28.2.10

Ieuan Cilgwri....!

Wnes i ffeindio fideo You Tube o fardd o'r enw Ieuan Cilgwri yn perfformio yn y Magazine yn New Brighton yn ddiweddar (recently)! ac un arall ohono fo'n darllen cerdd ar 'Fort Perch Rock'. Dwi ddim yn gwybod os mae o'n siarad Cymraeg, ond mae gynno fo ddiddordeb yn yr 'hen wlad' mae'n siwr!!

27.2.10

Cerdd...

Here's the 'Learners Eisttedfod' poem. I'm afraid the sounds not 'gwych' (brilliant), though it should help with pronounciation. I can't stand listening to my own voice so haven't listened too many times so I hope it's okay! There are one or two small changes to the printed copy. e.g. cymdeithas has changed to 'cymuned, as the former is more 'association' and I meant 'community' (cymuned). Anyway its just supposed to be a bit of 'hwyl' (fun), and there is no need to learn it all off by heart to take part!

21.2.10

Hanes werth ei darllen....




I've just finished a fascinating book about one of Wales's national heroes Owain Glyn Dŵr. To be honest history has never been a strong point of mine, and my knowledge of Owain was very sketchy at best. Having read some good reviews about a new English translation of 'Trwy Ras Duw, Tywysog Cymru' (Through the grace of God, Prince of Wales), I got hold of a second hand copy through Amazon and was immeadiately drawn in to this excellent book by Rhys Davies, the aknowledged expert on Glyndŵr who sadly died a couple of years ago. He manages to really bring to life the story of Glyndŵr in this very readable book. How did this Welsh nobleman and London trained lawyer, someone who fought in several campaigns for the King of England, come to give up a comfortable family life on his estate near Oswestry in exchange for a life as a fugitive. The amazing thing is how close he came to achieving his vision of a united independant Wales (one that would have included the Wirral as well as much of Cheshire!), and how much support he generated at the time despite the hardships and misery his campaigns inevitably brought on the people of Wales. Anyway if you're interested in Welsh history, this is a 'rhaid darllen'!

10.2.10

Eisteddfod y Dysgwyr a phethau....

Having had a better look at the rhestr testunau (list of subjects i.e. competitions) for the 'Learners Eisteddfod', I see there's the option to do any piece you like for the 'Parti llefaru' (group recitation). It would make more sense to try something more relevant than the suggested piece (a poem praising Cwm Rhymni's qualities, though I'm sure it's a very nice place!!), so below is a poem (in the loosest sense of the word!) about 'Cilgwri'... hopefully lighthearted, which could be fun to try..?

Cofiwch am Ddysgwyr Cilgwri….

Dros erwau corsydd y Dyfrdwy,
Mae ‘na benrhyn, anhysbys i rai,
Tiriogaeth o lannau a thraethau,
a nid hanner mor ddrud a Dubai

Dyni’n byw yn ôl llawer ‘ger Lerpwl‘,
er mae eraill yn mynnu ‘ger Caer‘,
ond ein ‘prifddinas’ ni yw Penbedw,
y lle gorau i fargen neu ddau.

Mae ’na rai sy’n ein galw ni scousers,
ac mae’r acen yn debyg dwi’n siwr,
ond mae’n bosib bod rhagor o reina yn byw,
Yn y Gogledd, ar lannau’r môr…

Yn ei hanterth mi dennodd y Mersi,
gweithwyr o bedwar ban y byd,
yn eu plith roedd miloedd o Gymry,
ac mi dyfodd gymdeithas go gryf,

Falle heddiw mae’n annodd i goelio,
ond yn y flwyddyn mil naw un deg saith,
Croesawodd Gilgwri y 'Steddfod,
heb ddadlau i rwystro ei daith… !

Go brin wnewch chi glywed Cymraeg erbyn hyn,
ar strydoedd ein penrhyn bach ni,
ond yng nghanol Cilgwri mae lleisiau o hyd,
yn brwydro efo geiriau di-ri,

Felly cofiwch am ddysgwyr Cilgwri,
a'u hymdrechion i ddysgu’r iaith,
Ar y lôn dydy o ddim fawr o bellter,
Ond yn ieithyddol, mae’n andros o daith…

Obviously there'll be bits (well maybe chunks!) of this which will need some explaining (and propably correcting!) but I'll leave it with you....

geirfa

erwau - acres
corsydd - marshes
tiriogaeth - territory
anhysbys - unknown
nid - not
mynnu - insist
yn ei hanterth - in its heyday
bebwar ban - four corners
yn eu plith - amongst them
r(h)wystro - hinder,prevent
go brin -scarcely
wnewch chi - will you
di-ri - endless
iethyddol - linguistically
andros o daith - heck of a journey

2.2.10

Jôc gwael ond addysgol.....

The good thing about being a 'dysgwr' is that there is always something (mostly too much) to learn, and learning can be an exciting process... well sometimes.

The other day I turned on the teledu at lunch time which just happened to be tuned into S4C from the previous night. In the mornings 'Cyw' is on the air, programmes aimed at pre-school children, and not something I normally watch, though in its own way useful to learners I'm sure.

Anyway, I heard (and understood!) a couple of jokes, one of which reminded me of when and where I learned a particular Welsh word!

Felly... at y cellwair (so... to the joke)


Be' wyti'n galw 'Jac Codi Baw' cyfeillgar?........... Jac Codi Llaw!! LOL

Ok, so jokes that need explaining aren't really funny, but we can learn from 2nd language jokes.....

Jac Codi Baw = Jack pick up dirt = JCB. Cyfeillgar = friendly. To wave to someone in Welsh is to raise your hand, "Codi Llaw", so 'Jac Codi Llaw' is a JCB that waves at you!!

I remember a number of years ago standing waiting for the tram that heads up the Gt. Orme (Y Gogarth), and a Nain saying to her grandaughter 'Coda dy law', and seeing the toddler waving in response. It didn't take me too long to work out the idiom, one I have never forgotten.

Gyda llaw/By the way: To wave other things such as a flag or piece of paper is to 'chwifio' e.g. dwi'n chwifio baner (flag) Cymru.