Irish language denial a human rights issue, says Higgins

GCU Flexible Demeanour

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0523/452221-higgins/


I find I just don't agree with this concept of a language having rights. I mean, fine for the President to air an opinion, particularly if it contributes to a realistic debate about State support of languages. I'd find David Mitchell's thoughts about the subject to be balanced, and more representative of my views than our Head of State's comments.

Cookie_Monster

President Michael D Higgins has said that to prevent people from speaking their own language is a denial of human rights.

Who exactly is preventing people from speaking it though? Most people don't speak it because they don't want to.
Is his argument something like that you can't go into (say) Tesco and deal with your checkout staff in Irish or the bank etc? That's hardly preventing someone from speaking it simply because someone else cannot understand it.

johnnyskeleton

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Who exactly is preventing people from speaking it though? Most people don't speak it because they don't want to.
Is his argument something like that you can't go into (say) Tesco and deal with your checkout staff in Irish or the bank etc? That's hardly preventing someone from speaking it simply because someone else cannot understand it.

It's also implicit that while people not being able to speak irish in the shops is a breach of their rights, if the shop attendant is prevented from speaking their native English tongue and is forced to speak irish - no human rights violation.

ZeitgeistGlee

Always amazes me how "oppressed" the Irish language brigade manage to make themselves feel despite the overindulgence of resources they're graced with.

This thread dealt with the subject well enough, especially for an AH thread.

Iwasfrozen

Nothing wrong with Higgins expressing an opinion since that's all it is. An opinion.

yore

ZeitgeistGlee wrote: »

Always amazes me how "oppressed" the Irish language brigade manage to make themselves feel despite the overindulgence of resources they're graced with.

This thread dealt with the subject well enough, especially for an AH thread.

Always amazes me that people either can't read and comprehend articles or else just infer what they like from it to support their own bias.

The article says the President was addressing delegates from around the world who were representing languages in danger.

Nowhere in the article does is say that he said anything about "Irish Language denial". It says it in the heading of the article, but surely you realise that a journalist wrote those words?

So, turning back to the actual facts of the article, if for example there exists a country where a majority are failing to support a local minority language and pushing for it's distinction, that's all grand is it? A hypothetical majority tribe in Africa outlaws the use of a rival minority tribes language in schools? Another hypothetical South American government pushes some indigenous people out of the rainforest and fails to provide them any support to keep their culture/identity/language alive?

That's all grand then because some smart-arse self-portraying-upper-class Englishman decides to pooh-pooh people who don't want to conform to his "culture" and "identity"?

Sure let's outlaw hurling and Gaelic Football while we are at it as I'd doubt David Mitchel likes them. And probably rugby too. He may even not like soccer. Sure lets go the full hog and just allow cricket and nothing else :rolleyes:

Iwasfrozen

yore wrote: »

Always amazes me that people either can't read and comprehend articles or else just infer what they like from it to support their own bias.

The article says the President was addressing delegates from around the world who were representing languages in danger.

Nowhere in the article does is say that he said anything about "Irish Language denial". It says it in the heading of the article, but surely you realise that a journalist wrote those words?

So, turning back to the actual facts of the article, if for example there exists a country where a majority are failing to support a local minority language and pushing for it's distinction, that's all grand is it? A hypothetical majority tribe in Africa outlaws the use of a rival minority tribes language in schools? Another hypothetical South American government pushes some indigenous people out of the rainforest and fails to provide them any support to keep their culture/identity/language alive?

That's all grand then because some smart-arse self-portraying-upper-class Englishman decides to pooh-pooh people who don't want to conform to his "culture" and "identity"?

Sure let's outlaw hurling and Gaelic Football while we are at it as I'd doubt David Mitchel likes them. And probably rugby too. He may even not like soccer. Sure lets go the full hog and just allow cricket and nothing else :rolleyes:

You obviously didn't even watch the video. :rolleyes:

Cookie_Monster

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Nothing wrong with Higgins expressing an opinion since that's all it is. An opinion.

In such a position as he's in, addressing a body who lobby for it is a bit more than just a random opinion though.

yore

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

You obviously didn't even watch the video. :rolleyes:

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Video of David Mitchell talking sh1te? Because there was no video in the link to RTE supplied by the OP

Is this thread about the article on RTE or on some sh1te some English comedian ranted?

K-9

GCU Flexible Demeanour wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0523/452221-higgins/


I find I just don't agree with this concept of a language having rights. I mean, fine for the President to air an opinion, particularly if it contributes to a realistic debate about State support of languages. I'd find David Mitchell's thoughts about the subject to be balanced, and more representative of my views than our Head of State's comments.

Mod:
Not everybody can watch videos for various reasons as laid out in the charter.

We need a bit more of your own personal opinion, than linking to a news piece about President Higgins and a, no doubt funny, but extremely predictable David Mitchell video.