Does anyone actually care anymore, when people knock Irish?

Jay Pentatonic

"It's a dead language"

"You're better off learning German or French"

"Everyone hates it 'cause the teachers made it hell to learn"

I never talk about me learning Irish, but whenever someone finds out, it seems like people are shoving reasons why not to learn Irish down my throat more than anything else.

It's simple, I like to learn it because Irish has a cultural value to me. Sin-é!!!

Maybe it's just a Dublin thing, but most people seem to be dicouraged to give it a go, or simply just discouraging:rolleyes:

Anyway, I don't care anymore, I'll always be learning it because I love it :cool:

Krusader

I think you become immune to it after awhile

Your 2nd example kind of annoys me, because people who say that, actually have no intention whatsoever to learn a European language.
Also if you live and work in Ireland, in my eyes you're much better of having Irish for job prospects. People see job ads for 1 job on websites for people with foreign languages and they think they must be giving jobs away for people with European languages, they're not its 1 job.

And Irish people who can speak a European languge, i would think a high percentage of them would give Irish a bash at some stage in their lives

deise go deo

Its not a dead language. I speak it as do a fair few other people.

I will hopefully be getting a job next summer because I can speak Irish.

I dont hate it. I liked my teacher.

That would be my answer. The majority of people who discurrage you to learn Irish are those who regret never doing it themselves in my opinion.

Micilin Muc

No, because it's the loud minority who are complaining. It was shown in a study in 2008 that only 8% of the population are negative towards the Irish language.

Starie1975

Gaeilge is alive and well and living in Ireland.

dory

OP, you'll have people give reasons to not learn every language. Japanese is too hard, Spanish is too common etc. Go for it and ignore the nay-sayers.

Gael

I remember being told a great saying once (the wording of which escape me) which basically said that you can't change the mind of someone with a rigid opinion by arguing with them. Arguing with people who are dead-set again Irish is a complete waste of time. Do you really think they'll accept your arguments and publically admit they're wrong? Of course not. What person would, for reasons of pride at the very least?

People like that used to piss me off royally when I was younger, but now I have a combination of pity (it must be terrible to be so angry and resentful against something) and indifference towards them. I refuse to engage with them in internet debates especially.

Focus your energy on those who are positive towards Irish but who can't speak it or don't have the opportunities to and do what you can to encourage them to use Irish. Spend the hours that you might waste arguing with idiots on the internet on something fruitful and long-lasting, like helping to set up a new local gaelscoil or Irish-language cultural group or whatever other Irish-language endeavour takes your fancy.

Once the naysayers see that the tide is shifting towards Irish, they'll change their tune without a whimper. They'll realise the nature of their folly in their own good time.

Gael

Jay1989 wrote: »

"You're better off learning German or French"

Crosáidí wrote: »

Your 2nd example kind of annoys me, because people who say that, actually have no intention whatsoever to learn a European language.

Yes, I've found that too. Pretty much every person I've met who can speak more than one language (fluently) other than English (not including Irish) is very positive towards the language. Mainly because multilingualism expands the mind and broaden your horizons. I've met many Irish people who became fluent in a continental language and then find that they regret not knowing Irish with hindsight. The people who are anti-Irish are almost always English-language monoglots (can only speak English with any competence) from my experience.

Enkidu

Gael wrote: »

I've met many Irish people who became fluent in a continental language and then find that they regret not knowing Irish with hindsight.

That's what happened with me. I learnt French for work and then I had a thought one day about cracking open the old school books and just having a look at what Irish was actually like, now that I knew something about languages. Rather than actually look at the school books I picked up Mícheál Ó Siadhail's "Learning Irish". From the first chapter I was hooked on how different and intricate the language was and I actually loved the grammar, I still love how Irish builds its sentences. I'll never look back!

Starie1975

To quote An Piarsach "Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam."

dubhthach

As a Galwegian living in Dublin I find that there is a considerably higher level of "anti-irish" sentiment here then there is down the west. Perhaps because there is more of a disconnect with the language. I often heard Irish been spoken in the streets of Galway by all ages, heck within my family we often use irish phrases among each other when speaking in english.

Jay Pentatonic

dubhthach wrote: »

As a Galwegian living in Dublin I find that there is a considerably higher level of "anti-irish" sentiment here then there is down the west. Perhaps because there is more of a disconnect with the language. I often heard Irish been spoken in the streets of Galway by all ages, heck within my family we often use irish phrases among each other when speaking in english.

That's cool to hear, in Dublin if you throw an Irish phrase into a conversation you'd get a few looks, maybe even a snigger or two.
Well, that's just with my age group I find.
Shame really.

EDIT: Your signature confuses me! :eek:

Krusader

I think we need a Ceathrú Gaeltachta in Dublin, big time