Anybody planning to learn some Ukrainian?

Oink

This thread is probably going to die very quickly with a unanimous “feck-off!”, but is anybody else considering learning some Ukrainian?

I was reading about these families coming over without a word of English, and I figured being able to manage even 20 yes/no questions could make a difference.

It’ll take more effort than dos cervezas por favor though…

lawred2

Not really no

OOK RYE EEN

Greyfox

No, happy to welcome them in my native language English but learning a new language is too difficult and boring

HalloweenJack

.....

is_that_so

It's tough work and the script is really enough to put you off. Those in Western Ukraine would probably speak some Polish anyway. A much better idea would be to teach these newly arrived some basic stuff in English they can use themselves.

Mister Vain

Christ no. It took me long enough to learn Polish.

A friend of mine is currently working with the refugees at the airport and they struggling with finding interpreters.

The former civil service language training centre used to offer language courses in Russian and Polish (along with many others). Maybe they will look into offering Ukranian, if not doing so already.

frosty123

No, I'm planning on learning some Russian as they'll be our next rulers😐

Jequ0n

No. You need to learn the language of the country you move to, whatever the reason. Not the other way around.

igCorcaigh

I like to know a few words to greet people who work in shops or restaurants, out of basic courtesy. Hello, please, thank you, goodbye.

I know the Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Irish and Japanese for these words. So I will add Ukrainian to the list.

skallywag

хрен ти росія

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772768#Comment_118772768

Are you the kind of person who says you can speak 6 languages? I know a guy like that. He was on the tele. Del was his name i think.

Liberty_Bear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772768#Comment_118772768

Key phrases are always good

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772879#Comment_118772879

Monte? I'm actually terrible at languages, so I only know a few words of each one.

Nigel Fairservice

There were two Ukrainians on the nuacht one evening during the week speaking Irish, very impressive! My sister teaches junior infants and has two Ukrainian kids starting with her on Monday. They don't have any English at all I believe so there will be a big adjustment phase for everyone for a while. I might suggest to her about maybe learning a few basic words/phrases in Ukrainian.

cnocbui

If I take in some refugees, it's always possible I might pick up a couple words, but not consciously, otherwise.

goldenmick

@igCorcaigh - I like to know a few words to greet people who work in shops or restaurants, out of basic courtesy. Hello, please, thank you, goodbye.

I know the Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Irish and Japanese for these words.

Many already know the Irish for these words, through television.

Hello = arse

Please = drink

Thank you = woooman

Goodbye = feck off

Oink

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772627#Comment_118772627

I wasn’t talking about changing Irish society to bend to the will of our new overlords. Just learning a few phrases to help some women and children whose home may well have been flattened by now, and who may very well never see their husband/father again.

Jequ0n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118777278#Comment_118777278

I just wonder what this is supposed to achieve, and why this wave of refugees receives this level of compassion compared to previous cases.

TiGeR KiNgS

Absolutely not.

If you come to a foreign country the onus (and deep responsibility) is on the incoming person to learn the local language not the other way around.

uli84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118781202#Comment_118781202

Agreed, plus English is much easier

Pussyhands

Funny how the media can impact on the actions of peoples lives. Wall to wall coverage of Ukraine and we have people saying they want to learn Ukrainian now.

The red carpet is rolled out for them. If a Ukrainian was on the news tomorrow saying they needed a car to travel to school they'd have the keys to one by the end of the day.

11,000+ pledges to house Ukrainians made already in the first days. Only 1k pledges were made overall for Syrians.

The thousands of Syrians and Afghans etc sitting in Direct Provision must be wondering how many bombs needed to rain down on them to get the same treatment.

Less than 3 years ago, MEPs, including FG MEPS, voted down a resolution to increase support for search and rescue of refugees in the mediterranean. Why care so much now? What changed?

https://www.thejournal.ie/fine-gael-meps-vote-against-mediteranean-search-and-rescue-4866361-Oct2019/

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058236935/anybody-planning-to-learn-some-ukrainian

How many Arabic phrases did you learn off when the Syrian refugees came in 2014?

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118772627#Comment_118772627

Well I think it's nice and welcoming to people fleeing a desperate situation to welcome them with a few words and phrases of their language, just to be nice. No need to be political about it.

spurious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118782850#Comment_118782850

There are many people with very poorly hidden agendas here. There is nothing wrong with learning a few phrases to make people welcome.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118782871#Comment_118782871

Yes, it's similar to xenophobic Brexiteer mentality in England, thankfully not as prevalent in Irish society as it is on Boards.ie or The Journal

Strumms

No, in my sphere of contacts I don’t envision encountering any Ukrainian people… a bit of an effort to learn a whole language or the basics of it just on the off chance to be stopped on West Moreland St and asked where the nearest post office or wherever is.

it takes months and months of effort to learn what would be considered a conversational level of any language. Probably years for an Irish person to learn Ukrainian as they utilise the Cyrillic alphabet… Considering it would have ZERO benefit for me im not going to spend any time learning Ukrainian… бачите, що я маю на увазі?

Jequ0n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118782850#Comment_118782850

I’m not being political about it. A few nice phrase won’t change a thing though if they don’t learn the language. And somehow nobody wants to address the question why these refugees are getting more sympathy than the ones from Syria or Afghanistan for example.

murpho999

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118783068#Comment_118783068

The question does not need to be addressed really and you know it but I'll try.

I do think you're politicising it by bringing other countries into it and saying whats the point if they don't learn the language.

I don't think anybody is talking about becoming fluent but just learn a few phrases, like Hello, goodbye, yes, no, another beer etc. More for people who maybe taking a refugee in which is something I'm giving very strong consideration to doing and if so I'd learn a few words just to help connect with the person but it's probably most likely they'll speak English anyway.

This crisis is affecting us more as we can relate more to it, it's closer to him and it could easily be one of us.

The country is in Europe, not that far away, a democracy and generally peaceful and more culturally in line with us than the Middle East. Very different to areas like Afghanistan and Syria, where is tragic as it is , there's constant trouble there and people are not leaving in the numbers that they are from Ukraine.

whisky_galore

Yeah, naw.