Do you like the Irish language?

Bard

Simple question.

You may not like it - because of a deep rooted hatred caused by it being drilled into you in school by nasty Christian Brothers...

You may simply love it - because it's part of our heritage and our strong romantic and colourful history and it's a lovely sounding language.

You may have your own reasons... either way - do you like the Irish language?

BuffyBot

I can't speak much of it - someday I'll re-learn.

Still it is a cool language, and part of the Irish identity - so I like it

eth0_

Originally posted by The Duke
errr Let me Think.


No I DON'T like it

Tell me, "The Duke", what exactly is your problem?

Bard

Don't mind The Duke... he's just a spammer... with a penchant for dragging up old posts, apparently!

azezil

Is maith liom


Unfortunitly when it was forced down meh troth in school i didn't really take to it... its only now i regret that

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I like it, i was in gaelschoils all my life *cept college.. but I did half the courses throgh irish* and I think it's pretty cool.

it's easy to forget certain words and phrases though, but after a brief period of using it, i can generally remember everything and speak it fairly fluently

I absolutly hate Irish mainly because I cant get an exemption (spelling?) from it. It's sooo hard and it is rarly spoken as a first language so i don't see the point in it being drilled into me at such a high level.

Pigman

I neither love nor hate it but in the global society we live in today its of no practial use to us other than to identify us as Irish people. I therefore I find it to be a dead language that should be commited to the grave (or at least be made no more compulsary than Irish history in schools).

Although when I hear Sile Seoige or Roisin Ni Eadhra speaking it I could be tempted to change my opinion

BJJ

Love it,
Irish, it's part of who we are,


ie
not Sky Sports, the Star or Beckham

phobos

I have a very mixed feeling about the Irish language. I can't speak a word of Irish, and it doesn't bother me in my day to day life, but in the long run, and thinking about it, I feel ashamed. I think a lot of people hate the language because of how we were taught it as children. My memories of learning Irish, as a classfull of kids repeating the múinteoir. "Agam, Agat, Aige....", we all sounded like drones. But what annoys me now is that I know for a fact that most of us hadn't a clue what we were saying. So basically we were just spending time repeating what the teacher said, and not really learning anything. I put that down to poor teaching. You see a lot of Irish teachers, when were were kids (20 odd years ago), they tended to come from Irish speaking families, and were used to speaking it (most likely) as a primary language. It would be difficult for people like that to put the language in to context, making it easier for kids (who primarily spoke English) to learn.

Probably for that reason a lot of people hate Irish. 99% of the people I know, would say that you should be proud of your language and heritage etc, but not one of them can speak a word. Everyone can remember an odd word here or there, and maybe construct a sentence, but bugger all of us are fluent. Well that I know anyway, and I live very near the Gaeltacht (being from Galway city).

Also I think younger people see the language as having this "bogger image" tied to it. Because most of the people you hear speaking it, have thick country accents. Perhaps if this changed, and it had to a better extent these days, Irish could really take off, as it should.

I wouldn't mind speaking Irish all the time, but I couldn't arsed taking the time to learn it properly, when all of the people around me can't speak it. So someone is going to have to make the first move. They are also going to have to change the teaching methods in schools, because the level of Irish is not getting better these days, compared to when I was a child. Kids are still going from Primary to Secondary, and even further with not only a hatred for the language but, not being able to use it also.

It's an interesting discussion this. So far most people say that they hate it. I would like to hear their reasons why?, and see are they in any way similar to mine (mentioned above).

Slán go fóil,
;-phobos-)

leeroybrown

I couldn't care less these days.

I used to really dislike Irish when I was in School. I was pretty good at it but it was was one of those classes I didn't want to go to at all. (Religion classes were worse but that doesn't ssy much for Irish)

Defenistrator

I must say that Irish is an interesting language. Seen as I am a "continental" person, I have had some experience with quite a few of the european languages (I'm not suggesting I speak them, just that I have heard them first hand) I speak English Dutch and German (not well). and the funny thing is, you see so many simmilarities when people speak Italian, French, Spanish etc. but I have never heard a language so alien (within europe that is). As I live in Ireland I would like to be able to speak Irish, but the tapes I have just don't do it for me, after four years of living here als I can say is "my name is so and so" or "close the window/door", O and of course "kiss my butt"....

I hope that Irish stays a part of the curriculum in schools, as it would be extremely sad if the language got lost along the way.

as far as Irish having the "bogger image" tied to it, so what?

D.

Gearoid

Just to say to the people who've said that Irish isn't a useful language, you might be suprised to hear that it has about 50,000 daily speakers everyday! I was up in Galway & the Arann Islands at the weekend and it was very handy. all the locals speak it to each other and if you speak it to them they'll treat you like one of their own instead of treating you like some yank tourist who thinks that there are Leprechauns and Pixies in every village in the country.
Bain taitneamh as an teanga,
Slán go fóill!.

exiztone

I actually like it
I'v been learning it since I was ana-beag but I seriously couldn't have a conversation in it
yanks come up to me from time to time on the net asking me to do something in Irish and I'm speachless lol

Accordster

Just because no one asked for it, I'll give a Yank's opinion .

I think people come away with really negative feelings toward most anything that is both difficult and compulsory in school. This seems to be born out by the results of the poll, which make me disappointed (but not surprised). I imagine similar attitudes would be found toward calculus and religion, given the similar perceptions of these types of subjects among "regular folks."

To make things worse, learning languages is tough. Fluency--or even proficiency--is something that precious few people who devote years of earnest effort are able to attain, besides those who have the good fortune to have exposure to two languages from an early age. In view of these two factors, I'm surprised how many people are able to succeed as actually do.

Personally, I'm of the odd and rare variety who actually enjoy learning foreign languages, even without concrete pecuniary or societal benefit. Of course, when foreign language ability does pay off, such as with my Japanese ability in my job, hey that's great--but I don't go into it expecting such reward. Also, I don't expect others to necessarily share my passion--that I enjoy it is good enough for me, and when I run across others who share my interest, that's great--but I'm not going to judge people who just don't. And I hope people don't hold it against me when my eyes glaze over during discussions of the Video Music Awards heh.

--Ryan

Dun

Is brea liom an Ghaeilge agus is maith liom i a usaid chomh minic agam is feidir liom.. ach I was seriously put off by this wierd guy from Finland who started correcting my Irish. He claims thorough knowledge of Irish, and God knows he probably can read it better than me. I got my confidence back though when a friend of mine from an Ceathru Rua pointed out that he was half writing in the old Irish Gaedhlige. Ní raibh sé ag rá, ach ag radh etc..

But I can see why ppl get put off by the teaching of it. I didn't particularily enjoy trying to talk about the nuances of poems when I wouldn't have a clue about how to say 'I'm going to the shop and I'll be back in about half an hour'. The best thing to do is go abroad for a while - when you're away from home it's all sentimental. Plus it's great for talking bout the natives with your fellow Irish

Accordster

LOL, I think I know the very Suomi gentleman of whom you speak--he's pretty damned amazing at Irish, there's no doubt about it. I used to participate on a mailing list for Irish learners (far and few between, here in the U.S.) called gaelic-l or somesuch, and he was probably the most accomplished writer on the 200+ member list (which included more than a few Irishmen!). His grammar was so perfect as to be robotic! Of course, he also studied Scots Gaelic and Old Irish--hence the "radh" and such. I guess if I were half as erudite as he, I'd be a bit big for my britches too .

Ach, nil go leor Gaeilge agam anois, mar nach bhfuil seans a bhaint usaid ais ar chor ar bith anseo foai lar na S.A. .

Dun

Well I don't think there are two many fluent-Irish speaking Finns out there (Thank God) :rolleyes:

My friend from the Gaeltacht said he spoke like a book, so don't get too overwhelmed.

Níl seans agam cleachtadh freisin, cé go bhfuil mé i nDún na nGall - nach uafasach é sin. Bhuel tá mé i mo chonaí fada on Gaeltacht. Beagnach chomh fada agus is feidir liom bheith.

zynaps

I used to hate Irish when it was shoved at us in school... or at least, I didn't like the fact that they made us speak it when they were around, so we spoke english to each other when we could get away with it...

Strangely though, I can't actually really remember -learning- Irish from the beginning or at any point not being able to converse in it at a basic level... probably cos we were so young, I guess.

Seems to me though, it's best when you don't have to have all the conscious grammar construction logic in your head while trying to speak the language.
That's why speaking in irish for me is obviously a lot easier and less nerve-wracking than trying to speak french

So.. I'm glad it was thrown at me daily and that I was forced to speak it.
This sounds really conservative and old-fashioned probably, but when kids are young and can take being told what to do, it's a great time for them to actually have things drilled into them.

I didn't like trying to learn the piano either, but after a few years, it was actually FUN to practice
So anyway... I like Irish a lot now, though I don't speak it a lot, mostly just the one heavily nationalist friend that will initiate conversations in it.

Plus as previously mentioned, it's great to be able to say "Man, look at her arse? Isn't she great? " to a friend with an extreme likelihood of the subject not realising you even mentioned them

btw, that Finnish guy wasn't your man working in an Roinn Béaloideas in UCD, was he?
Errr... Bo Almqvist I think?

Oisín

STaN

Tbh all primary schools IMO should be thought through irish.

You lose nothing from it and you gain allot. Irish Culture, Fluency in Irish, Another language besides English (makes learning other languages easier), A guarenteed honour in your LC

Maths is the same in irish/english, english is thought through english obviously etc etc.

I went to an irish pre-school when i was 4 and started in Scoil Olibhéir when i was 5. It was great and i have a greater appretiation of our culture and i can easily chat to anybody in irish.

I think more resources should be put into irish primary schools because they really provide a valuable service. I'm not sure whether they have been growing or dying in numbers recently, maybe some1 has some information on that?

I know allot of people that are anti-irish language, but i why? I dont think the 'Can't be arsed' mentality is something is an excuse and if your one of those people, theres something wrong with ye. Immigrants also, might not be too favourable towards it but thats only a small percentage.

TetsuoHashimoto

It's a good language and tells a lot about culture and history

meglome

I like the language a lot but I hardly know any. When I left school I hated it because of the way it was forced on me. In the meantime I have realised that it's not the language itself to blame for the poor way it's taught to us. The language itself is part of our culture, an ancient culture and we should respect it and use it if possible.

Dun

Interesting to see that although far more people do like the Irish language in the poll, the proportion between like/love and don't like/hate is so different. I wonder what the results would've been if the hate option had been divided into:
I Hate it! (School Students and those who have just left)
I Hate it! (Others)

I've a funny feeling the former would have more votes

Dun

I'd presume that only those that had experience of learning/speaking it would vote. Otherwise how could they have an opinion on it. (Anyone here speak Mongolian? No? Do you like it or hate it?)

Maybe I'm wrong. Abair dom!

Bard

Kim Tae Woo's post and those posts on this thread which discuss Kim Tae Woo have been and will be removed. Stay on topic please.

Thanks.

zynaps

Tusa an duine a dúirt é in san céad áit, lad.
Má chuireann tú rud éigin in san thread, tá daoine chun é a léamh agus suim a bheith acu ann.

zynaps

Raskolnikov

Gaeilge is teanga an fearr liom

I just wish that i could speak it a little better

TopGun

Hey I love it,:p

I am from the west off ireland a place called An chéathru Rua(cararroe in english) Were I was raised with Gaeilge as my first language, :eek:

Its great to be able to go out to the local pubs or nite club and speak Irish to one another, plus the women love it.

Is comhaigh liom ceart ata le scriobh ag na ****s sin.
We should all be proud to speak our National lanuage.
keep it up.

Panda

*Deir cúpla daoine go raibh doodle cait aige.
Tá nó Níl?

i used to hate learing irish in national school and in secondary school, but now that im not being forced to learn it, i'd actually consider learning it myself.

*agus tá tú ceart, ba mhaith ná cailiní gaeilge, a lot.

*terrible at irish.

Dun

Originally posted by Panda
agus tá tú ceart, ba mhaith ná cailiní gaeilge, a lot.

Unless of course they're good at Irish/native speaker themselves and know you're talking complete bóllócks

With the exception of you being a native speaker too.

red_bairn

Is brea liom Gaeilge agus mo tir.
The Irish language is a part of us. We all really love it even if we had or have to learn it.