h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Unfortunately, while Wales retains an essential Welshness, the full spelling of Llanfair PG only appears at the Station. Officially, it is recorded as Llanfair PG or Llanfairpwll. To me, a better indication of the Welshness is where Welsh has been officially adopted such as the bilingual road signs (dim parcio and the like) and official forms.

Interesting that you abreviated (sp.) your spelling too, most media, I'm sure, do not make allowances for such long place names, a shame in a way, but just a sign of the computer age I expect

Interesting that you abbreviated 'abbreviated'!
Am I right in thinking that Llanfairpwll etc is a 'made up' word, invented in order to attract tourists and sell more postcards?
I do remember having to recite the whole thing in Second Form Welsh, and getting the slipper if I made a mistake.

To answer my own query:
[quote]
It is believed that the name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch was invented [in the 19th century] by a cobbler from Menai Bridge, little did he know that he had implemented one of the most successful tourist marketing plans of all time!
[end quote]
from the village's homepage (you guessed it):
[Broken link removed by Moderator]

It's one of those trivial bits of information which you can use to impress an entire group of people with. When people discover, one way or another, that I'm undertaking the task of learning Welsh (I live in Warwickshire, by the way, so it's something of a rarity) they ask two questions:
a) Why?
b) Can you say that long word, then?

For the sake of silliness, an English equivalent might be:
GreaterWestonSheepyHertingFordBuryShireDaleVilleOn-the-woldsMagnaCoombTonUnderTyneEastLeighCoteParvaEndGroveMuch Copse In-the-marsh Hoo.
(Or, then again, perhaps not.)

That question ('Why are you learning Welsh?') can spark off the most interesting conversations. I make my living teaching Welsh to adults, and I'm always interested in their reasons.

Felly, pam wyt ti'n dysgu Cymraeg?

And also,

Sut wyt ti'n dysgu? (dosbarth nos, llyfrau, WLPAN?)

(Why and how are you learning Welsh?)

In that case, let's have an interesting conversation!
I often do things on impulse (like inviting people round to dinner, etc.) and I think it was one of those notions with stuck with me. I also like doing unusual things, especially if I can learn something which other people would not generally know about. This is why I prefer to learn a language like Welsh instead of a well-known one which, because you come across it a lot, isn't very interesting. Also, I am fascinated by folklore and mythology (that of Britain in particular) and to a lesser extent history, which may have had some influence.
I'm learning from a collection of books in no particular order. When I visit Wales I irritate everyone by reading signs aloud, and correcting their mispronunciations- assuming mine is correct. ( Another advantage- I like being a source of obscure information!) So far I haven't actually spoken to anyone, but have written one letter- since I got a reply, I think it made some sense.
Diolch yn fawr ar eich buddiant.

Sh'mae Mandragora,

Dysgu'r iaith o lyfrau? Pob lwc! Ble wyt ti'n byw?

Rwy'n byw yng Ngheredigion.

Hwyl,

Ceiriog

Dw i'n byw yn Nuneaton yn Warwickshire, y dre ddwl bach. Mae hi'n anodd i ddysgu Cymraeg yma, gyda'r eisiau adnoddau.
Bydda i'n mynd i Geredigion ar wythnos nesa- i ddydd gwyl, gyda nghariad ac ei deulu. Dyn ni'n aros yn Nhresaith; ydy hwn yn agos i chi?
Hwyl,
Mandragora

Mae Tresaith yn ddwy filltir o Langrannog! Rwy'n byw ym Maesymorfa, ar y ffordd rhwng Penbryn a Llangrannog ei hunain. Nick yw fy enw i. Dere i mewn am banaid, os wyt ti yn yr ardal.
(Sori mod i ddim wedi ateb cyn nawr - gobeithio byddi di'n gweld y neges 'ma cyn teithio.)

Wedi ail-ddarllen dy neges, wyt ti yn Nhresaith yn barod. O wel, tro nesa, falle.

O'n i'n derbyn eich neges yn ol dychwelyd o ddydd gwyl- sori! Oedd hi'n wythnos da, er; oedd y tywydd yn braf, ac o'n ni'n ymweled lleoedd llawer- Ty Ddewi. Portmeirion, ac Aberystwyth.
Dw i'n gobeithio byddan ni'n Nhresaith eilwath o flaen yr haf: dw i'n gweld chi yna, efaillai.

Mae'n amlwg, erbyn hyn, mod i ddim yn sieco'r wefan 'ma yn ddigon aml! Dw i wedi dechrau 'weblog' Cymraeg ei hiaith, os oes diddordeb 'da ti: http://morfablog.blogspot.com