I had known about Welsh being taught at many schools in Wales, but I must admit I had no idea that this also meant an immersive, all-Welsh environment. That's interesting that it took you merely 3 months to pick up a completely new language -- I keep forgetting how fast kids learn. But how does it work for older students who are not native speakers?
I don't get a chance to speak it as much as I'd like in the near decade since I've left school - it's undoubtedly rustier than I'd wish, though I'm always surprised how fast it comes back.
Do you practice it in anyway, e.g. by listening to BBC Cymru or consciously seeking out other Welsh speakers?
I'm actually pretty bad at languages as an adult, so I guess it'd be interesting to compare with your experience - you say you weren't raised with so many languages around but obviously you're fluent in English now. Do you feel your grasp of English grammar, etc., is as instinctive as your German?
Well, English is the only foreign language I can indeed speak fluently, but I learned it the traditional way -- by studying it at school from age 10 to 19. After graduating, I then went on to read English Literature at university and spent a year in the UK, too. I doubt that I would have achieved fluency without my university classes and my academic year abroad.
So, no, my grasp of the language is not instinctive at all. I do notice typical "L1" language interference from German when I'm tired, in a hurry or not paying attention, e.g. when it comes to verb aspects (which German doesn't have), tenses (which work differently in German) or prepositions (which are just confuding). But I am functionally bilingual in real life since I spend a lot of time speaking or writing English at work as well. However, as soon as I open my mouth, you'll notice I'm German AT ONCE. My accent continues to be dreadful.
Do you have an English accent when talking in Welsh? Heh.
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I don't get a chance to speak it as much as I'd like in the near decade since I've left school - it's undoubtedly rustier than I'd wish, though I'm always surprised how fast it comes back.
Do you practice it in anyway, e.g. by listening to BBC Cymru or consciously seeking out other Welsh speakers?
I'm actually pretty bad at languages as an adult, so I guess it'd be interesting to compare with your experience - you say you weren't raised with so many languages around but obviously you're fluent in English now. Do you feel your grasp of English grammar, etc., is as instinctive as your German?
Well, English is the only foreign language I can indeed speak fluently, but I learned it the traditional way -- by studying it at school from age 10 to 19. After graduating, I then went on to read English Literature at university and spent a year in the UK, too. I doubt that I would have achieved fluency without my university classes and my academic year abroad.
So, no, my grasp of the language is not instinctive at all. I do notice typical "L1" language interference from German when I'm tired, in a hurry or not paying attention, e.g. when it comes to verb aspects (which German doesn't have), tenses (which work differently in German) or prepositions (which are just confuding). But I am functionally bilingual in real life since I spend a lot of time speaking or writing English at work as well. However, as soon as I open my mouth, you'll notice I'm German AT ONCE. My accent continues to be dreadful.
Do you have an English accent when talking in Welsh? Heh.