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Travels in an Old Tongue
Travels in an Old Tongue: Touring the World Speaking Welsh | Pamela Petro
6 posts | 1 read | 2 to read
Studying in Lampeter, Dyfed and learning Welsh, Pamela Petro found it infuriating that whenever she stumbled with her Welsh, the locals would always revert to English. She decided to go where English was not an option - all kinds of unlikely places with long-standing Welsh-speaking communities. She visited the Hong Kong Men's Choir, all Chinaman who sing in Welsh; the Japanese bardic eisteddfod in Tokyo; the Welsh golfers of Oslo; the diners of the Paris Welsh society; and Patagonia.
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review
rockpools
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Panpan

I obviously don't share the author's sense of humour - I guess her descriptions of the people and places that welcomed her were supposed to be amusing, but far too often they came across as negative verging on mean.

She met Welsh-speakers and Welsh expats around the world, but didn't seem particularly keen to get to know them. And she spent a lot of time debating the nature of Welshness, and what it means to be very Welsh. 👇

rockpools ☝️She did meet some interesting people, and if you're interested in bilingualism, many of the families she stayed with discussed how that works for them. Overall, though, I felt it was disappointing. On the bright side, this is a T for #litsyatoz and a #travelmemoir for #readharder and a ✅ for this month's #nonfictionchallenge17 and it's heading straight for the charity shop in the morning! (edited) 7y
29 likes1 comment
quote
rockpools
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I'll be honest, I'm not getting on great with the writing style.

LauraAndTaraAndBooks Fungal fondness?!! 😂😂😂 7y
rockpools @LauraAndTaraAndBooks The menstrual air threw me slightly as well 😶 7y
LauraAndTaraAndBooks Omg I missed that bit!! It sounds like anyone visiting this place needs to be wearing one of those haz-mat suits you see on police programmes when a biological weapon has been released!!! 😳😳😳 7y
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DeborahSmall 😂😂 brutal 7y
rockpools @DeborahSmall It's bizarre! 7y
29 likes6 comments
blurb
rockpools
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😐 I'm not sure. You travel the world meeting Welsh-speakers to improve your language skills. Fun! But the language-learning aspect is such a focus that the fascinating people/places you've visited are less so because your conversations are at learner-level. Plus language-related angst. It's improving, but maybe not the perfect book concept.

But it has made me want to get my Welsh up to a usable level. And maybe learn German.

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rockpools
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#maymostanticipated #maybookflowers

It's been on the shelf 15 years and counting. Finally started it this evening.

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rockpools
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Here we go! My extremely well-thought out #MarchTBR.

#nevergonnahappen

It's St David's Day, so Travels in an Old Tongue has to be on there. It's been on my tbr since 2001. Maybe this will be the month...

The others may have slightly more chance of getting read!

#Marchintoreading #ro17
@RealLifeReading

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rockpools
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I'm drying bay leaves, and they happen to match the covers of my books #setinsamerica!

House of the Spirits - of course! 💛💚💛
Travels in an Old Tongue - only part of this is set in South America, but Patagonia is an important part! I must admit this has sat unread on my shelf for way-too-many years - it was a leaving present when I moved away from Cardiff in, 😳ahem, 2001, having just passed my Welsh GCSE. I will read it - one day.
#booktober

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