Some ideas for a Plean Teanga, le bhur thoil??

DuckSubmarine

Dia dhaoibh!

I am currently devising a language plan (plean teanga) for the Gaeltacht area of Eachléim and wonder if you could lend a hand. The area, like many Gaeltachtaí, is hugely isolated, yet there are some institutions which allow it to communicate with the rest of the country through the medium of Irish in a positive, functional and constructive way, these being a local co-op and an excellent coláiste samhradh (UISCE). The language, in terms of native speakers is in decline, but as a language widely learned as L2 it is stronger than ever.
I guess my goal would be to find a happy medium between promoting Irish as a modern functional language based on the excellent starting point we have with it as L2 and promoting the native language, which is in a state of real decline, as well as possible.
I am asking you, as modern enthusiasts, to suggest how you would like to engage with the language in order to improve its use in every aspect of daily life.
As a matter of fact, I feel Irish in this country is in a great position and the only way for it is up, with a secondary school curriculum which can only improve and the number of people with abilities in the language always rising. I just hope we can move away from the idea of Irish as just a heritage language towards a notion of Irish a modern language that we can approach and use without fear or inhibition as an integral aspect of our identity.

Go raibh maith agaibh!

Michilinrua

Maith thú Duck Submarine

Just off the top of my head (and sorry if this is all general .. but I can think of lots more).

1. The Plean itself - see it as a living document and look at it every day or certainly every week. People often draw up a plan and then never revisit it. Every idea needs to be teased out in detail and reviewed and reviewed. Also list anything you can think of or other people mention. The fact that you are doing one at all is great and they can often take on a life of their own.
2. Suggestions - get them from everyone and anyone.
3. Website – to get people engaged on the internet. You can set up a free static page if money is an issue.
4. Businesses and community groups – contact them all (again and again).
5. Politicians – contact them all (again and again).
6. All signs and notices in Irish with plain modern text i.e. Arial, Calibri or similar etc. (and include English if you want to go down the equal status route with both of equal script size, meaning and status) None of the italics rubbish you currently see on road signs. So literally anywhere you see signs (big or small) ask the people if they will change them i.e. every house name, shop door and windows, essentially all signs and notices inside and outside etc etc
7. Set targets both large and small, and monitor them.
8. If you are a groups give specific jobs to each person and track daily or weekly
9. A large number of very small gains when added together can be a huge improvement
10. Get all the locals involved as much as possible

The language needs to be fully visable and spoken, in everything and everywhere. It needs to be part of everything that we do every day. This is probably the most important thing to say. So look at everything you see or hear about everyday.

I believe there is a need for belief and positive thinking/attitude and then action in order to promote and grow the language. The people of the Gaeltacht need to take back ownership of Gaeilge as does Ireland.

I am a firm believer that if you throw enough muck at the wall it will eventually stick.

Yes there are positive things happening (all public led and not from our government which has no interest in the language) but in general I think the Irish language groups are quite poor and full of politics and adhmad marbh. They need to be more practical and work on the ground.

This all about pushing for Irish 100%. And apologies and I went on a bit.

Slán
Mícheál

deise go deo

I would advise that you look at the prevalence of Irish in different sectors of the community, often the Language can be very strong in some sectors, education for example, and almost nonexistent in other sectors such as business or sport.

I would suggest that you get those involved in each sector together to plan for their own sector. That way those with the most experience of the sector will be involved in planning for it, and they will also have ownership of the plan.

Also, I would suggest that you create sections for different age groups, the needs of teenagers will be different to the needs of primary school kids, etc etc.
You could also contact Comhdáil Náisúanta na Gaeilge, they are involved in the language planning process in some areas, they might have some advice for you.

franc 91

Dia dhuit a chara -
Have you seen the video about Gaoth Dobhair and their project for supporting Irish on YouTube?
Irish Language - Gweedore people speaking Gaelic

domhnaillin

Bhal Ducksubmarine,

'Sé an constaic is mó atá le sárú maidir le húsáid laethúil na Gaeilge, dar liom, ná go mbíonn drogall ar dhaoine í a labhairt ar eagla nach mbeidh sé ag an duine eile is go ndéanfar scléip de. Sin mar a dhealraíonn sé domhsa cibé. Níl a fhios agam an mbeadh na moltaí seo fóirstineach don Eachléim, ach tá mé ag ceapadh go mbeadh siad ina spreagadh do Ghaeilgeoirí dhrogallacha:

1. Má tá dhá scipéad (tills) sa tsiopa, déantar scipéad Gaeilge de cheann amháin acu. Is fusa i bhfad do chuid Gaeilge a chleachtadh, más cúpla focal féin í, má tá a fhios agat go dtuigfear thú.

2. Áit ar bith a gcaitheann an fhoireann lipéid ainm, bíodh frása beag scríofa air le tabhairt le fios cé mhéid Gaeilge atá acu, "Anne Marie, Gaeilge agus Fáilte", cuir i gcás, nó "Micheál, Cúpla focal".

3. Má tá Oifig a' Phoist ar an bhaile agus dhá fhuinneog ar an taobh istigh, cuirtear fógra beag ar taispeáint i gceann amháin acu ("Seirbhís as Gaeilge", nó a mhacasamhail d'abairt) le go mbeidh daoine ábalta a rogha féin a dhéanamh idir seirbhís as Gaeilge nó seirbhís as Béarla. Thabharfadh sé sin le fios do chuairteoirí a bhfuil Gaeilge acu ach nach bhfuil aithne acu ar na baill foirne go bhfuil seirbhís as Gaeilge ar fáil.

Go bunúsach 'sé a ba mhaith liomsa a fheiceáil ar fud na tíre ná é a bheith breá soiléir go bhfuil seirbhís as Gaeilge ar fáil. Táthar ann a bhfuil togha na Gaeilge acu ach nach mbeadh sé de mhisneach acu dul sa seans is ceist a chur faoi seirbhís as Gaeilge. Buntáiste eile a bhainfeadh le níos mó daoine ag dul don seirbhís as Gaeilge ná go dtabharfadh sé seans do dhaoine aithne a chur ar chainteoirí eile - is nach mar sin a thógtar cairdeas is a choinnítear an teangaidh beo?

Sin é mo chuid féin de, cibé. Go n-éirí go geal le bhur bplean teanga!
Domhnaillín

Qualitymark

Foster openness to visitors speaking Irish; don't let it become a cosy little club.

Treat it in the way Africans treat their "kitchen languages", where the beloved language is used at home and among friends, even though they may speak five or six other languages for the purpose of doing business with groups that don't speak their home language.