Visting the Gaeltachts

It depends on what dialect you speak first. There are some strong gaeltachtaí and some weak ones. Gaoth Dobhair/The Rosses are really strong up in Donegal. Galway Gaeltacht is also strong - Ceathrú Rua/Leitir Mór or head out to the Aran Islands. I've over spent a day in the Cork Gaeltacht, so I can't speak much on it. I'm from Waterford, and have visited An Rinn loads. While I wouldn't say it's the strongest gaeltacht, Irish is definitely spoken there. Sometimes people will speak English to you, but if you switch it to Irish they'll speak back.

Dave0301 wrote: »

It is the same, except it has a fada over the a.

Tàim ag wànk...

Ag wankáil

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I can never fully understand how Hungary succeeded where Ireland failed.
It must be because of population size?
Or is it historical factors like how Irish was viewed as backward?
One of my Great-Grandfathers had no English!
It is kind of sad how a language can be systematically attacked, first by foreign powers then attacked by societal pressure.

It requires a stronger will than partial classical language education and learning of poems. For example if all schools were thought 50 50 through Irish and English, if RTÉ had more either Irish language shows with English subs or vice versa. This is something Iceland has and many of them speak fluent English, with an American twang.

Immersion is the lacking factor. Irish could be a daily spoken language within 2 decades by a majority of the younger population if the right will and weight was thrown behind it. It's again not a priority for the government and attempts to push its priority up is met with mindless aggressive commentary about dead languages and a waste. Its almost like the brits embedded the concept that its a language of the poor and peasant class deep in the Irish psyche.

Hector Bellend wrote: »

I have no problem with anyone else learning a dead language that nobody speaks in public and hasnt done in any meaningful way in my lifetime.

Mod: That's nice. So how about you let everyone who wants to discuss the topic at hand do so without your moaning?

Don't post in this thread again.

elefant wrote: »

Pure ignorance.





There's no 'W' in Irish. It's 'bhank'.

Ag fail taitneamh as me fein

elefant wrote: »

Pure ignorance.





There's no 'W' in Irish. It's 'bhank'.

Joke Ha Ha correcting the grammar in a make up word and you thought it was a serious grammar lesson

Hector Bellend wrote: »

Perhaps you'll discuss it in Irish. Oh wait.

Banned.

MilfordBud wrote: »

My friend's 4 year old son does two days schooling through French and two through Occitan in the south of France. 5th day given to sport and cultural activities. This continues until they are 9. It's a new enough policy and neither of the parents speak Occitan nor would they be too pushed about it either way. It probably helps that Occitan, like Catalan is a lot more similar to French/Spanish than Irish to English.

Don't say that to a Catalan person. They don't like that! :P

Anyway, agree. Similarity helps but immersion is the key.

My family lived in Spain. We never had a lesson or word of Spanish. Within a year we could all hold conversation on everyday things with no problem. Everyone is back here now years and not one can remember a word of it! We don't speak it anymore and "forgot" it. Though, it'd come back fast i'm sure.

Same with a guy in work. He spoke 6 languages at one point but after years living here working in a job that doesn't require him to speak 6 he is only says he is only fluent in his native one and English but again I'd see it coming back fast if he had too. It's actually being around people who speak more languages that I have fingers on one hand that made me realise how disgraceful it is we can't speak our own language. You'd not see the comments we have here from peopel in Barcelona about Catalan.

The thread does show some of the attitudes Irish has to overcome. This isn't a dig at people, it's a fact of how people view it. The waste of money is a classic argument. There is massive waste throughout public spending and vastly larger and worse ones than can be attributed to activities related to Irish yet it's easy to pick on due to it's low usage. That's not to say there isn't waste and the removal of bilingual signs are a valid point that I, even as a passionate Irish speaker, do not agree with.

Anyway, don't worry, given the current trends Irish will not be spoken outside the academic setting in 30 years. When everyone is getting all nostalgic about why didn't someone do something we can look back on these threads and remember the good times!

I'd hear irish spoken daily in NUIG. A little less often but still frequently around the city. Diverse demographics speaking too in terms of age, old and young.

Hector Bellend wrote: »

Perhaps I'll crack one off in Irish.

Oh wait. I dont know what **** is in irish.

Bualadh Bod

In my experience the most interesting of the Gaeltacht areas are the Aran Islands. They have a unique dialect and its used heavily as a working language there. People on the islands are a very curious sort who are more than happy to converse away to you as Gaelige. Having grown up in the west of Kerry I have say the language there is definitely disappearing. Still going strong in areas to the north west on the peninsula and Baile an Fheirtéaraigh though.