An bhfuil Gaeilge agat?

kylith

Níl a lán Gaeilge agam, ar an drochuair.

I wish I was better at it, but the methods of teaching any languages in this country are appalling.

johnayo

Elessar wrote: »

Nope can't speak a word of it. I'm bitter from years of being forced to learn this stupid pointless language that I never had an interest in. My hatred of gaeilge is deep rooted, and probably a bit irrational, but I just cannot stand it. Makes my blood boil and is one of the few things that gets on my nerves, even though I'm a fairly calm, easy going guy.

If I ever have kids they won't be going anywhere near a gaeilscoil (which I think are ridiculous outside the Gaeltacht), in fact did the government follow through to make Irish an optional subject in schools yet??

I understand where you are coming from with not sending your kids to gaelscoil. I came up through primary school as Gaelige and as my parents had very little Irish, they were unable to help me with homework etc. For this reason I did not send my son to Gaelscoil.
He is doing his Leaving Cert this year and He is excellent at irish.

68 lost souls

Hell if they are learning it over in America in college surely we here have no excuse not to learn it.

http://irishlanguage.nd.edu/

I can understand how people are put off by the way it is taught in schools and I agree, I think it should be taught as a foreign language and then no exclusions should be made for non nationals as it is not being taught as a native language. Then there should be a second course in school for native speakers or those interested called Irish studies which is the literature and culture aspect.

Another approach I would be interested in seeing if those in charge do not implement that change is a total ban on English in Irish class. You should not be translating from one language to another but instead think in Irish. That would develop true literacy it is more difficult at first however.

I am not great with grammar or spelling or the like but I think growing up bilingual with English and Irish has helped me to overcome my difficulties with language and I can now speak French, Spanish, Irish, English and some Catalan to a level where I have been educated through all of those languages at different stages of my life.

kylith

68 lost souls wrote: »

Another approach I would be interested in seeing if those in charge do not implement that change is a total ban on English in Irish class. You should not be translating from one language to another but instead think in Irish. That would develop true literacy it is more difficult at first however.

I think all languages should be taught like that.

godwin

I have not spoke it since I was forced to speak it by Ms Walsh in Secondary school , total waste of 10+ years of school learning a useless language , would have been better suited if I had of been forced to learn Spanish/German or something practical.

Currently I can ask to use the toilet in Irish , not bad after 10+ years of being forced to learn a language.

RikkFlair

demanufactured wrote: »

Its a dead language

If it was, not a soul would be speaking it.

Arpa

It is quite useless as a language with which to do my daily dealings. However I find it good when abroad and you need to say something to a mate but don't want the foreign bird you're trying to chat up to understand. So I guess I use it more as a secret code than as an actual language.

13spanner

I'd say I'm 60% of the way to being fluent, hoping to be fluent by the time I've my degree finished. So I'll get there sooner or later

Paramite Pie

My friends once spoke Irish to each other on a bus in Dublin. People in front of them started mumbling about the 'foreigners' behind them not speaking English. They say it's a common reaction.:rolleyes:

platinums wrote: »

I often see jobs in Dublin going for F/G/S or Dutch, never a Gaelic job!

I have two friends who have really good jobs with Irish. One is a lecturer in a university in Massachusetts teaching Irish to yanks (I presume that pays well!) and the other works in Brussels as a translator for the EU.

Learning Irish may be a indulgent language for many people as it has no real use to students in the US, Spain or Japan who are very keen in learning Irish regardless. I never realised there are so many opportunities to teach it abroad! If only I spoke it!!:p

Did anyone else know that there are Irish/Scottish speaking areas in Canada? With much smaller populations of fluent speakers in Chile, Argentina, Australia and New Zeland?:eek:

There used to be over 200,000 Canadian Gaelic speakers in Newfoundland in 1850 but today less than 1,000. (most of them elderly)

Scots gaelic still has nearly 60,000 regular speakers in Canada, mostly in Novia Scotia and Cape Breton.

Rubeter

opti0nal wrote: »

Speaking Irish in an area where English is the common language to people who don't speak Irish is likely to result in puzzled responses. It might also evoke unpleasant memories in those you address of being forced to speak Irish when they were at school.

Nope, the most common responses are "I'm sorry, I don't speak Irish" very often followed by "I wish I could", someone giving an answer in fairly simple but understandable Irish or someone just answering in Irish.
The rarest are puzzled responses (whatever they are) and aggression, I can remember only one occasion of aggression and he was an asshole irrespective of languages.

Out of curiosity, by the nature of your attitude to the language how on earth would you know what peoples responses and attitudes are if spoken to in Irish?

To the OP, I wouldn't speak it every day (except to say Hi, Thanks, Bye etc) but on average would have one or two decent conversations a week, usually in the pub.

opti0nal

Rubeter wrote: »

Out of curiosity, by the nature of your attitude to the language how on earth would you know what peoples responses and attitudes are if spoken to in Irish?

Like many people in this country, I am at first puzzled and then concerned why someone would address me in Irish. Then suppressing the hurt I still feel at over a decade of imposed Irish and cultural shaming, I respond politely with "I am sorry but I do not speak Irish" and, maybe in case I might be accused of being un-Irish or a 'West-Brit', I might add "but I wish I could". It's safer that way.

Go-figure - most people say they support Irish, but most people don't speak it. They're afraid to openly oppose it. Why is this?

There's a fine example posted some time ago when an Irish enthusiast accosted people at random around Grafton street and Stephen's Green. Of the footage they left in, most people were very uncomfortable at best. The best conversation he had was with a ticket vending machine - obliged by law to speak Irish on demand.

It's understandable that someone might like the intellectual challenge of learning another language. It's a nice hobby.

Quite why anyone whose native language is English should want to change to Irish and have a 'main aim' of changing the language everyone else speaks to Irish is something that really needs examination.

SEPT 23 1989

Not this again:(

Rubeter

opti0nal wrote: »

Like many people in this country, I am at first puzzled and then concerned why someone would address me in Irish. Then suppressing the hurt I still feel at over a decade of imposed Irish and cultural shaming, I respond politely with "I am sorry but I do not speak Irish" and, maybe in case I might be accused of being un-Irish or a 'West-Brit', I might add "but I wish I could". It's safer that way.

Go-figure - most people say they support Irish, but most people don't speak it. They're afraid to openly oppose it. Why is this?

There's a fine example posted some time ago when an Irish enthusiast accosted people at random around Grafton street and Stephen's Green. Of the footage they left in, most people were very uncomfortable at best. The best conversation he had was with a ticket vending machine - obliged by law to speak Irish on demand.

It's understandable that someone might like the intellectual challenge of learning another language. It's a nice hobby.

Quite why anyone whose native language is English should want to change to Irish and have a 'main aim' of changing the language everyone else speaks to Irish is something that really needs examination.

You would be "concerned" if someone spoke to you in Irish? To be honest you should be more concerned about your obsessive need to constantly moan about the language, that is something you should examine, there's a touch of OCD about it.

opti0nal

Rubeter wrote: »

You would be "concerned" if someone spoke to you in Irish?

Yes, concerned about their motives for doing so and how they will react if they don't hear what they want to hear.

Rubeter wrote: »

To be honest you should be more concerned about your obsessive need to constantly moan about the language, that is something you should examine, there's a touch of OCD about it.

If anyone has OCD, it is the Irish lobby and their relentless efforts to bring about the 'Main Aim' for over 100 years, now that's obsessive.

Are you abusing me here because you cannot accomodate the views people who don't want to speak Irish and who put forward reasoned criticism of the actions of Irish enthusiasts?

ballsymchugh

opti0nal wrote: »

If anyone has OCD, it is the Irish lobby and their relentless efforts to bring about the 'Main Aim' for over 100 years, now that's obsessive.

i wouldn't call it obsessive, it's their job. such is the life of a lobby group.

Toby Take a Bow

I can only repeat the odd phrase, a very, very basic grasp of constructing the simplest of sentences and knowing certain words and phrases. As others have said, I would love to be able to speak and understand better.

Anyone able to recommend a place that gives good lessons for a beginner?

opti0nal

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i wouldn't call it obsessive, it's their job. such is the life of a lobby group.

They give the impression of being enthusiasts and volunteers. Who is bank-rolling them and why?

ballsymchugh

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

I can only repeat the odd phrase, a very, very basic grasp of constructing the simplest of sentences and knowing certain words and phrases. As others have said, I would love to be able to speak and understand better.

Anyone able to recommend a place that gives good lessons for a beginner?

you could do worse than podcasts, there's plenty there for beginners

opti0nal wrote: »

They give the impression of being enthusiasts and volunteers. Who is bank-rolling them and why?

i've no idea. every lobby group will have benefactors, some may have charitable status and will gain income from membership, courses, literature etc. but i'm speculating here though.

An Coilean

muckyhands wrote: »

How many of us speak our own native Irish language on a daily basis?

Or ever?

Was listening to this Coronas song, Heroes and Ghosts, in Irish, and thinking to myself for f*** sake like, why dont I speak as Gaeilge!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l969H454bTw

Is it because I will be looked at like I have two heads by the person next to me?

Is is because its not taught well enough in our schools that we/ our children, dont speak fluently in our own native tongue?

Im proud to be Irish and it saddens me that I dont speak in Irish. Its something Id like to change I guess is what Im saying.

Anyone any thoughts/ feeings on this?

I do.
I use Irish reagularly in my daily life and no I don't live in a Gaeltacht.

The reasons for more people not doing so are many and varied but mainly its that learning a language is a long and dificult process that requires commitment.

If you are serious about it, then the best advice I can give you is to use it as often as possible, you could try to learn it from a book, and there are plenty of books available, but personally I think acquiring the language through using it as often as possible and in as many different contexts as possible is the best and most rewarding way to do it.
When you get down to looking for it, you would be amazed by just how much Irish we are surrounded with.

An Coilean

platinums wrote: »

I often see jobs in Dublin going for F/G/S or Dutch, never a Gaelic job!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574294245924228&set=a.175911522429171.37499.166447866708870&type=1&theater

Big Bottom

I never liked it in school and thought it was horrible.

Cant really see why its still thaught in school now tbh.

MomijiHime

Sea. Taim ag freastail ar scoil lan Gaeilge agus mar sin ta se beagnach liofa agam...ceapaim. Ta mo gramadach go uafasach, amh.

rayne10

Learnt Irish for over 12 years (age 5-17 like most of us) and did Honours Irish for the leaving cert and although I was brutal at it all my life to this day I will never understand how I did honours and wrote an essay in Irish, as now i honestly only remember about 10 words, I wouldnt mind Im now 20 and did my leaving cert less than 3 years ago!! I wouldnt blame the way its thought, my old irish teacher subscribed the whole class to this "uber cool" irish magazine that used to write about current issues in a teenagers life and we always had a laugh at the accents in the irish aural tapes we used to listen to, I can just put it that me and anyone I know has always just had no intrest in the language. I learnt and did german for 5 years and now could still speak german if i wanted to, whereas all my irish has been erased from my memory!

Rubeter

opti0nal wrote: »

Yes, concerned about their motives for doing so and how they will react if they don't hear what they want to hear.

Yea I've heard about those gangs of vicious Gaeilgeoirí beating up poor innocent English speakers. :rolleyes:
You do realise that it is the likes of you (and one or two others here) who are aggrieved or insulted by being spoken to in Irish, never have I seen on this board (or elsewhere) someone state they would be annoyed by someone speaking English.
Your comment above is quite funny in light of this.

If anyone has OCD, it is the Irish lobby and their relentless efforts to bring about the 'Main Aim' for over 100 years, now that's obsessive.

Actually it's quite rational human behaviour, your comments however are not, they are full of paronoia, irrational hatred, xenophobia and some really oddball ideas, eg Irish isn't a real language or people are going to fall onto train tracks because there isn't a warning sign in English directly in front of them (that was a good one).

Are you abusing me here because you cannot accomodate the views people who don't want to speak Irish and who put forward reasoned criticism of the actions of Irish enthusiasts?

No, I respond to you because for years you have been coming up with some really crazy shit.

opti0nal

An Coilean wrote: »

The reasons for more people not doing so are many and varied but mainly its that learning a language is a long and dificult process that requires commitment.

Or maybe people simply don't want to learn Irish?

Saying people lack commitment is judgmental and betrays an elitist attitude, regarding those who don't speak Irish as inferior people, not having what it takes to become an Irish speaker, unlike you and your friends.

Of course, if you conceded that most people don't want to speak Irish, it would be 'game over' for the 'main aim' and for the Irish lobby's franchise to force children to learn it.

An Coilean

opti0nal wrote: »

Or maybe people simply don't want to learn Irish?

Some people yeah, all of the people? Nope.

Saying people lack commitment is judgmental and betrays an elitist attitude, regarding those who don't speak Irish as inferior people, not having what it takes to become an Irish speaker, unlike you and your friends.

Nonsense, learning a language takes a lot of commitment, that is simple fact.
I never said anyone is inferior for not learning Irish. The reality is that not everyone is in a position to make that commitment even if they want to. Recognising this is not elitist.

Of course, if you conceded that most people don't want to speak Irish, it would be 'game over' for the 'main aim' and for the Irish lobby's franchise to force children to learn it.

Main aim, main aim, main aim, main aim, main aim, main aim, main aim, main aim.
Are you payed per time you use that phrase?
Show me some evidence to back your position up and I will happily concede if I cannot find evidence to counter it.

B0jangles

I am sad that I understand as little irish as I do, though I do try to retain what I have.
Now, this'll probably sound really lame and crappy to people who actually have a decent grasp of the language, but I always try to translate the names of t.v. shows etc. into my (terrible) irish.

It makes me think about the language, it is usually funny because the translations are terrible, and anyone I tell them to has to use what they remember in order to re-tranlate back into english to get my awful joke.

Like "Na daoine marbh ag siúl"

Walking Dead

or

"Ag súgradh leis an cathaoir Mór"

Game of Thrones

Cosmicfox

rayne10 wrote: »

Learnt Irish for over 12 years (age 5-17 like most of us) and did Honours Irish for the leaving cert and although I was brutal at it all my life to this day I will never understand how I did honours and wrote an essay in Irish, as now i honestly only remember about 10 words, I wouldnt mind Im now 20 and did my leaving cert less than 3 years ago!! I wouldnt blame the way its thought, my old irish teacher subscribed the whole class to this "uber cool" irish magazine that used to write about current issues in a teenagers life and we always had a laugh at the accents in the irish aural tapes we used to listen to, I can just put it that me and anyone I know has always just had no intrest in the language. I learnt and did german for 5 years and now could still speak german if i wanted to, whereas all my irish has been erased from my memory!

Same here but I did pass only last year and instead of a magazine we watched the odd episode of some terrible show for teens called 'Afraic'. I managed to get a B3 in the LC, a score I'd never got close too during tests in school and just a year on I can't remember bugger all.

I don't know about honours but pass must be marked very easy. I still can't believe I got it. Though the girl beside me did spend half her time drawing a picture so maybe things like that change that bell curve they talk about.

Jimminy Mc Fukhead

godwin wrote: »

I have not spoke it since I was forced to speak it by Ms Walsh in Secondary school , total waste of 10+ years of school learning a useless language , would have been better suited if I had of been forced to learn Spanish/German or something practical.

Currently I can ask to use the toilet in Irish , not bad after 10+ years of being forced to learn a language.

I think Ms Walsh should be here to defend herself if she's going to be attacked on this forum. It's only fair.

Endless Nameless

Nah, not fluently (even though I live a couple minutes drive away from a Gaeltacht area)

I was taught it back East and they don't really seem to care for it there (I didn't even know that "sea" meant "yes" until 4th class, I used "ta" until then, for example).

I'd love to be fluent in Gaeilge eventually though, same with French.