I've been learning Welsh on and off since I was a boy and have an O' level in the subject. After leaving school I didn't speak any Welsh but I took it up again in 1997 when I started working at BBC Wales.
In 2005, I took part in the Big Welsh Challenge which was great fun. The challenges involved me speaking Welsh in a number of different scenarios: Navigating a rally car, becoming a waiter and taking food orders as well as doing the weather forecast on S4C.
This was very difficult but thankfully it was not a live broadcast so I could have a few goes. Apparently, one viewer was so impressed by my efforts that she cried!
I've also spent a week at the Nant Gwrtheyrn Welsh Language and Heritage Centre on the Lleyn Peninsula. I really enjoyed my time there because I was totally immersed in the language and my teacher was excellent.
Whenever I go to big events like the National Eisteddfod, lots of people speak to me in Welsh and some have even given me books and cd's to help me learn.
I love all the different Welsh place names and try to put as many as possible on my weather maps.
I try and speak Welsh whenever I can and fortunately have friends and colleagues who speak the language, so I can practise on them.
It's all about confidence or hyder in Welsh and not being afraid to make mistakes.
Hopefully, I'll be fluent one day and, as you may have noticed, I try and include short Welsh phrases in my late evening weather bulletin on BBC One Wales such as:
"Shw mae?" which means "How are you?" which over time seems to have become my catchphrase!
Here some other favourites I use from time to time:
- Tan tro nesa - Until next time
- Pob Hwyl - All the best
- Hwyl am y tro - See you soon
- Noswaith dda - Good evening
Recently, at the BBC Wales Roadshow in Pwllheli, I recorded some weather phrases for learners and some basics such as numbers etc.
Check out more of my Welsh phrases on the BBC Cymru website.
Pob lwc
Derek
