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It just occurred to me today......

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  • 02-07-2009 10:36pm
    #1
    candlegrease
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭


    ........that we are very fortunate the English colonised us for hundreds of years.* If it never happened we would still be speaking Irish exclusively, not that I have a problem with that, but without English we would be completely shut off from the outside world, our economy would never have got going at all due to the language barrier, and the whole country would generally be an awful lot worse off.

    What pisses me off though, is the idiots who start complaining about the 800 years of oppression (not that I condone it), and then turn on their music videos or whatever the next day and generally tune into their privileged, English-centred lifestyle. Yes, I know the music videos example is a bit random.

    But anyway, thoughts?

    *I'm not English.


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    #2
    KeyLimePie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 861 ✭✭✭KeyLimePie


    Oh god yeah I agree. It's not like anyone in france, or germany, or india, or japan, or africa speaks english either............... :\


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    #3
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    ...without English we would be completely shut off from the outside world, our economy would never have got going at all due to the language barrier, and the whole country would generally be an awful lot worse off.

    I think you haven't thought the above through.
    So we would be up the creek if we were only speaking our own language and not English?
    Gee - I can't imagine how other European countries are coping with their other languages!
    They must be really behind the times and more downtrodden, trying to cope socially, politically and economically. :rolleyes:


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    #4
    Professey Chin
    Registered Users Posts: 51,054 ✭✭✭✭Professey Chin


    Im more pissed off the romans didnt get to us. We might actually have a decent road infrastructure if they did


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    #5
    Captain Darling
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,542 ✭✭✭Captain Darling


    candlegrease wrote: »
    ........that we are very fortunate the English colonised us for hundreds of years.* If it never happened we would still be speaking Irish exclusively, not that I have a problem with that, but without English we would be completely shut off from the outside world, our economy would never have got going at all due to the language barrier, and the whole country would generally be an awful lot worse off.

    What pisses me off though, is the idiots who start complaining about the 800 years of oppression (not that I condone it), and then turn on their music videos or whatever the next day and generally tune into their privileged, English-centred lifestyle. Yes, I know the music videos example is a bit random.

    But anyway, thoughts?

    *I'm not English.

    If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.


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    #6
    Pop's Diner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭Pop's Diner


    I'm all for learning English as a foriegn language, but the OP is correct. I certainly find it easier to follow whats going on in Corrie, Eastenders and the other one and cheer on my favourite British football club by virtue of having English as my native tongue.


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    #7
    galwayrush
    Registered Users Posts: 12,815 ✭✭✭✭galwayrush


    Ultimate Chin wrote: »
    Im more pissed off the romans didnt get to us. We might actually have a decent road infrastructure if they did
    We would probably have dug them up because they represented the foreign occupier, well, after all, we did get rid of most of our rail lines.:rolleyes:


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    #8
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    OP, you're wrong about everything.


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    #9
    eddiehead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,493 ✭✭✭eddiehead


    No, we'd just be bilingual


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    #10
    jumpguy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,962 ✭✭✭jumpguy


    Biggins wrote: »
    I think you haven't thought the above through.
    So we would be up the creek if we were only speaking our own language and not English?
    Gee - I can't imagine how other European countries are coping with their other languages!
    They must be really behind the times and more downtrodden, trying to cope socially, politically and economically. :rolleyes:
    Yeah but with French, a large population of French speaking people in many countries.
    Irish, a small little population speaking it in Ireland. Hoo-ha.

    Okay, so yeah, it's not the greatest factor, but it is a factor nonetheless.

    Now, if we could speak Irish and English, it'd be much better.


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    #11
    Professey Chin
    Registered Users Posts: 51,054 ✭✭✭✭Professey Chin


    galwayrush wrote: »
    We would probably have dug them up because they represented the foreign occupier, well, after all, we did get rid of most of our rail lines.:rolleyes:
    True.We really are a country of idiots


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    #12
    Michellenman
    Registered Users Posts: 11,195 ✭✭✭✭Michellenman


    It just occurred to me today....

    ....that AH needed a bit of stirring and you thought you'd cause some trouble:rolleyes:


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    #13
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    jumpguy wrote: »
    ...Now, if we could speak Irish and English, it'd be much better.

    Aaa here now... What do you think we are? I can barely work out how to turn on the pc! :D


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    #14
    marbar
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭marbar


    Jaylene Steep Spring wrote: »
    OP, you're wrong about everything.

    this is correct


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    #15
    Lu Tze
    Registered Users Posts: 3,495 ✭✭✭Lu Tze


    the OP missed out the best arguement, we can holiday in all the other former british colonies without having to carry a travel adapter for the plugs


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    #16
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,024 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    language great English is


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    #17
    galwayrush
    Registered Users Posts: 12,815 ✭✭✭✭galwayrush


    Ultimate Chin wrote: »
    True.We really are a country of idiots

    Naw. we're actually ok, it's the people who run the place who are the idiots, now who elects them........oh wait.................


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    #18
    dsmythy
    Registered Users Posts: 10,508 ✭✭✭✭dsmythy


    This thread's trouble.

    I wonder how the Danes, Dutch, Finns, Greeks, Icelanders, Norwegians and Portuguese ever got by without English as a first language!


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    #19
    Shane_C
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭Shane_C


    We would be speaking english anyway. Such a small country with such a powerful neighbour would add a lot of dependency.
    We would still have bbc tv, that would learn us.


    To be honest, I see the argument as: was it worth 800 years of brutality and oppression (to hell or to connaught etc) for 20 - 100 years of prosperity? A bit selfish if you ask me. Wasn't worth it.


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    #20
    jumpguy
    Registered Users Posts: 7,962 ✭✭✭jumpguy


    KeyLimePie wrote: »
    Oh god yeah I agree. It's not like anyone in france, or germany, or india, or japan, or africa speaks english either............... :\
    Africa is not a country. :P Unless you did the continent...in which case, quite a lot of it is capable of speaking English due to colonism (sp?) there too.


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    #21
    marbar
    Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭marbar


    me fail english?
    that's umpossible


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    #22
    javaboy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,094 ✭✭✭✭javaboy


    itsallabouttheL don't post that again.


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    #23
    nlgbbbblth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,668 ✭✭✭nlgbbbblth


    Jaylene Steep Spring wrote: »
    OP, you're wrong about everything.

    Not everything.
    candlegrease wrote: »
    ........that we are very fortunate the English colonised us for hundreds of years.* If it never happened we would still be speaking Irish exclusively, not that I have a problem with that, but without English we would be completely shut off from the outside world, our economy would never have got going at all due to the language barrier, and the whole country would generally be an awful lot worse off.

    Wrong.
    candlegrease wrote: »
    What pisses me off though, is the idiots who start complaining about the 800 years of oppression (not that I condone it), and then turn on their music videos or whatever the next day and generally tune into their privileged, English-centred lifestyle. Yes, I know the music videos example is a bit random.

    Right. There are loads in hypocrites in this country who hold love / hate relationships with the English. Make up your f*cking minds, you morons!


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    #24
    Spiritoftheseventies
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,082 ✭✭✭✭Spiritoftheseventies


    are you saying we should be grateful for eight hundred years of oppression. wont bore you with the history. everyone knows it. ridiculous thread.


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    #25
    eddiehead
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,493 ✭✭✭eddiehead


    javaboy wrote: »
    itsallabouttheL don't post that again.

    I hate when mods to that! Because now I know it was controversial and I want to see what it was!:pac:


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    #26
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,568 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    I smell trouble coming with this thread.
    Can I vote for closure if only for it will go nowhere good?


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    #27
    candlegrease
    Registered Users Posts: 475 ✭✭candlegrease


    This is not a joke topic.

    Anyways.............I know people made the point about other countries but my argument goes as follows:

    1. We are a very small nation
    2. We are an island, and so much more isolated that other nations.
    3. I know we wouldn't be completely banjaxed, but the whole colonisation thing definitely helped.


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    #28
    Shane_C
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭Shane_C


    nlgbbbblth wrote: »
    Not everything.



    Wrong.



    Right. There are loads in hypocrites in this country who hold love / hate relationships with the English. Make up your f*cking minds, you morons!

    Very good. I have loads of mini Repulican friends who follow arsenal, united, liverpool etc...


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    #29
    Pop's Diner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 423 ✭✭Pop's Diner


    Things in this country should thank the British for :

    1. Language
    2. Architecture
    3. Blonde British women (south of Birmingham).


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    #30
    Shane_C
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭Shane_C


    Google: "langerland - Top 10 - What Have The Brits Ever Done For Us?"


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    #31
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    candlegrease wrote: »
    ........

    *I'm not English.

    No but judgeing by your previous posts your about 18 and have a very poor history and geography knowledge. If as a nation we all spoke irish as you put it then like say switzerland or even andora in the mountains of spain we would be no doubt multicultural and speak at least 2 languages Irish and English. Instead we only speak one and rather badly at that! The tourist industry would be very interesting though

    I am sad by the fact I do not speak irish very well. I think as a society it ruins our identity in life


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