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"Yr Hen Iaith"

Croeso! So, I'm learning Cymraeg (Welsh) and really enjoying it so far. I have been using Duolingo [1] and SaySomethingInWelsh [2] as well as listening to music on Cymru FM [3] and YouTube.

Why Welsh though? Well, I've always wanted to learn a Celtic language (family background) and Welsh has the most/best resources available. Later on, I will try Irish Gaelic...

The family background isn't the only reason for learning it though. I have an interest in regional/historic/minority languages and their preservation. By becoming a Welsh speaker, I am carrying forward a culture that is thousands of years old and exceedingly rich. Plus, I just find it a beautiful language! In this I agree with what J.R.R. Tolkien said in his famous essay "English and Welsh".

This is also related to my affinity for "small" nations with a lot of history that have managed to hold on to their ancestral tongues, which should be the subject of an essay on its own...

But now I can say with feeling "O, bydded i'r hen iaith barhau!" ("Oh may the old language continue!")

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