Happy (and bloody) birthday

[ebwy2]

Heard a Welsh man speaking Gaelic, and it was the most unusual sounding language I've ever heard. Tried getting directions from a Scotsman, and I couldn't understand a word! He was supposedly speaking English and was enjoying himself tremendously at my expense!

I have a terrible ear for languages, and need to see things written out before I can learn.

Actually, you most probably heard a Welsh man speaking Welsh. Our language is related to Gaelic, but it's a different branch of the Celtic languages. Sort of like cousins rather than siblings.
Mae'n ddrwg gen i am ei ddweud (I'm sorry for saying!)

 

[sumi]

ebwy2: Are you Welsh? Cool!

Gosh, what a day, again!! The guy who bought our farm came round today, asking my DH why we haven't moved yet. Apparently the transfer finally went through last week Friday and the lawyer who was supposed to give us 2 days warning didn't tell us! So we had to get going quick. We moved half our stuff (luckily we're staying across the road by MIL for now) and tomorrow is cleared for chaos. Well, I'm happy the sale's finally through, after a ridiculous delay and we can finally get going

 

[sumi]

Remember what I said about all pay? DH is right now talking to a drunk mother who came knocking on our door, asking for food for her 3 month old baby. We gave her some eggs as most of our food is packed up now. DH gave her a speech which she'll probably forget in 5 minutes and told her to come back tomorrow so we can give her something more suitable for the baby to eat. This is reality in our part of the world and something I will not miss! I feel sorry for these people and at the same time they make me so angry!
Her sister who drinks even more than her is looking after the baby while mom is out drinking out her child support. Where is Social Services when you need them?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Actually, you most probably heard a Welsh man speaking Welsh. Our language is related to Gaelic, but it's a different branch of the Celtic languages. Sort of like cousins rather than siblings.
Mae'n ddrwg gen i am ei ddweud (I'm sorry for saying!)

Not sure, Welsh or Gaelic or ?? I was 16 and very overwhelmed at being in a different country for the first time! I do remember listening to the man in amazement, and someone said Gaelic, so I stuck the two together. (The man may not actually have been Welsh.

"Twas a looooong time ago!

) However, I expected that I might be able to recognize a pattern of some sort when he was speaking, but it sounded so... well, foreign!

Like nothing I'd ever heard before. (Did not mean to imply at all that the language was unpleasant in any way, just very strange to my inexperienced ears!) And as for Welsh, writing it out is even more confusing! A word consisting of 5 consonants is as clear as the Chinese characters my son is learning! And to think of all the mental whining I did while taking Spanish classes!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Remember what I said about all pay? DH is right now talking to a drunk mother who came knocking on our door, asking for food for her 3 month old baby. We gave her some eggs as most of our food is packed up now. DH gave her a speech which she'll probably forget in 5 minutes and told her to come back tomorrow so we can give her something more suitable for the baby to eat. This is reality in our part of the world and something I will not miss! I feel sorry for these people and at the same time they make me so angry!
Her sister who drinks even more than her is looking after the baby while mom is out drinking out her child support. Where is Social Services when you need them?

So glad your sale is final and the moving can commence!

For me, anger would be stronger than pity in this case. Wish I could scoop up all those poor babies and take care of them! Wish even more that their parents would take care of them! Sounds like they need to revise the all pay system. Here in California, an anonymous call to Child Protective Services would result in a safety check and the baby being removed from the home if the parent was drunk and unable to provide proper care. But later, the baby will be returned, to start the cycle all over again. So sad for the kids. Such a hard start in life.

Didn't mean to give you the heebie-jeebies about bogs! But then again, do they even have a bottom????

Being nosy again, but can I ask where you are from originally? I had thought you were from SA, but something you said makes me think otherwise.

 

[ebwy2]

Not sure, Welsh or Gaelic or ?? I was 16 and very overwhelmed at being in a different country for the first time! I do remember listening to the man in amazement, and someone said Gaelic, so I stuck the two together. (The man may not actually have been Welsh.

"Twas a looooong time ago!

) However, I expected that I might be able to recognize a pattern of some sort when he was speaking, but it sounded so... well, foreign!

Like nothing I'd ever heard before. (Did not mean to imply at all that the language was unpleasant in any way, just very strange to my inexperienced ears!) And as for Welsh, writing it out is even more confusing! A word consisting of 5 consonants is as clear as the Chinese characters my son is learning! And to think of all the mental whining I did while taking Spanish classes!

ah, but that's because you are ascribing english language sounds to the letters.. in welsh, we have more vowels, it's just that you see them as consonants because you are thinking in english. Our vowels are A, E, I, O, U, W, Y.

W is pronounced like "oo"

 

[Ally Rose]

reading this mad my butt tingle *shiver* i hate the sight of blood, too!

Oh and uh, happy birthday! Glad your son is OK!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

ah, but that's because you are ascribing english language sounds to the letters.. in welsh, we have more vowels, it's just that you see them as consonants because you are thinking in english. Our vowels are A, E, I, O, U, W, Y.

W is pronounced like "oo"

Very cool! So "ddrwg" is something like "droog"? Or does double d have a different sound? I only know a few things like Siobhan is said "Shivawn" so I'm sure some of the actual consonants are pronounced differently.

At least you think I speak English! Had some family friends that were English, constantly gave me grief over my "dreadful" American accent. "Do you want a cup of wadder?"

I would often loose the thread of the conversation because of colloquialisms or obscure (to me) references, and be too embarrassed to ask what they meant. I'm sure I came off as being a bit mentally deficient at times! English is often a foreign language to me!

 

[sumi]

Had a completely mad day, been busy non-stop for 11 hours and I'm pooped. Just finished putting a coop together for the chickens and some friends brought us dinner, so at least I don't have to worry about food now. Still need to unpack lots of things and sort our new house out, but that can wait. Tomorrow is another day!

Wishing4Wings: I am from SA, but I lived in The Netherlands for awhile a few years ago.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hope you've settled in OK at your new place. Living near MIL, but not with?
Shhhhhh... don't say this out loud, but I would go absolutely looney living with my MIL.

Although my husband would definitely crack first!