Post by megli on Apr 14, 2008 15:57:09 GMT -1
Hello everyone...
little idea here which I've been discussing with LR for a while.
Basically, if anyone wanted to learn to read Middle Welsh, using 'Branwen', I'd be happy to 'teach' the basics, whether on here, or as LR has said, on the upcoming Brython forum.
The idea would be that after reading through 'Branwen', people would be able to read the other Four Branches, and with more effort, Culhwch and Olwen, on their own.
This is just an idea - but what would be needed to make it worthwhile is the following:
a) people (even if only one or two) prepared to put in a definite commitment to having a go weekly.
b) they would need to buy some books: a copy of the edition (Branwen Uerch Lyr, ed. by Derick S. Thomson (1961, repr. 1986, 2003).
ISBN 1 85500 059 8
and of the Grammar of Middle Welsh: (A Grammar of Middle Welsh , by D. Simon Evans (1964, repr. 1989, 1994, 2003, 2006)
ISBN 1 85500 000 8
Both of the above are orderable here:
www.celt.dias.ie/publications/cat/orders.html
and they would need a good (not Charlotte Guest!) translation, to act as a crib. Jones and Jones is closest to the Welsh in 'style'.
There would be no need for any prior experience with languages, including Welsh, but if you have no such experience you would need to work harder and do more research. All jargon would be explained.
It would be likely to have highly technical moments, concentrating on the language deeply, but with appreciation of the text as well. As we go through, you'd make your own personal translation.
What I visualise is people signing up, if they want, and ordering the books. While we wait for them to arrive, I would post a basic introduction to the necessary terminology. Then we would start by me posting one line of the original, with commentary, and people having a stab at a translation using the edition, which has a commentary and full vocabulary, and querying anything they don't get. Then, as we progress, the amount of text each week would expand, until we were doing, say, fifteen lines a week.
It would take six months or so to get through most of the text, and would require about an hour's work a week.
Let me know if this interests any of you!
Mark
little idea here which I've been discussing with LR for a while.
Basically, if anyone wanted to learn to read Middle Welsh, using 'Branwen', I'd be happy to 'teach' the basics, whether on here, or as LR has said, on the upcoming Brython forum.
The idea would be that after reading through 'Branwen', people would be able to read the other Four Branches, and with more effort, Culhwch and Olwen, on their own.
This is just an idea - but what would be needed to make it worthwhile is the following:
a) people (even if only one or two) prepared to put in a definite commitment to having a go weekly.
b) they would need to buy some books: a copy of the edition (Branwen Uerch Lyr, ed. by Derick S. Thomson (1961, repr. 1986, 2003).
ISBN 1 85500 059 8
and of the Grammar of Middle Welsh: (A Grammar of Middle Welsh , by D. Simon Evans (1964, repr. 1989, 1994, 2003, 2006)
ISBN 1 85500 000 8
Both of the above are orderable here:
www.celt.dias.ie/publications/cat/orders.html
and they would need a good (not Charlotte Guest!) translation, to act as a crib. Jones and Jones is closest to the Welsh in 'style'.
There would be no need for any prior experience with languages, including Welsh, but if you have no such experience you would need to work harder and do more research. All jargon would be explained.
It would be likely to have highly technical moments, concentrating on the language deeply, but with appreciation of the text as well. As we go through, you'd make your own personal translation.
What I visualise is people signing up, if they want, and ordering the books. While we wait for them to arrive, I would post a basic introduction to the necessary terminology. Then we would start by me posting one line of the original, with commentary, and people having a stab at a translation using the edition, which has a commentary and full vocabulary, and querying anything they don't get. Then, as we progress, the amount of text each week would expand, until we were doing, say, fifteen lines a week.
It would take six months or so to get through most of the text, and would require about an hour's work a week.
Let me know if this interests any of you!
Mark
I'm not bad on paper, as long as I'm armed with a dictionary... 