Irish language gets full EU status today

I think that's a bad and destructive way to approach the ongoing issue of Irish language in NI.

It's just a language at the end of the day. Being able to speak it or wanting to speak it, and wanting the (local) govt. to support that doesn't make someone some sort of "traitor" to the British state/terrorist sympathiser etc.

This sort of atavistic fear and hatred is (obviously) not good at all really. 

As regards expense for signs or more translations to Irish/content in Irish in NI, I doubt it is going to be noticed. I think the other 2 non English regions (Wales and Scotland) have similar uncontroversial provisions for Wesh and Gaelic as surviving minority languages. As far as I understand, all that is being sought for NI is to put Irish on the same footing as them.

Well it's a national identity & therefore an emotional thing...may as well ask what is the point of "Irishness"/"Britishness" etc. It's not fully rational or able to be reduced down to all costs and benefits. The language is an absolutely massive part of what makes a people or a nation a people at all. Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam has truth in it. I say that as someone who liked learning and was fairly good at the language in school, but have not put the effort in to keep it up as an adult. By the way, there doesn't necessarily have to be "supremacy" in feeling an attachment to your culture/national identity.

Have to say, am on the fence about the worth of the "EU working language" thing to Irish. I can see why the government and I suppose Irish language advocates would push for this. It is basically a pride or self respect thing. It's (likely?) an oddity that Irish would not be a full official language at the EU with all legislation translated etc. when it is specified in the constitution as the language of this state and we are an EU member state. 

I expect all of the national languages (if countries have them specified in a constitution) would be working languages...but of course they probably are not in the sad half dead state that Irish is in. 

Like alot of things politicians/governments do this ends up being about optics rather than much harder and probably more expensive work of actually trying to grow the use of Irish in the country, number of speakers etc.

It makes good jobs for translators, but one wonders as always about some of the opportunity costs. Would they be better paid & employed by government at home here expanding translation of content for TG4/Radio na Gaeltachta, translating more books people might want to read etc in Irish from other languages (esp. for children say) instead of sending them to the EU to translate important but very dull legislation?

I think we should teach Irish differently - who in national school caress about adverbs etc, There should be a designated day in NS where they speak Irish for the day - not for maths or English - so social conversation, playground chat, instruction and repeat of lessons etc, Make it more relaxed and not the big stick to beat us all with. Teach it through dance, music and literature. Then in secondary school teach it more formally, with sentence structure, grammar etc. That way they learn the basics properly before the grammar stick. Should we all know our national language, yes IMO. I think it should be treated like Welsh in Wales - lots of every day people speak it in every day situations and yes, I think it should be an official EU language. Irish signs in the north? Lets have a referendum and let the people choose - lets discuss it, pros and cons, and add it to the referendum about a united ireland as its a similar divisive issue.

No need to double down.

You are just another demeaner in the tradition of Gregory Campbell.

Triggered?

Just answering his post like others.

Well-meaning EU minority languages box ticking.

In fairness (to francie!) the reply to me was just a "great replacement" dog whistle or maybe dog fart. I'm sure there's other threads for that.

Before that a sarcastic story about "Shinners" which tbh really has little to do with actual question of whether the state (in Ireland or NI) should try and promote use of the Irish language or not via establishing Irish as a working EU language or by other means. Sinn Féin have never been in govt. here in Ireland + have nothing to do with making Irish an EU working language.

The poster presumably doesn't like "Shinners" and also gets off looking in his cracked crystal ball. Predicting Irish people and language finally getting consigned to the dustbin of history makes him cry with laughter for some reason. Each to their own I suppose.

200+ translators, officials and assorted add ons. With wages, employers contributions, expenses, office space, equipment etc., it will cost well in excess of €25,000,000 per annum, possibly an awful lot more. Fair enough, but it will do absolutely nothing to encourage or assist, one single person in this country or elsewhere to learn the language.

I paid €130 a couple of years ago to attend a refresher course in Conradh na Gaeilge in Dublin for (I think) 10 x 2 hour classes with about 12 others. I see they're around €150 now. Maybe if they did something to reduce the price of this, then it may encourage some people to go back and learn it.

Or maybe just promote speaking classes locally. Basic Irish conversation in local community halls or schools or libraries at night for whoever wants to pick it up again. Pay a fluent speaker to come along and help us. But they won't do something like that, or try any initiative. Instead they teach it not much differently from they way they did 30 years ago and we still have the overwhelming portion of the population having done 13 years of a language and struggling to put two sentence together.

It's a waste of taxpayers money, but only a drop in the wastefulness that is EU bureaucracy.