whisky_galore wrote: » Just an excuse for the fact that by and large the population aren't that bothered with it. Almost everyone gets to learn it. What they do with it after that is up to them.
Bobblehats wrote: » Then we should reinstill it as the de facto; default language. In the meantime those rich in the native tongue have that advantage over us and can put it to good use. Melt a few foreign girls hearts... :P make their panties moist
ohnonotgmail wrote: » you are talking complete bobbins.
171170 wrote: » So just ape the Welsh and everything will be hunky dory! As I see it, the Welsh have a language (yay!) and not much else - whereas we're the other way around. I'd far rather be us than them.
JohnnyFlash wrote: » There are few countries in the world where a minority language would be happily denigrated by non-speakers of that language. And most of those countries would be tyrannical states like China. Thankfully, the sort of dweeb who works in the lower rungs of IT, and who posts on Boards, doesn't represent the views of the majority. Our language is a unique and precious thing, and we should do everything possible to preserve the language for future generations. That's a tough ask, especially with the insidious creep of American culture via the internet.
Woke Hogan wrote: » I can’t speak a word of it myself but the hatred towards the Irish language shown on this website really is the most jarring example of post-colonial self-loathing you’ll see nowadays. That’s not an attitude shared by many young people, though. My son attends many of these Pop Up Gaeltachts though and apparently they’re always heaving with confident young Gaels. Most of the users of this website would be sheltered middle aged urbanites from Dublin who have never actually ventured into a Gaeltacht, whose only exposure to the language would be their Irish lessons in school. The modern curriculum is light years ahead of those days, it might be time for some people to get with the times a bit.
JohnnyFlash wrote: » There are few countries in the world where a minority language would be happily denigrated by non-speakers of that language. And most of those countries would be tyrannical states like China.Thankfully, the sort of dweeb who works in the lower rungs of IT, and who posts on Boards, doesn't represent the views of the majority. Our language is a unique and precious thing, and we should do everything possible to preserve the language for future generations. That's a tough ask, especially with the insidious creep of American culture via the internet.
whisky_galore wrote: » OP should have an option in favour of the language, but "actually personally doing something about it" instead of.. "someone should learn it for me so i dont have to" or "govt should fling money at it until we are all fluent" options. That would be a far more enlightening set of results.
Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: » I think the hatred for people who simple don't connect with the language is the real thing here. I am not my langauge, so the use of the word "self" here is bull****, and then "post colonial"...? Feckin, hell - really? I think THIS attitude is more in line with the attitudes that you get in China where people are expected to quell individuality and express State love above all else. As regards the curriculum - it may well be, but is it producing more enthusiastic speakers? Or is it still just seen as a school subject to earn university points on? JUST to clarify: I don't hate the language, I'm just indifferent to it. Yes, that is an option.
Woke Hogan wrote: » Expressing a disgust for monolingual ethnocentrism isn't the same as insisting on forcing people to love the State. Are you insane?
Woke Hogan wrote: » I can’t speak a word of it myself but the hatred towards the Irish language shown on this website really is the most jarring example of post-colonial self-loathing you’ll see nowadays.
Mohammed Thoughtless Gasoline wrote: » I think you'll find that people don't hate the language itself — they hate the idea that every child should be forced to endure 13 years' compulsory education in it. I like classical music. I should be entitled to listen to classical music in my home or car, go to classical concerts, and share my passion for it with like-minded friends. But should I have the right to force my musical preferences on the entire country? Of course not. And yet that's exactly what happens with the Irish language — a militant minority tries to force its linguistic choices on everyone else, and calls everyone who disagrees a self-loathing West Brit, or what have you. A genuinely liberal country would allow people to choose for themselves which languages they speak or learn in school. It's no accident that compulsory Irish is a product of the authoritarian 1930s.
Woke Hogan wrote: » Reviving any language relies primarily on teaching children how to speak it. Adults simply lack the capacity to learn languages to native-level quality, especially ones as phonetically different as Irish and English.
is_that_so wrote: » It really doesn't. It relies on them on wanting to use it. They largely don't need to in adult life. That's also untrue about adults. They can achieve a whole lot more than phonetics.
buried wrote: » On the subject of subjects in school. Get rid of f**king maths. Everybody saying Irish is a dead subject, so is maths. The maths teachers back in the day told me I needed to know the hoors bastard of a subject because when I left school I'd never have a calculator 24/7 in my pocket. Goes to show what those eegits knew.
jimgoose wrote: » No, let's not get rid of maths - there's enough thickness out there. And those "eegits" knew what I know - the machine is a useful tool, an automaton that takes the heavy work out of operations for those who know what to do with it, like a JCB.
Woke Hogan wrote: » It is true about adults. I have met literally hundreds of adults who have tried to learn a second language (Hebrew) as an adult to fluency and not a single one of them sound like a native speaker regardless of their mastery of vocabulary or grammar.
Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: » I doubt you were able to assess the second language proficiency of “literally hundreds of adults”. That would take a lot of expertise and quite the investment of time.
buried wrote: » They knew jack $hit man, if they did know anything about the future, they would have known we'd not only have calculators in our pockets 24/7, but actual 64gb storage multimedia computers.
jimgoose wrote: » If you didn't know basic arithmetic - times tables and so forth - life would be a big pain in the arse even with the JCB in your pocket.
Woke Hogan wrote: » I seem to recall you accusing me of being two other people earlier this evening, perhaps the three of us pooled our resources. Or you're talking out of your hole.
Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: » Your posts are obvious bullshit. Don’t be narky at people for noticing that.
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