A WELSH language academic has returned home to help create a vital new resource for language learners.

Cardiff University researcher Dr Lowri Williams, originally of Llanbedrog, returned to Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor after more than eight years last week as part of the nationwide study.

She spent the day at the Pwllheli campus recording conversations among students using the Welsh language for the Welsh National Corpus (CorCenCC) – a project to create a major language resource for Welsh speakers, Welsh learners and Welsh language researchers.

Lowri said: “It feels so strange being back, especially driving up the hill to the college – all these memories were flooding back of walking up this hill.

“Among my friends, I passed my driving test first so, of course, everyone always wanted a lift!

“I’ve also seen some familiar faces walking about which is a strange feeling.”

Lowri studied her A-levels in Welsh, Maths, IT and Art at the college between 2008 and 2010.

She progressed to Cardiff University where she gained a degree in Computer Science before winning a scholarship to do her PhD.

The researcher is currently travelling Wales to gather recordings of people using their day-to-day Welsh in cafes, pubs, schools and other public spaces.

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