Welsh speakers...patagonia

[Animals4me]

would be interested in contacting any female Welsh speakers aged over 30 in Patagonia preferably or those fluent in Welsh.Looked at sites but unable to find any so wondered if anyone could help.Diolch.

[horseshoes]

Hi Sher, you're right on the border there aren't you? A beautiful part of the world. I have a friend who lives in Clyro.

[sherrardk]

Hi Horseshoes, I am originally from South Wales and have lived away in Buckinghamshire (mostly) for years. When we moved here it is so 'Welsh' that it is almost like being in an English Wales (comforting for me but comfortable enough for my English husband who could never live in the valleys). No one notices my strong accent and nearly everyone says 'cwtch'!

[sherrardk]

PS - it is very pretty but they are really mean about you getting access to walks in the countryside and along the rivers.

[horseshoes]

Oh that's a bit mean:-(

[ichkeria]

Not many fluent Welsh speakers in Wales?? You've obviously only ever been to the south then. I'm also rather surprised that Welsh would be regarded as a 'foreign' language. Would that Irish had survived as well!

[Eve]

I lived in Aberystwyth for 4 years and a lot of people round there speak Welsh fluently.

I learnt some as I used to work a lot locally and used to play for a local pub darts team and I was the only non-fluent Welsh speaker though could do enough to get by, especially when playing the all Welsh speaking pubs (ie only Welsh is spoken in them). In fact I was probably one of, if not the only, non-Welsh speaker in the local league!

[Eve]

Also, growing up not far from the border in Shropshire I also know quite a few people from back home who are fluent Welsh speakers. They helped me translate a reading I did in Welsh for my nan (Dad's mum) at her funeral, she was a fluent Welsh speaker (North Wales). There were a few local (Shropshire) speakers at her funeral too.

Mum and her side of the family are from South Wales though none of them, that I know of, speak Welsh to any degree of fluency - more just words everyone knows from bilingual signs etc...

[Animals4me]

As the original poster of the question...thanks for the few that gave advice in reply to my query...I see that the answers have digressed somewhat although I read with interest all the same.I attend Welsh classes but am keen to further my Welsh hence my quest.

[Zeuhl]

<what I see as the active promotion of a foreign language within the UK.>

That's a bit mischievous NJ considering it is more indigenous than any other language.

After all, 'Welsh' was spoken in Wales and 'England' long before all the foreign immigrant languages were imported; a hybrid of which most of us in England now speak

[Zeuhl]

Have you checked out the welsh language newspaper out there?

According to wiki it's a weekly, started in 2011 and is called 'Clecs Camwy'