Gordon

I’m Gordon. I’m English and spent most of my professional life in universities teaching and research language (linguistics) and languages (French, English). I’m a grammarian by profession and worked until 2007 at Cardiff University. I love everything about languages and felt that it was about time I learnt Welsh seriously, having lived in Cardiff since 1987. 

Over the years, I’ve lived abroad, especially in Italy, but also in France, Belgium and Spain, where I studied and learnt the languages of those countries. And now, Welsh fascinates me, particularly its grammar!! It’s also interesting to be learning a language where you get little help from the other languages you speak (apart from words like ‘pont’, ‘eglwys’, ‘llyfr’ etc.and of course ‘imports’ from English). 

Sadly, and probably my fault, I haven’t got round to speaking a little Welsh with Welsh speakers. I really should sign up to conversation classes. I really am apprehensive about trying out my Welsh, which I only do walking to and from the local shops!

The SSiW method reminds me of my French and Spanish lectures when I was a student at Salford University, where we spend quite a few hours each week in the language laboratory.