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USA Today contradicts itself on ‘Welsh is notoriously difficult’ claim

19 Jan 2018 2 minute read
USA Today

One of the United States’ most popular news sites has claimed that the Welsh language is ‘notoriously difficult’ – while linking to a site that says the exact opposite.

Reporting on a visit by newly engaged Royals Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Cardiff Castle, the websites USA Today notes that they heard the Welsh language on their visit.

“During their tour, they heard performances from musicians and poets, met leading sports figures and saw how cultural groups are working to promote Welsh cultural identity, including its notoriously difficult language,” the article said.

But the website cites in defence of its claim an article on the website Why Welsh which, although titled ‘Is Welsh difficult to learn?’ actually responds in the negative.

“Welsh is as easy and as difficult to learn as any other language. And as with any other language, the best way to go about it is just to throw yourself in the deep end,” the article on Why Welsh says.

“Even if you can’t physically be amongst Welsh speakers, popular websites such as Say Something in Welsh allow you to talk to other learners and fluent speakers every day.”


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11 Comments
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JD
JD
6 years ago

Yet another slow news day?

I am a tutor of Welsh, as it happens, and am fluent in 4 languages. Welsh IS harder than most languages to learn because of dialects, mutations, formal and informal, gendered words, some difficult letters like ll and rh and ch. But it’s probably up there with the most rewarding.

Stop being so bloody sensitive.

Edeyrn
Edeyrn
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

Basic Welsh is easier than Basic English I found learning both

iestyn
6 years ago
Reply to  JD

What an interesting comment. I have learnt French, and speak a bit of Spanish. Both have genders, difficult letters (r and u in French for instance), it’s lmost impossible to read French accurately unless you already speak it, and trying to understand the dialects of rural South Eastern France, or Argentinian Spanish, is nigh on impossible. OK, there are mutations in Welsh, but they are only a big deal if you make a big deal of them – you don’t even *have* to use them if you don’t want to – not like the Slavic case endings, or the Turkish… Read more »

Rob Bruce
6 years ago

“There’s a lazy/time pressured journalist somewhere”. Not really news, is it?

James William Soares Jones

It’s as difficult as learning English. People all over the world can and should learn Cymraeg, one of the languages of the United Kingdom, a/k/a Britain!

Ceinwen Jones
Ceinwen Jones
6 years ago

You surely mean “could”, why “should” the entire world learn welsh?

Edeyrn
Edeyrn
6 years ago

United Kingdom is a 1707 state,

Britain is an ancient island.

Most people I wager, barely know the difference

Mens sana
Mens sana
6 years ago
Reply to  Edeyrn

Not true. Great Britain is the result of the union of the Scottish and English parliaments. The UK is the result of the 1800/1801 Acts of Union in the Irish and British parliaments. It changed again with the creation of the Irish Republic. Read Vanished Kingdoms about how all political arrangements are transitory.

Trailorboy
Trailorboy
6 years ago

Outrageous – this article I mean. Writing crap to try to provoke false outrage is simply crap journalism, well it’s not even journalism is it.

Dyl
Dyl
6 years ago

Well, most Americans and English learning Welsh would agree it’s hard, but not notoriously difficult.

Iestyn
Iestyn
6 years ago

I am Welsh, and I am notoriously difficult.

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