How to best Esperantize [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DĴj86ZckQg]Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch [/url], given that it's only approximately possible? Here's my suggestion, based simply on listening to the video. Perhaps people who know Welsh (which I don't) can think of something better:

Hlanvair-poŝguingiŝ-gogeriĥ-ĥuindroboŝ-hlantisilio-gogogoĥ.

One possible improvement might be to substitute other characters for hl and ŝ, with some explanation as these are the hardest, like "German ch" for ŝ, and "press the sides of the tongue against the teeth" for hl.

The problem with the "ultimate solution" of IPA characters is that these are "foreign" to most people.

Miland:How to best Esperantize [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DĴj86ZckQg]Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch [/url], given that it's only approximately possible? Here's my suggestion, based simply on listening to the video. Perhaps people who know Welsh (which I don't) can think of something better:

Hlanvair-poŝguingiŝ-gogeriĥ-ĥuindroboŝ-hlantisilio-gogogoĥ.

One possible improvement might be to substitute other characters for hl and ŝ, with some explanation as these are the hardest, like "German ch" for ŝ, and "press the sides of the tongue against the teeth" for hl.

The problem with the "ultimate solution" of IPA characters is that these are "foreign" to most people.

I'd go with hl for the Welsh double l and y for the schwa sound and spell it thus:
Hlanvajr-puhlgŭingihl-gogery-ĥŭyrn-drobuhl-hlan-ty-siliogogogoĥ.

orthohawk:I'd go with hl for the Welsh double l and y for the schwa sound and spell it thus:
Hlanvajr-puhlgŭingihl-gogery-ĥŭyrn-drobuhl-hlan-ty-siliogogogoĥ.

I'd spell ŭ as just u, as the sound is more similar to ui than ŭi and indeed alternates between something sounding like "wee" and "oy" (just as "io" isn't "jo" with "siliogogogoĥ"

@ Miland: Ŝ in Welsh is si+(pick a vowel), so it'd probably be better to just have "hl".

orthohawk:I'd go with hl for the Welsh double l and y for the schwa sound and spell it thus:
Hlanvajr-puhlgŭingihl-gogery-ĥŭyrn-drobuhl-hlan-ty-siliogogogoĥ.

Y is there "y"?

ceigered:@ Miland: Ŝ in Welsh is si+(pick a vowel), so it'd probably be better to just have "hl".

The reason I used ŝ there was that, from the video, "ll" at the end of a syllable sounds more like the German "ch" in "ich" than "hl", as at the beginning of the syllable. Does the "ll" at the end of syllables in the video really sound like "hl" to you?

Miland:

ceigered:@ Miland: Ŝ in Welsh is si+(pick a vowel), so it'd probably be better to just have "hl".

The reason I used ŝ there was that, from the video, "ll" at the end of a syllable sounds more like the German "ch" in "ich" than "hl", as at the beginning of the syllable. Does the "ll" at the end of syllables in the video really sound like "hl" to you?

To me it actually doesn't sound like ŝ or hl, but if we're using hl for "ll" then I'd recommend it for both at the start of a syllable and at the end (since it's the same sound).

If I had to pick a symbol, I'd pick lˆ (L^) (unfortunately, this doesn't seem possible with modern computers).

If I'm correct, in other languages with the ll sound, it is sometimes transcribed "tl".

(also somewhat off topic - if we're talking about trying to get an approximate transcription, not a precise usable one for the right pronunciation but just for demonstrating what it sort of sounds like, then I'd go ŝl/hl (start of syllable) and lŝ (end of syllable))

Actually I've been there. It's not worth all the hassle

Ironchef:Actually I've been there. It's not worth all the hassle

Well, it might not be easy to say "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is not worth all the hassle", for more than one reason.

Miland:

Ironchef:Actually I've been there. It's not worth all the hassle

Neve been there, but I wouldn't say that to Llanfair..gogogoch-ers. Come to think of it, saying "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is not worth all the hassle" wouldn't be easy to say anyway.

It was back in the 80s I was there. The famous-railway station that gives the place its name was derelict and dirty. The village was a mess. Only one souvenir shop selling all the Gogogoch stuff. The locals seemed bemused by all the interest. Perhaps things are better now? I have no idea.

I also remember that there was a "halt" on the Fairbourne narrow railway (I think that's right) down towards Aberystwyth that has/had an even longer name though it was not officially recognised. Those crazy Welsh