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A short book to help learners use their classroom Welsh with confidence in the community.

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9781784612733

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One of the most difficult things for the learner of any language is making the transition from the classroom to the real world where the language is spoken naturally as a matter of course. This is especially a problem with a lesser used language when native speakers may not be used to the idea of someone wanting to learn it, and may not be used to hearing their language spoken with a foreign accent. The problem is compounded in the case of Welsh by the fact that all native Welsh speakers today are bilingual in Welsh and English. Because of this, there is a tendency for them to switch to English in the presence of a learner, which can be discouraging. Lynda Pritchard Newcombe grew up in Merthyr Tydfil without Welsh, but learned it as an adult to become a fluent Welsh speaker and teacher of Welsh. She is therefore highly aware of the problems faced by learners, especially the reluctance to go out and use Welsh in a public context. Her book Speak Welsh Outside Class is her response. It is a short primer (only 90 pages) of advice on how to make the transition. Concise chapters discuss in an open, encouraging way issues such as the speed of Welsh-language speakers it can be embarrassing in any language to ask a question and then not understand the answer, or to ask a question and be answered in English! There is excellent advice on this, including, if you are answered in English, ignore it and persist in Welsh, or ask the person you are addressing to slow down if you have difficulty keeping up. There is good advice too on how to extend your vocabulary, how to approach the problem of different dialects and slang. Each chapter is provided with a useful list of books for further reading, while appendices list among other things contacts and websites for socialising, and advice to native speakers of Welsh on how to respond sympathetically to learners. Speak Welsh Outside Class is well designed and easy to read and should prove invaluable to learners who have reached the stage where it is time to venture out of the classroom into the streets. John Barnie It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council

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