The text on this paper is apparently a prayer. Can any of you decipher it?
Criw Bangor
Ta sheshaght chiaullee ny ynseydaghyn Bretnish, Criw Bangor, g’aahoshiaght noght, as ta y sheshaght chiaullee pobble ayn noght neesht. Hem dys sheshaght chiaullee ny ynseydaghyn rish oor, as dys y sheshaght chiaullee elley ny yei shen.
Mae Criw Bangor, côr dysgwyr Cymraeg, yn ailgychwyn heno, ac mae’r côr cymuned yn ymarfer heno hefyd. Mi a i i Griw Bangor yn gyntaf am awr, ac yna i’r côr arall.
Oyster Band
Hee mee dys cuirrey kiaull lesh yn Oyster Band ‘syn Galeri ayns Caernarfon Oie Jedoonee shoh chaie. V’eh mie erskyn insh as honnick mee caarjyn voish yn sheshaghtyn chiaullee ayns shen.
Chuaigh mé chuig ceolchoirm leis an Oyster Band san Galeri i gCaernarfon oíche Dhomhnaigh seo caite. Bhí sé go hiontach agus chonaic mé cairde as na cóir ansin.
Mi es i i cyngerdd gan yr Oyster Band yn Y Galeri yng Nghaernarfon Nos Sul diwethaf. Roedd hi’n ardderchog ac mi weles i ffrindiau o’r corau fan ‘na.
Chinese in Liberia
China is apparently one of the largest overseas investors in Liberia and there are numerous Chinese people working there. As a result some Liberians have started learning Chinese and some of them are keen to visit China if they get the chance. Lessons are taking place in the Samuel Doe Stadium in Monrovia, and in the Confucius Institute, which opened in the University of Liberia in December 2008.
If the locals learn to read Chinese as well they will be able to understand the Chinese versions of the numerous agreements that are signed. There is even a Chinese language radio station there for the Chinese migrants and expats.
There are more than 20 Chinese language schools in Africa at the moment, according to this report.
Language quiz
Here’s a recording in a mystery language.
Do you know or can you guess which language it’s in and where it’s spoken?
Hangeul / Han’gŭl Day 한글날
Today is Hangeul Day (한글날) in South Korea, the day when they celebrate their alphabet. This year is the 563rd anniversary of the promulgation of Hangeul by King Sejong the Great in 1446.
According to The Korea Herald, the Korean government is keen to encourage people all over the world to learn Korean and plans to increase the number of Sejong Hakdang, centres teaching Korean, to 500 by 2015. At the moment there 16 Sejong Hakdang in China, Japan, Russia, USA and a couple of other countries, and there are plans to open a Korean language centre in Sri Lanka.
Korean is also apparently taught in hundreds of universities in some 60 countries, and increasing numbers of courses are offered in Asian countries such as China, Thailand, India and Japan. Also, some Korean companies with operations in China are offering incentives, such as promotions and business trips to Korea, to Chinese workers who become fluent Korean.
By the way, here’s a useful site that transliterates from Hangeul in Romanization and vice versa.
Puzzling pumpkin
Fillym aitt
Yn laa chaie hooar mee fillym giare fer aitt ass Yernish, Fíorghael (Gael firrinagh). T’eh skeeal politig çhengey ayns Nerin, as cre’n aght greinnaghey sleih elley ynsee dty hengey.
Scannán greannmhar
An lá faoi dheireadh fuair mé gearrscannán iontach greannmhar as Gaeilge, Fíorghael. Polaitíocht na teanga i Éirinn atá i gcéist, agus cad é daoine a spreag do theanga a fhoghlaim.
Ffilm doniol
Yn ddiwedar mi ddes i â ffilm byr doniol iawn yn y Wyddeleg, Fíorghael (Gwyddel go iawn). Stori gwleidyddiaeth iaith yn Iwerddon, ac sut i annog pobl i ddysgu dy iaith.
Mysterious metal plate
Word of the day – highpointing
I came across the word highpointing the other day in a list of a blogger’s hobbies. It’s not a word I’m familiar with so I looked it up.
According to Wikipedia highpointing is “is the sport of visiting (and finding) the point with the highest elevation within some area (the “highpoint”), for example the highest points in each county within a state. It can be considered a form of peak bagging.”
Peak bagging (a.k.a. hill bagging, mountain bagging, Munro bagging, or just bagging) involves climbing a collection of mountains or hills – often those above a certain height or with a particular feature. Munro bagging, for example, involves climbing as many Scottish hills over 3000 ft (914.4m) as possible. Such peaks are known as Munros and named after Sir Hugh Munro (1856–1919), who was the first to catalogue them.
Another example of peak bagging is the Three Peaks Challenge, which involves climbing the three highest peaks in England (Scafell Pike), Wales (Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa) and Scotland (Ben Nevis / Beinn Nibheis) within 24 hours.
Are you a highpointer or peak bagger? Is this sport practised in your country? If so, what’s it called?