safeguard the digital future of the Welsh language

 

 

Welsh speakers across the world are being asked to play their part in helping to safeguard the digital future of the Welsh language by recording their voices using Common Voice, an initiative run by software company Mozilla, in a bid to bolster digital services in the Welsh language.

The aim is to help technologies including phones, computers and other electronic systems to understand how people speak Welsh and to make voice recognition open and accessible to everyone.

If enough people commit to recording their voices, satellite navigation and systems for those with disabilities and visual impairments are some of the programs that will eventually be able to recognize and provide Welsh language services. The Welsh Government has a long-term strategy to achieve the target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

Common Voice launched in 2017 in the United States and the data is used to train algorithms to power the voice interfaces of the future. Having started with only the English language, Welsh was added in 2018 after Mozilla consulted with Bangor University on the benefits of offering Welsh as one of the language choices.

In a film launched today by the Welsh Government’s Minister for the Welsh Language, Eluned Morgan AM, Welsh speakers are asked to dedicate two minutes of their time every day to record their voices. The Minister has recorded her own voice for the project.

Eluned Morgan AM said:

“With more and more of us using voice recognition software every day, we need to make sure the Welsh language has a place in its future. To make this possible, we need thousands of voices from all parts of Wales and further afield. So, to reach this goal, we are asking people to give two minutes of their time every day to help build the most comprehensive database of Welsh voices as possible. I want to encourage as many Welsh speakers to take part in this very important and exciting project!”

You can download Common Voice as an app or access it online and you can contribute from anywhere in the world, at any time, making the programme accessible to everyone. People are asked to read five sentences in Welsh or to validate other peoples’ voices. All you need to do is record yourself reading five short sentences. If you’re shy, you can listen to and validate other people’s recordings.

George Roter, Director of Open Innovation Programmes at Mozilla said:

“Welsh is among the first languages that we have launched and our aim is to encourage inclusion, embracing culture and enabling everyone to participate in technological advancements. Common Voice is built through global collaborations with the time and efforts of highly engaged volunteers, researchers, developers and startups. By working in collaboration with our partners in Wales, we hope to democratise speech data and lower the barrier for global innovation.”

Delyth Prys, Head of the Language Technologies Unit at Bangor University said:

“After working closely with the creators of Common Voice, we ensured that Welsh would be one of the first languages featured on the app. We need thousands of people to record their voices to ensure that voice recognition can understand the Welsh language and we’ve already seen an improvement since more people have been taking part. We look forward to seeing more coming in over the next few months.”

For more information go to: https://voice.mozilla.org/cy

To  download the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/project-common-voice-by-mozilla/id1240588326.

 

 

sondage : 36% des Gallois pour l'indépendance

 

 

36% support Welsh Independence, with a further 17% #indycurious according to the latest YouGov poll. Support for independence has increased by 7% since 2017, and for the first time those against make up less than 50%.

Voir la traduction

 

 

366

Shw’mae (shoo my) Starting strong, a simple: “Hello, how are you doing?”

 

 The Welsh government has said it wants to increase the number of Welsh speakers to a million by 2050. The plans irritated some anti-Welsh detractors, who seem to believe the language is only spoken when English people walk into a Welsh pub. With our help, you, too, can scare monoglots in your area! Here are some Welsh words and phrases (with pronunciation) that you might find useful.

Shw’mae (shoo my)

Starting strong, a simple: “Hello, how are you doing?”

Croeso i Gymru (croy-soh ee Gum-ree)

“Welcome to Wales!” Never let it be said the Welsh aren’t welcoming. A favourite on novelty tea towels.

Dros ben llestri (dr-oss behn thl-ess-tree)

Its literal meaning is “over the dishes”, but it means over the top. You know, like when someone gets really angry about bilingual Welsh road signs.

Ych-a-fi (uh-ch ah vee)

“Yuck!” Use it when your Tinder date tells you all Welsh people are stupid.

Chwyrligwgan (choo-url-ee-goo-gan)

The Welshest word on the planet. It means “whirling” or “merry-go-round”. Use it when told for the umpteenth time that Welsh has no vowels – then point out it has more vowels than English does.

Meicrodon (meik-ro-don)

Let’s put an end to this once and for all: “popty ping” is not microwave in Welsh. It is not a thing. It is a joke. If you do need to heat up some traditional cawl, be sure to put it in your meicrodon.

Iechyd da (yeah-ch-id dah)

“Cheers!” A good thing to say just before downing your fifth pint of Brains when England wins the rugby.

Smwddio (smooth-eeo)

Some Welsh words just make more sense – such as smwddio, which means “ironing”. Because what do you do when you iron clothes? You SMOOTH them – just as it sounds.

Hiraeth (heer-eye-th)

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A word with no direct English translation. It means a longing for a home, or a time that felt like home. This isn’t homesickness, it’s a deep yearning for somewhere that may not quite exist as you remember it. Remind us again why English is supposedly superior?

Cer i grafu (cehr ee grah-vee)

The perfect phrase to deploy the next time someone tells you Welsh is a made-up language. It pretty much means: “My good fellow, you are clearly an idiot, but I wish you good day. Oh, and by the way, all languages are technically made up.”

 

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Alun Cairns: “The Welsh language plays a crucial role in our identity and culture”

 

 

 

• English
• Cymraeg

Welsh Secretary demonstrates UK Government commitment to language in meeting with incoming Commissioner

Ford va fermer une usine au Pays de Galles

 

Le constructeur américain a annoncé qu'il comptait fermer l'usine de moteurs de Bridgend en septembre 2020. 1700 emplois sont menacés. La firme invoque la baisse d'activité du site. La production d'un moteur pour Jaguar Land Rover doit notamment cesser en fin d'année.

 

Cette fermeture s'inscrit dans une restructuration à travers toute l'Europe où le constructeur américain emploie 54 000 personnes. Ses deux autres sites britanniques, à Dagenham et près de Liverpool, ne sont pour l'instant pas concernés.

Si la direction de Ford assure que cette décision n'a rien à avoir avec les incertitudes liées au Brexit, depuis des mois, les mauvaises nouvelles se succèdent dans le secteur automobile britannique. Nissan, Honda et Jaguar Land Rover ayant annoncé des réductions de production, des fermetures ou des suppressions de postes.

 

 

Au Pays de Galles, les réfugiés ont droit à des cours de gallois...

new .... nevez

Cours de gallois Oaled AbHerve Sant Brieg

 

 

 

Devezh deskiñ kembraeg evit brezhonegerien / Cwrs Cymraeg undydd

E Sant-Brieg, e Kreizenn Sevenadurel Vreizhek Abherve, d’ar sadorn 13/04/2019

Plas zo c'hoazh !

 

 

 

Un devezh deskiñ kembraeg a vo kinniget e Sant-Brieg d’ar sadorn 13 a viz Ebrel e Kreizenn Sevenadurel Abherve, 15 straed François Menez.

 

Eus 10e beure betek 4e30 g.m.

 

Gant Ffion hag Aneirin, kembraegerien a vihan hag a oar brezhoneg.

2 pe 3 live diouzh an niver a dud

Goulennet e vo 20 € digant pep stajiad (evit ar fredoù ha digoll an div pe deir c'helennerez).

 

Ma karfec'h kenweturiñ, deuit e darempred ganimp.

 

Seul niverusoc’h e vimp seul vuioc’h a blijadur a vo !

Po fwyaf o bobl mwyaf i gyd o hwyl !

 

Ma anavezit brezhonegerien all hag a c’hallfe bezañ dedennet gant ar staj-mañ, kasit ar postel-mañ dezho, mar plij. Trugarez.

Ac os dych chi'n gwybod Cymraeg yn dda iawn yn barod, diolch yn fawr am hysbysebu'r cwrs yma o'ch cwmpas, os gwelwch yn dda. Diolch.

 

Enskrivadurioù gant Kreizenn Sevenadurel Abherve (sellit ouzh ar skritell stag)

 

Titouroù gant :

Brieg ar Menn

[e-mail]

06 86 71 78 91

Benead al Lann

[e-mail]

02 56 44 60 24

 

Kenaozet eo an devezh deskiñ gant

Cymdeithas Cymru/Llydaw (Kevredigezh Kembre/Breizh)

ha Kreizenn Sevenadurel Vreizhek Abherve

 

 

 

Hommage à René Vautier à Trignac

 

 

la mairie de Trignac a annoncé officiellement cet hommage aux voeux du maire.

>  

> La caméra au poing -Hommage à René Vautier:

 

> Salle des fêtes de Trignac,les 8,9,10 Novembre

> Projections de plusieurs de ses films,conférences,grands témoins,spectacles 

> Fest Noz le 9 Novembre.

Dewi Sant : Kemper,Pluguffan et Loctudy

 

Les comités de jumelage Cornouaille Pays de Galles organisent pour la 3^ème fois la Saint Dewi, fête nationale Galloise

Avec tout d’abord un Concert de Nolwenn Korbell et Didier Dreo le samedi 2 Mars à 20h30 au théâtre Max Jacob à Quimper : entrée 10€

Le dimanche 3 mars,  le Kig ar farz (12 €) avec une initiation aux danses Galloises, animée par le groupe Mad Tom, puis un fest deiz avec le groupe Sklerijenn dans la salle Allende à Pluguffan (réservation au 06 75 48 03 52).

Et, enfin, une conférence à Loctudy au centre culturel à 20 h par Romain Pasquier sur les pouvoirs Régionaux en Galice, Pays de Galles et Bretagne : entrée libre.