My language studies

By Simon

I’ve decided to try a slightly different approach to my language studies. Up till now I’ve been listening to Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh language radio for several hours each almost every day. In the evenings I read novels in either Welsh or Irish, and also learn a bit more Czech. I’ve also been learning songs in the Celtic languages, particularly Irish.

This week I’ll be concentrating on one language for two days at a time. So today and tomorrow I’m focusing on Welsh – listening to Radio Cymru during the day and going through a lesson in Cadw Sŵn in the evening. On Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be listening to Radió na Gaeltachta during the day and studying from Turas Teanga or another of my Irish courses in the evening. Then on Friday and Saturday I’ll listen to Radio nan Gaidhael and study from one of my Scottish Gaelic courses in the evening.

I’ll continue to study some Czech every day, to read Irish, Welsh and maybe even Scottish Gaelic novels, and to learn songs. By the way, can any of you recommend any good novels in Celtic languages, or in French, German, Spanish or Chinese?

Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic are the languages I most want to become fluent in at the moment. My other languages are less of a prioity, though I do get to practise Mandarin, Japanese and Spanish quite often on Skype and MSN.

10 thoughts on “My language studies”

  1. Just this past weekend I resisted the urge to purchase “El Codigo de Davinci” (Spanish for “The Davinci Code”) to brush up on Spanish and maybe expand my vocab.. You can try that.
    I’ve seen it in Russian, too. It’s popular reading and the English is, of course, widely available, too.

  2. Mae cyfres “Blodwen Jones” gan Bethan Gwanas i fod yn dda i bobl sy’n dysgu ond efallai bod nhw’n rhy hawdd i chi! Os felly, mae ei nofelau a dyddiaduron teithio’n wych i siaradwyr rhugl. Maen nhw’n siawns i ddysgu bach o Gymraeg y Gogledd hefyd os ydych chi heb ddod ar ei draws o’r blaen. Ydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg y De neu’r Gogledd?

  3. Efallai byddai hi’n rhy hawdd i chi, ond dros y gwyliau roeddwn i’n darllen y fersiwn Cymraeg o “Harri Potter a Maen yr Athronydd”. Roeddwn i wedi darllen y fersiwn Gwyddelig eisoes, a llawer o hwyl oedd hi.
    Ó thaobh na Gaeilge de, is maith liom aon rud dar scríobh Pádraig Standún.

  4. About twenty years ago I read a fine satirical novel by Josef Škvorecký about the life of a conscript in a tank squadron in the post-war Czechoslovak army.

    I enjoyed it as a fine French translation called “L’escadron blindé”. The original Czech title was “Tankový prapor”.

    Since you find it useful to read the same work in two languages, here’s an excellent occasion to do so while practicing French and Czech.

    In looking up the exact references I was surpised to learn that it had been made into a film in 1991!

    http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tankov%C3%BD_prapor_%28film%29
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103042/

  5. Osian & Tadhg – diolch am y argymhellion / go raibh maith agat ar na moltaí. Dw i’n eisoes wedi darllen pob llyfr yn y gyfres Blodwen Jones, a fersiwn Cymraeg Harri Potter. Dw i’n newydd darllen Enoc Huws gan Daniel Owen, ac mi ddarllenais i Cysgod y Cryman ac Yn ôl i Leifior gan Islwyn Ffowc Elis cyn hynny.

    Dw i’n ceisio dysgu Cymraeg y De, ac Cymraeg y Gogledd ar y un pryd. O’r de yw teulu fy mam yn wreiddiol (o Frynbuga), ac felly efallai dylwn i ganolbwyntio ar Gymraeg y De.

    Alain – I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few English translations of Josef Škvorecký’s novels. The English title of Tankový prapor is The Republic of Whores, and I’m fairly sure I’ve read it.

  7. I have found the works of the following Spanish-language authors not only a great read, but a super way to pick up vocabulary contextually:

    Isabel Allende (Chile)
    Mario Benedetti (Uruguay)
    Manuel Puig (Argentina)
    Llosa (Peru)
    Marquez (Colombia)
    Tomas Eloy Martinez (Argentina)

    ¡Buena lectura!

  8. Bain sult as do chuid staidéir teanga, go háirithe i nGaeilge! 🙂 Is breá lem’ chroí do shuíomh gréasáin agus léim do bhlag gach uil lá. Ceapaim go bhfuil sé an simiúil. 🙂 Nár laga Dia do lámh! Tá sé sin dochreidthe go bhfuil an méid sin teangacha agat! Is tusa m’íol! híhí

  9. If you like history and travel literature, I highly recommend Javier Reverte’s books on his travels through Africa, the Amazon, Greece, and a couple general books on travelling. His writing style is very nice! So far I’ve read Un Vagabundo en Africa and Río de la Desolación. Both were very good.

    I also like Isabel Allende.

    I don’t know German, but I really liked Günther Grass’s novels (which I read in translation) so I think I would try to read those in the original if I were trying to learn German. I also really enjoyed B. Schlink’s The Reader.

    In French, I really enjoyed L’Amant by Marguerite Duras.

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