TOP

New song – Hints of Blossom

Feb 24
Posted by Simon in English, Music

Hints of blossom on a tree

I wrote this song this week inspired by the fine weather we’ve been enjoying in Bangor. It’s been sunny and almost warm during the day with blue skies, and rather cold and frosty at night.

Hints of Blossom
On a cold frosty morning in the month of February
I stepped out from my doorway to see what I could see
The birds were all singing so sweetly in the trees
And the air was so still with barely a breeze.

The sun was shining brightly from a cloudless blue sky
And new lambs were frolicking in fields as I went by
The sea was like a mirror reflecting everything
And hints of blossom on the trees just made me want to sing.

The wheel of seasons was beginning to turn
And everywhere the signs of spring were to be discerned
So with a song in my heart and a smile on my face
I walked through the world at a leisurely pace.

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Les mot de la semaine

Feb 22
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, English, Français, Language

- un compte courant = current account = cyfrif cyfredol = kont-red
- un compte d’épargne / de dépôt = savings account = cyfrif cynilion = kont-espern
- l’épargne, l’économie = savings = cynilion = arboell
- économiser = to save (money) = cynilo; arbed = armerzhañ
- l’intérêt (m) = interest = llog = laz
- le taux d’intérêt = interest rate = cyfradd llog = feur kampi
- l’assurance-vie (f) = life insurance = yswiriant bywyd = asurañs war ar vuhez
- les nouveaux visages (m); de nouvelles têtes (f) = new faces = gwynebau newydd = pennoù nevez
- retenir son souffle = to hold one’s breath (lit/fig) = dal dy wynt
- concorder = to fit (facts) = cytuno (efo ffeithiau)
- poseur (de tapis) = (carpet) fitter; poseur = fittiwr (carpedi)
- le pépin = glitch, snag, hitch; pip; umbrella = rhwystr; dincodyn; ymbarél = skoilh; disglavier
- greffer = to graft = impio = imboudañ

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Slugs and snails and owls

Feb 20
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, Deutsch, English, Français, Kernewek, Language

Here some of the words that came up this week at the polyglot conversation group, along with a few related words and expressions.

Kernewek
bulhorn = snail
gluthvelhwenn; melhwenn = slug
kowann; oula = owl
mordardha = to surf
modardh = surf

Cymraeg
malwoden; malwen (malwod, pl) = snail
gwlithen; malwen ddu = slug
tylluan; gwdihŵ = owl
brigdonni; brigo tonnau; reidio tonnau; syrffio = to surf
pori = to surf (the web)
brigdonnwr; brigwr tonnau; syrffiwr = surfer
ewyn môr; brig y don; ewyn y don = surf
talp = nugget, chunk, lump, byte
cnepyn = nugget, nodule, lump, pommel
gwrthrychedd; gwrthrycholdeb = objectivity

Brezhoneg
melc’houed; melc’hwed; mailgorn; melc’houedenn-grogennek = snail
melc’houed; melc’hwedenn; likoch = slug
penn-kazh; toud; korverig = owl

Français
doué(e); de talent = talented
avoir du talent = to be talented
un musicien de talent = a talented musician
aux talents multiples = multi-talented
avoir plusieurs cordes à son arc = to have many tricks up one’s sleeve (be multi-talented)
elle est extrêmement douée = she is extremely talented
l’escargot (f) = snail
la limace = slug
le hibou; la chouettte = owl

Deutsch
die Streichholzschachtel = matchbox
der Streichholzschächtelchen = little matchbox
die Schnecke = snail
das Schneckengehäuse = snail shell
die Nacktschnecke = slug (“naked snail”)
die Eule = owl

Read More
Comments (2)
TOP

Les mots de la semaine

Feb 08
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, English, Français, Language

- une torche flambeau = flaming torch = ffagl = torch flamboz
- une lampe de poche = (pocket) torch = tortsh = kreuzeul
- en pincer pour qn = to carry a torch for sb = caru rhywun (o bell) yn ofer
- au point = in focus = mewn ffocws, yn eglur = en e reizh
- pas au point = out of focus = aneglur, allan ohoni
- mettre au point = to focus = canoli, ffocysu = fokusañ
- agité(e) = rough (sea) = garw, stormus, tymhestlog, tonnog = rust
- négociant, marchand = merchant = masnachwr = marc’hadour
- la télécommande = remote control = teclyn pell-reolaeth = pellurzhier
- le cireur de chaussures = shoeshiner = glanhäwr esgidiau
- mendiant = beggar = cardotyn, cardotwr = klasker
- s’entendre avec qn = to get on with sb = cyd-dynnu’n dda gyda rhywun = en em glevet
- le respect de soi, l’amour-propre (m) = self-esteem = hunan-barch, hunan-dyb = karantez an-unan

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Les mots de la semaine

Jan 18
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, English, Français, Language

- la caisse (enregistreuse), le tiroir caisse = till / cash register = cofrestr arian = kefierez
- la caisse automatique = self-service till / self checkout = cofrestr arian awtomatig = kefierez emgefre
- casissier = checkout assistant = gweithiwr cofrestr arian
- vendeur (-euse) = shop assistant = gweithiwr siop = gwerzher
- l’hydromel (m) = mead = medd = chouchenn, dour-mel
- affolé = panic-stricken = llawn braw, rhuslyd, gwyllt
- affolant = disturbing = cynhyrfus, annifyr, cythryblus = da bennfollañ, braouac’hus
- affoler = to terrify = dychryn, brawychu, arswydo
- s’affoler = to (get into a) panic = cynhurfu, rhusio, dychryn = pennfollañ
- ne t’affole pas! = don’t panic = paid â chynhyrfu!

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Les mots de la semaine

Jan 11
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, English, Français, Language

- apprenti(e) = apprentice = prentis = deskard
- apprentissage = apprenticeship = prentisiaeth = deskardelezh
- le porte-clefs/porte-clés = key ring / chain / fob = torch allwedd = doug alc’hwezoù
- l’anneaux porte-clefs = key ring = torch allwedd = (?)
- une clé/clef de rechange / une autre (clef) = spare key = allwedd sbâr = alc’hwez da drok (?)
- un roue de rechange/de secours = spare wheel = olwyn sbâr = rod-eskemm
- l’ouïe (f) = hearing = clyw = kleved / klev
- être dur(e) d’oreille = to be hard of hearing = bod yn drwm dy glyw = bezañ fall e gleved, bezañ teñvalglev
- la brasserie = brewery = bracty, bragdy = bierezh, breserezh
- (nez) camus = pug nose = trwyn smwt = fri-togn

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

New videos

Jan 06
Posted by Simon in English, Language, Русский язык

Short story in English:

Short conversation in Russian:

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Les mots de la semaine

Jan 04
Posted by Simon in Brezhoneg, Cymraeg, English, Français, Language

- l’appareil auditif/acoustique (m) = hearing aid = teclyn clywed = adskouarn / klevosod
- la piste = track, tracks, trail; lead, course = llwbyr, ôl, trywydd = hent, roudenn
- la piste cyclable = cycle track = llwybr beic = roudenn belo (?)
- bégayer = to stammer = siarad ag atal = gagiñ
- l’accompagnement (m) la garniture = trimmings = trimins = ambroug, gwarnitur
- les nouvelles = news = newyddion = news
- le bulletin d’informations = news broadcast/bulletin = bwletin/darllediad newyddion = lizher kelaouiñ
- la conférence de presse = press/news conference = cynhadledd newyddion = emvod kelaouiñ
- la marine = navy = llynges = marin, mordeadurezh
- une fin heureuse = a happy ending = diwedd hapus = echuiñ eürus (?)
- la noces = wedding = priodas = dimez
- le voyage de noces (voyage), la lune de miel (période) = honeymoon = mis mêl = miz mel

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

New song – Everyday Adventures

Jan 02
Posted by Simon in English, Language, Music

Here’s a song that came to me a few weeks ago and which sounds a bit like it comes from a musical – maybe I should write one :)

Everyday Adventures
Wherever you go, whatever you do,
There are adventures waiting round the corner for you.
So open your eyes, your ears and your mind,
And you might be surprised by what you find.

Watch the birds, bees and flowers,
Not the minutes and hours
And take time to think and wander and dream.
Let go your regrets and worries and frets
And let your heart fill with joy.

Here’s a recording:

Read More
Comments (0)
TOP

Fy filodfa gerddorol

Dec 23
Posted by Simon in Cymraeg, English, Language, Music

Mae’r nifer o offerynnau yn fy filodfa gerddorol wedi cynyddu eleni, ac mae gen i 30 o offerynnau bellach. Yr offeryn mwyaf newydd ydy piano, sy wedi cyrraedd Dydd Gwener diwetha. Piano ail law ydy o, a dw i wedi ei brynnu o eBay o ddyn yn Salford.

Ar hyn bryd mae gen i piano, iwcalili, mandolin, bouzouki, bodhrán, xaphoon, clarinét, casŵ, ffliwt, dau gitâr, dau harmonica, a cryn dipyn o recorderau, chwibanau ac ocarinas.

Fy filodfa gerddorol / My musical menagerie

My musical menagerie has grown quite a bit this year and now includes 30 instruments. The newest addition was a piano, which arrived last Friday. It’s a second hand piano that I bought on eBay from a bloke in Salford.

The menagerie currently consists of: a piano, a ukulele, a mandolin, a bouzouki, a bodhrán, a xaphoon, a clarinet, a kazoo, a flute, two guitars, two harmonicas, and quite a few recorders, whistles and ocarinas.

Read More
Comments (0)