In this episode, Nina Cnockaert-Guillou chats with Hélène Bonniec, a Breton teacher in Skol an Emsav, a school teaching Breton to adults in Brittany, and Bethan Ruth Roberts, a student in Hélène's first ever online class through the medium of English. Hélène explains how and why she became a Breton teacher and talks about the school's methods and classes. Bethan, a Welsh-speaker, talks about her own interest in Breton and fighting for minority language rights. Hélène and Bethan both speak with enthusiasm about seeing the world through Breton, and give some great recommendations (below).

Links and notes:

Skol an Emsav (https://www.skolanemsav.bzh/br/)

Féile Liú Lúnasa

Misneach (Ireland)

Misneachd Alba

GBB Festival (Gouel Broadel ar Brezhoneg) (https://gbb.bzh/en/gbb2021-eng/)

Oulpan method (via Skol an Emsav https://www.skolanemsav.bzh/br/editions/prenan-enlinenn/94-oulpan-1-2-3.html)

Nicolas Davalan

Cymdeithas yr Iaith

Reuters article about the decision by the French Constitutional Council to make immersion schools in ‘regional’ languages unconstitutional (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/frances-constitutional-council-rejects-bill-permitting-minority-language-schools-2021-05-21/)

Recommendations:

Kwizh Brezhoneg (app)

Edubreizh (app)

Tamm Kreizh (app)

Bali Breizh (show on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMDqvylbkzY&list=PLPcEoAdla-yjTT5MiyKNANBK5qUEHttxd)

Get involved:

- Ai’ta! (https://aita.bzh/en/) (Brittany)

- Mebyon Kernow (https://www.mebyonkernow.org) (Cornwall)

- Misneach (https://www.misneachabu.ie) (Ireland)

- Misneachd Alba (https://www.misneachd.scot) (Scotland)

- Cymdeithas yr Iaith (https://cymdeithas.cymru) (Wales)

Fin ar bed “the end of the world” (Breton tv series, 2 seasons, 10min episodes) (https://finarbed.bzh/br/)

#Brezhoneg (magazine for learners, published by Skol an Emsav) (https://www.skolanemsav.bzh/br/editions/brezhoneg.html)

Bremañ (magazine for Breton speakers with a good level, published by Skol an Emsav) (https://www.skolanemsav.bzh/br/editions/breman.html)

Brezhoweb (online tv channel) (https://www.brezhoweb.bzh)

Breizh VOD (Breton “Netflix”) (https://www.breizhvod.com/en/)

This episode is in English. It was recorded in June 2021. Links and notes also available on our blog here.

Host: Nina Cnockaert-Guillou

Guest: Hélène Bonniec and Bethan Ruth Roberts

Music: “Kesh Jig, Leitrim Fancy” by Sláinte, CC BY-SA 3.0 US (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/), available from freemusicarchive.org.