ˌɔn ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾɪŋ fɹʌm ˌæbɚɹˈɪstwɪθ wɪð ɐ bˌiːˈeɪ ɪn wˈɛlʃ ænd ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ, hiː bɪkˌeɪm ɐ tˈiːtʃɚɹ ʌv wˈɛlʃ æt bˈæɹi kˈaʊnti skˈuːl ænd lˈeɪɾɚ, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɛvən, wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd æz ɐ lˈɛktʃɚɹɚɹ ɪnðə wˈɛlʃ lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt ʌvðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi kˈɑːlɪdʒ ʌv wˈeɪlz, ˌæbɚɹˈɪstwɪθ bˌʌt wʌz dˌɪsɐpˈɔɪntᵻd nˌɑːt təbi mˌeɪd pɹəfˈɛsɚɹ ʌvðə dᵻpˈɑːɹtmənt tə səksˈiːd tˈiː. ˈeɪtʃ. pˈæɹiwˈɪljəmz.
On graduating from Aberystwyth with a BA in Welsh and English, he became a teacher of Welsh at Barry County School and later, in 1927, was appointed as a lecturer in the Welsh language department of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth but was disappointed not to be made professor of the department to succeed T. H. Parry-Williams.