CONVERSATION 2: Do you speak Breton?
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Do you speak Breton?
(‘Rez’ is the familiar form of the verb ‘to do’ – used with friends, family and neighbours.)
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Do you speak English?
(‘Rit’ is the formal form of the verb ‘to do’ – used with people that you do not know very well. Saozneg is an old Breton word, meaning Saxon, and dates back to the time when the Bretons first arrived in Brittany from the British Isles.)
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I do not speak French.
(This is a very useful phrase in Breton-speaking regions, as it demonstrates that even though you are not a French speaker, you are not stupid.)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Deskiñ a ran brezhoneg.
I learn Breton.
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I am learning Breton.
(Emaon – I am – is part of the verb to be, which is very complex in Breton. Note that deskiñ (to learn) changes to teskiñ after the o – this is an example of a mutation, which are very common in Breton – ‘o teskiñ’ means learning. When the letter n has a tilde over it at the end of word (ñ) it signifies that the vowel in front of it should have a nasal intonation, the n itself is not really pronounced at all.)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Un tammig.
A little.?
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(Difficult it is.)
It is difficult.
(Note that ‘eo’ is another part of the very complex verb to be, it means ‘it is’.)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Penaos e vez lavaret e brezhoneg … ?
(How is said in Breton …?)
How do you say … in Breton?
Click on the play button to hear the pronunciation – in each case it is repeated 3 times, with enough time between repetions for you to practice the phrase yourself.
Thanks to Rafael Urien for the pronunciation and for help with all aspects of the Breton on this course.
