We’ve made it to the Guardian’s G2, the Welsh language is officially ‘cwl’.
When did it all begin? Was it with Dafydd ap Gwilym, or not to mention that Glendower fella from Shakespeare?
Not since John Peel played the likes of Datblygu and Anrhefn……’development’ and ‘disorder’ don’t sound quite the same.
Apparently, it’s all down to a heavy metal band called Alffa and the 1 million Spotify plays for their single ‘Gwenyn’.
And, of course, Gwenno brings out her latest album ‘Le Kov’ in Cornish and Welsh sounds so modern.
It’s great to be celebrated by journalist and Welsh-speaker from Y Wyddgrug / Mold Rhiannon Lucy Coslett whose dad was dead on when he observed that the language is the water we swim in. ( Especially for the Whales and Carlo prince of the orcas with his underwater kingdom!).
People of all kinds are now learning Welsh : big, small, fat , tall ; but let’s not forget one of my heroes Ali Yassine.
Ali’s a Cymro from Kaairdiff of Somalian descent who’s been on the scene for quite some time and was the best announcer we ever had at Cardiff City FC. Like myself, an avid Adar Gleision,who before games would play the Super Furries’ ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck’ ( about legendary player and nutter Robin Friday) and Dafydd Iwan’s stirring anthem ‘Yma o hyd’.
Now all we get is machine music, techno-garbage to addle the brain.
It is actually heartening to see a double page spread in G2 praising the rise of the Welsh language and Coslett’s right that it can’t be separated from the preponderance of ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ graffiti, though she fails to mention the emergence of Yes Cymru and ,with it, a renewed interest in independence.
In the same newspaper the generally excellent writer Paul Mason recently lumped in my hometown of Merthyr with Mansfield and Hull as post-industrial places ripe for Faragism.
He totally discounted our many differences and ,when I wrote a letter to that effect, they didn’t publish it.
Historically, we were represented in Westminster for many years by a renegade Labour MP S.O. Davies, who was way ahead of his time on devolution and embraced our self-determination fully. We had a Plaid-run Council in the 70s and left-wing nationalist Emrys Roberts came close to winning the seat when Labour’s Ted Rowlands was first elected.
More recently, in a single year’s existence our local branch of Yes Cymru has flourished and , significantly, took the lead to organise the protest against Nigel Farage’s visit.
Several street stalls and one at the Rising festival proved very successful, with so many positive responses ; perhaps most surprisingly from staunch Labourites who had come round to Indy-ism ; more because of their total disillusionment with Labour in Cardiff Bay and Labour councils failing to tackle austerity and carrying out policies akin to the Tories.
Undoubtedly, there are disaffected working-class voters in Merthyr who support Farage ,with many spurred on by the anti-immigration propaganda .
However,there are also many tired with a failed Westmonster and British state which has never ( under Tories and Labour) improved their lives to any degree. Labour’s dreadful policies on health, education and our economy in Cymru only add to this need for an alternative.
The cultural distinctions are equally vital and cannot be distinguished from politics.
A Welsh language revival is wonderful, yet private companies continue to ignore their responsibilities.
Crucially, the WAG’s plan for Welsh in English language schools is seriously flawed. It anticipates widespread usage yet the reality is there has to be a concerted scheme for training Primary staff and teacher-trainers, together with a curriculum which puts our history and literature at the very centre not margin.
As to Secondary schools, Welsh is often taken as a half GCSE and , like all languages, given scant importance in terms of training and funding. On the most pragmatic level, it should be fully backed as providing career opportunities. On a cultural level, it must be closely linked to the study of music, literature and history.
At least the new curriculum does acknowledge the chance for theme-based learning : an old idea which became buried as the obsession with testing grew.
Welsh could easily become ‘un-cwl’ again, like the music of the 90s.
It shouldn’t be the ‘secret language’ Coslett finds so enticing ; rather an everyday one, however humdrum.
Independence does not guarantee this:look at Ireland where, ironically, republican Belfast is at the forefront of a Gaelic revival.
We need policies and a grassroots movement committed to revolutionary changes ; even in Welsh-language schools our history and music are side-lined and both are inextricably connected to the language.
As a learner, I’m excited by the opportunities available for adults, but this should be reciprocated for young people who, far too often, leave to use their talents elsewhere.
CWTCH
You need to be aware
‘cwtch’ is spelt with a ‘c’ not ‘s’
(which is the Anglicized version).
That there will almost certainly
be a café near you
with that very name.
You need to distinguish
between ‘cwtch dan staer’ and embracing,
though the two could be combined.
You must be wary of anyone
who translates it as ‘hugging’
( see ‘hiraeth’, ‘hwyl’ and ‘gwerin’) .
You have to cross the border
and ignore the Prince of Wales bridge
to appreciate its loving warmth.
‘Gis a cwtch ‘en!’
is not a come on ,
though men don’t say it to men.
The perfect scenario is to have one
in a caffi of the same name
whilst sharing ‘pice ar y maen’.
‘Cwtch’ is an easier way into Cymraeg
than, say, ‘gwasanaethau’ ;
scientists agree, even whales do it.
When did it all begin? Was it with Dafydd ap Gwilym, or not to mention that Glendower fella from Shakespeare?
Not since John Peel played the likes of Datblygu and Anrhefn……’development’ and ‘disorder’ don’t sound quite the same.
Apparently, it’s all down to a heavy metal band called Alffa and the 1 million Spotify plays for their single ‘Gwenyn’.
And, of course, Gwenno brings out her latest album ‘Le Kov’ in Cornish and Welsh sounds so modern.
It’s great to be celebrated by journalist and Welsh-speaker from Y Wyddgrug / Mold Rhiannon Lucy Coslett whose dad was dead on when he observed that the language is the water we swim in. ( Especially for the Whales and Carlo prince of the orcas with his underwater kingdom!).
People of all kinds are now learning Welsh : big, small, fat , tall ; but let’s not forget one of my heroes Ali Yassine.
Ali’s a Cymro from Kaairdiff of Somalian descent who’s been on the scene for quite some time and was the best announcer we ever had at Cardiff City FC. Like myself, an avid Adar Gleision,who before games would play the Super Furries’ ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck’ ( about legendary player and nutter Robin Friday) and Dafydd Iwan’s stirring anthem ‘Yma o hyd’.
Now all we get is machine music, techno-garbage to addle the brain.
It is actually heartening to see a double page spread in G2 praising the rise of the Welsh language and Coslett’s right that it can’t be separated from the preponderance of ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ graffiti, though she fails to mention the emergence of Yes Cymru and ,with it, a renewed interest in independence.
In the same newspaper the generally excellent writer Paul Mason recently lumped in my hometown of Merthyr with Mansfield and Hull as post-industrial places ripe for Faragism.
He totally discounted our many differences and ,when I wrote a letter to that effect, they didn’t publish it.
Historically, we were represented in Westminster for many years by a renegade Labour MP S.O. Davies, who was way ahead of his time on devolution and embraced our self-determination fully. We had a Plaid-run Council in the 70s and left-wing nationalist Emrys Roberts came close to winning the seat when Labour’s Ted Rowlands was first elected.
More recently, in a single year’s existence our local branch of Yes Cymru has flourished and , significantly, took the lead to organise the protest against Nigel Farage’s visit.
Several street stalls and one at the Rising festival proved very successful, with so many positive responses ; perhaps most surprisingly from staunch Labourites who had come round to Indy-ism ; more because of their total disillusionment with Labour in Cardiff Bay and Labour councils failing to tackle austerity and carrying out policies akin to the Tories.
Undoubtedly, there are disaffected working-class voters in Merthyr who support Farage ,with many spurred on by the anti-immigration propaganda .
However,there are also many tired with a failed Westmonster and British state which has never ( under Tories and Labour) improved their lives to any degree. Labour’s dreadful policies on health, education and our economy in Cymru only add to this need for an alternative.
The cultural distinctions are equally vital and cannot be distinguished from politics.
A Welsh language revival is wonderful, yet private companies continue to ignore their responsibilities.
Crucially, the WAG’s plan for Welsh in English language schools is seriously flawed. It anticipates widespread usage yet the reality is there has to be a concerted scheme for training Primary staff and teacher-trainers, together with a curriculum which puts our history and literature at the very centre not margin.
As to Secondary schools, Welsh is often taken as a half GCSE and , like all languages, given scant importance in terms of training and funding. On the most pragmatic level, it should be fully backed as providing career opportunities. On a cultural level, it must be closely linked to the study of music, literature and history.
At least the new curriculum does acknowledge the chance for theme-based learning : an old idea which became buried as the obsession with testing grew.
Welsh could easily become ‘un-cwl’ again, like the music of the 90s.
It shouldn’t be the ‘secret language’ Coslett finds so enticing ; rather an everyday one, however humdrum.
Independence does not guarantee this:look at Ireland where, ironically, republican Belfast is at the forefront of a Gaelic revival.
We need policies and a grassroots movement committed to revolutionary changes ; even in Welsh-language schools our history and music are side-lined and both are inextricably connected to the language.
As a learner, I’m excited by the opportunities available for adults, but this should be reciprocated for young people who, far too often, leave to use their talents elsewhere.
CWTCH
You need to be aware
‘cwtch’ is spelt with a ‘c’ not ‘s’
(which is the Anglicized version).
That there will almost certainly
be a café near you
with that very name.
You need to distinguish
between ‘cwtch dan staer’ and embracing,
though the two could be combined.
You must be wary of anyone
who translates it as ‘hugging’
( see ‘hiraeth’, ‘hwyl’ and ‘gwerin’) .
You have to cross the border
and ignore the Prince of Wales bridge
to appreciate its loving warmth.
‘Gis a cwtch ‘en!’
is not a come on ,
though men don’t say it to men.
The perfect scenario is to have one
in a caffi of the same name
whilst sharing ‘pice ar y maen’.
‘Cwtch’ is an easier way into Cymraeg
than, say, ‘gwasanaethau’ ;
scientists agree, even whales do it.
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