi heddiw?" (Sit ud-uch ee heth-ew) - How are you today? (formal Welsh)
• "Sut wyt ti heddiw?" (Sit oy-tea heth-ew) - How are you today? (informal Welsh)
• "Da iawn diolch" (Dah yoww-n dee-olch) - Very well thank you.

Here are a few other words;

• "Trwyn" (Troo-in) - Nose
• "Hapus" (Hap-is) - Happy
• "Trist" (Tree-st) - Sad
• "Rwy'n caru ti" (Roin carry tea) - I love you (informal Welsh)
• "Heulog" (Hey-log) - Sunny
• "Eira" (Ey-ra) - Snow
• "Ci" (Key) - Dog

The Media

Welsh books and newspapers have been printed for hundreds of years. Some of these books have been translated into English, and some books in other languages have been translated into Welsh. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was translated into Welsh, with the translation of "Harri Potter a Maen yr Athronydd", which means the same as the English title.

BBC Radio Cymru is a Welsh-language radio station that is available throughout Wales. Some local radio stations have some Welsh and English programs during the day.

The Welsh television channel, S4C, has been on air since 1982. It broadcasts shows such as the soap opera Pobol y Cwm, and children's programs such as Superted and Sam Tân (known as Fireman Sam in English).

In August 2009, the mobile phone maker Samsung (with provider Orange) unveiled a new Welsh language mobile phone would be available from September 2009. It includes Welsh language predictive text and menus.

The Welsh Alphabet

The Welsh Alphabet has some extra letters that are not used in English, and does not have some others. Although certain letters do not exist in Welsh, they are used sometimes to make sounds that could not possibly be made otherwise. A good example is the word "garej" (meaning garage). The letter "j" does not exist in the Welsh language, and is a lend-word from English. The traditional word for "garage" in Welsh is modurdy, which means, "motor house". Another lend-word is "toiled," which means "toilet" in English. There are now many lend-words in spoken Welsh. Here is the Welsh alphabet;

A¹, B, C, CH², D, DD², E¹, F², FF², G, NG², H, I¹, J, L, LL², M, N, O¹, P, PH², R, RH², S, T, TH², U¹, W^{1 2}, Y¹.

¹ These letters are vowels. The letter 'W' can be used either as a vowel (when it is said 'oo' like in the Welsh word 'cwm' (coom) meaning 'valley') or as a consonant (when it is said like it is in English, for example in the Welsh word 'gwyn' (gwin) meaning 'white'). This is the same with letter 'I' which can also be used as a consonant (when it is said like an English Y like in 'iogwrt' (yog-oort) meaning yoghurt.
² Letters that are not in the English alphabet, or have different sounds. CH sounds like the 'KH' in Ayatollah KHoumeini. DD is said like the TH in 'There'. F is said like the English 'V'. FF is said like the English 'F'. NG sounds like it would in English but it is tricky because it comes at the beginnings of words (for example 'fy ngardd' - my garden). One trick is to blend it in with the word before it. LL sounds like a cat hissing. PH sounds like the English 'F' too, but it is only used in mutations. RH sounds like an 'R' said very quickly before a 'H'. TH sounds like the 'TH' in 'THin'. W has been explained in the sentences before about vowels.

References

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