The creeping prominence of the Irish language

The definition of 'language contact' in this context is one-to-one/one-to-many contact between individuals speaking the language. As the emphasis is on building spoken ability and not on rote learning so as to pass a written exam. (essays learnt off by heart etc.). The Ontario Ministry of Education proficiency levels are likewise built around spoken ability.

Department of Education mandated 3.5 hours a week in primary school works out at 42 minutes a day. Homework and study is self-driven and doesn't entail actual language contact with other individuals. Why would children in Bearloirí schools be getting any Irish contact hours during non-school hours unless they were enrolled in extra-curricular event conduct through Irish. Also I'm pretty sure they have next to no language contact during the school holidays.

When I did Higher Irish for the Leaving Cert in 1999 I had most 40 minutes of language contact time in school a day. Study/homework while useful for reinforcing reading and writing skills does not build on spoken ability due to lack of face-to-face communication time with another individual.

For those interested the screenshots above come from:

PhD Dissertation at the University of Gronigen, Netherlands:

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Retention-and-attrition-of-Irish-as-a-second-a-of-Murtagh/e1a30a8ba4dd720750afbf1365dd340c7d234a35

The paper has at least 41 citations in the wider literature:

Nonsense back to you. People could only change it, if they were given an opportunity. I don't know about you but I've lived my entire life in this country and voted in all referendums etc. Now I can't recall there ever being a referendum to address/ confirm/ negate the constitutional position of the Irish language. Can you recall one? Please advise how the people could have changed it, other than mostly ignoring it.

I think a referendum on the matter would be a great idea. It would get citizens really thinking about the language. And we'd find out one way or the other, just what relative value the majority of citizens place on it. Bring it on!

That’s a pretty good idea. I don’t see how wage status would be a factor. Many supermarket staff have a name badge -could be just a matter of having a little green on the badge to indicate speaking competence in Irish. It makes an impression on people to hear the language spoken, and brings more life into it than simply having signs in Irish.

Oh, believe me I now.

So why, then, are the enthusiasts so opposed to someone not wanting to do something that clearly isn't fit to function? And why are they annoyed when someone who had to endure this complaint about the 'creeping prominence?

The status quo is fine as long as it's observed in the same notional aspirational capacity as pertained in the 1930s. Problem is that a minority are using the stated primacy to drive the position of the language well beyond what most citizens care for. That's why we see the 'creeping prominence'. At the end of the day, the only way to address this is to keep the two official languages for the state but with English as the primary language for practical purposes.

Deirdremf mentioned that I might not be from Kerry since I used the Donegal word "Gaelic". To me Gaelic is the language and Irish are the people. I remember being in Colaisde na Gaidhlig near Baddeck on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia more than twenty years ago. Shortly after crossing on to the Island late on a Saturday in August evening we were told about a community dance to support the Gaelic College we attended and enjoyed ourselves. A few days later we visited the College which had a shop and restaurant, everything Scottish that your heart desired was there. The Cape Bretoners are ensuring that Scottish Culture remains strong on the Island. One of my sisters worked for the Irish Gov't translating technical and scientific English works into Gaelic. I had many conversations with her about the aggravation caused by what she described as the five sovereign kingdoms who were obsessed with maintaining the purity of what each of them perceived was the only true green version of the Gaelic language. I do not know if today there is agreement on one version for the whole island of Ireland. At the time it struck me as being one of the obstacles to restoring Gaelic as a working language. In Canada French speakers (mother tongue) make up 23% of the population the majority of them are in the Province of Quebec which is largely French speaking with the full range of education in French from Kindergarten to University. There is a great deal of bilingualism for example in Gov't of Canada meetings the Francophones and Anglophones speak in their mother tongue and it is understood that everybody understands what is being discussed. The Canadian Gov't needed my skills and treated me very well including expanding my language skills.The Premier of Quebec in a speech a couple of years ago said that 40% of the Quebec population have Irish blood. The Irish arrived there between 1845 and 1850 and intermarried at lightning speed. They disappeared into the Francophone community and all speak French. The Irish today are very supportive of the French fact and say the French were good to us when we most needed it and we are returning the favour. In Quebec today Michael O'Connell has become Michel Connel but he still knows where he came from. The Irish are doing very well all over the world it is past time the 10% that are in Ireland widened their horizons.

To me Gaelic is the language and Irish are the people.

everything Scottish that your heart desired was there. The Cape Bretoners are ensuring that Scottish Culture remains strong on the Island.

I am trying to figure this out. You have decided that 'Gaelic is the language and Irish are the people'. So that is the way it is. You then go on to say that the Cape Bretoners are ensuring the Scottish culture remains strong on the island. Presumably the culture according to each individual of Scottish ancestry?

Then (some) Americans and Canadians come to Ireland and Scotland expecting a Disneyland type place that stopped in the 50's (ignoring the emigration and poverty, other than the picturesque bits) just to accommodate their imaginings. And if the country has got it wrong, they can be enlightened and instructed. There are lots of examples of this phenomenon on sites like Trip Advisor.

How many millions are being spent on printing Irish documents? You might be surprised.

There is money spent translating official documents into the two official languages and a lot more money is spent writing those documents in the first place.

Why is it a problem that official documents are written in official languages? It's not unique to Ireland, many European countries do the same. The number of speakers, has nothing to do with the cost. Whether 80'000 or 800'000 Irish speakers use the language everyday has no bearing on the cost.

Maybe the issue is the millions spent on official documents that very few people read in the first place?