Irish Language, Keep it or Ditch it?

Predator_ · 07-05-2011 09:33AM

I would rather ditch the English language.

Deedsie · 07-05-2011 10:06AM

I like Irish, not a big fan of of the bureaucracy surrounding official documents. Maybe when 35% of the population speak Irish as their first language, translating official documents should be considered. The mandatory leaving cert should be removed, but there should be primary, secondary and third level Irish schools promoted to counter balance this.

What's Ruairí Quinns opinion on the matter?

alex73 · 07-05-2011 10:20AM

Shame on Ireland for loosing their language, People are just too lazy to keep it alive. Making English the defacto language of Ireland means the English really did do a good job of invading Ireland.

Its amazing to see so many real day to day speakers of Welsh in Wales. And i am not saying they speak cupla focal, they are a lot more Active Welsh speakers in Wales than Active Irish Speakers in Ireland. (for a country about half the size of Ireland)

I don't support Sinn Fein,, except were they come to defend our language.

People fail to realise that apart from a National point of View, speaking a Irish from an Academic Point of view makes it a lot easier to pick up a 3rd or 4th Language.

AskMyChocolate · 07-05-2011 12:54PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

TG4 produce better content because the people that work there are actually passionate about broadcasting and creating quality content. And all for the sum of €30m per anum.

Then you have RTÉ, which is plagued with overpaid arseholes that have absolutely no interest in broadcasting nor creating quality content, but are protected by the RTÉ Trade Union Group.

In relation to the overall budget for the Irish language, the money should be spent maintaining the current Irish-medium schools and, God forbid, opening new ones - that is the only way to keep the language alive.

The Welsh have 90,000 students in Welsh-medium schools, whereas the Irish only have 38,000 in Irish-medium schools - mostly funded privately by parents.

The Irish government have really fúcked over the Irish language in that regard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLdnoWMDBwI

Agreed, sir. And I think it would be a brave man, who would argue otherwise. Not only that, but they produce interesting documentaries (Mobs Mhericea) as an example, which are easily viewed, with subtitles.

They also have access to "stars" like Stephen Fry, Martin Sheen, Colin Farrell, Christopher Lambert, Natalie Portman, etc.; who normally would have to be paid huge sums of money for their time, but will happily work for free in the interests of keeping a language alive.

There is a great love out there, and I don't mean that it is universal, for small countries trying to hold on to what is theirs.

We are lucky to have such a massive Diaspora. We shouldn't piss on it. We should embrace it.

We have no need to behave like Israel, and we should be grateful for that.

IMDO

(In My Drunken Opinion). It's a new acronym which I feel is much needed.:pac:

Krusader · 07-05-2011 01:09PM

Ní chríochnóidh sé seo go maith

This won't end well

Mike 1972 · 07-05-2011 01:12PM

Aimsigh wrote: »

I have seen several people saying that there should be a referendum to get rid of Irish

Where are these people seriously proposing a referendum to make the speaking of Irish illegal because Ive yet to see one ?

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 07-05-2011 01:17PM

I do not understand this idea people have of losing our language. English is our language, and it's not going anywhere. If you want to spend your free time learning Irish, that's up to you but you can't expect everybody else to fund your hobby.

Wibbs · 07-05-2011 01:44PM

stone roses wrote: »

who are we to ditch our own language?? 1500 yrs or more we have spoken irish and just becaues its not used in todays fast moving world some god****s think we should dump it!! we were here befour the lot of them steeped in history, they only reason we dont speak irish is becaues we were invaded and it was knocked out of us by decades of english rule!! for exsample the germans, italians, french all speak tere native language becaues they were not invaded its thats simple!! keep what you got its ours and we should be proud we have a native language!! god only knows we need to hold onto our irish roots more than ever the why things are with the imf, ecb, irish and proud!! :-)

I'd be aiming to up the standard of existing subjects of communication across the board. Not just Irish.

You do realise that other countries have been invaded and kept their languages? Or that your view may be incredibly narrow and simplistic? Italians speak Italian, yes? Italy had a load of quite different dialects before it was united. France also has pockets of Breton and Basque. Spain has 4 official languages.

Then "de Britz!!" :mad:grrr *shakes fist at perfidious Albion* Christ we really need to get the fúck over this. We've been invaded just the once pretty much yet we blame our woes on that. In one way we're very like the English on that score. Invaded nearly a 1000 years ago and still bitching about it. When I hear or read of some saddo little englander crowing on about "the frogs", I feel the same contempt for the sad little fool as I do when I hear some local twat witter on about "de Britz".

The English are but a part of the reason for it's decline, as is the teaching of it and government support. I say the main reason is us. Yep the Irish themselves. You and me. We simply don't see the value of it beyond using it as a whipping boy or cause celebre. We haven't since the mid 1800's. It was noted to be in decline then. If it's "our" language why do so few actually speak it? Well... can you speak it? I don't mean a cupla focal I mean to some degree of fluency?

Krusader · 07-05-2011 01:49PM

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

I do not understand this idea people have of losing our language. English is our language, and it's not going anywhere. If you want to spend your free time learning Irish, that's up to you but you can't expect everybody else to fund your hobby.

Some people have irish as their 1st language in this country

Iwasfrozen · 07-05-2011 02:03PM

Crosáidí wrote: »

Some people have irish as their 1st language in this country

Some people have Polish as their 1st language in this country.

Asphyxia · 07-05-2011 02:12PM

Keep it, I love the Irish language it would be a shame for it to die.

Lustrum · 07-05-2011 02:22PM

dclane wrote: »

Think it should be thrown out of schools. It's a crap language and has no practical use at all. Better that kids be thought french/Spanish rather than some island based crap. It is also keeping a lot of good foreign teachers out of our education system as it is still a requirement I believe. Personally I feel stupid when I hear it been spoken in public. I feel there should a law against it's use.

I could put together a well thought out, articulate reply to this, but I feel I would be wasting my time. Nor am I going to reply in Irish, as that would evidently be a waste of time too. Instead, I can only reply to such a moronic, offensive attitude with this....

You sir, should go and **** yourself

Micky Dolenz · 07-05-2011 03:01PM

Lustrum wrote: »

I could put together a well thought out, articulate reply to this, but I feel I would be wasting my time. Nor am I going to reply in Irish, as that would evidently be a waste of time too. Instead, I can only reply to such a moronic, offensive attitude with this....

You sir, should go and **** yourself

Banned.

pablomakaveli · 07-05-2011 03:14PM

If the language is left to die we won't be able to get it back. However i think there needs to be a different approach to the language in the country. Having to translate documents and signposts to Irish when everyone, even irish speakers can speak english is ridiculous and a waste of money plus it just creates more resentment towards the language.

The approach to the language in schools should be changed as well. A smarter approach to things would benefit the language more in the long term.

douglashyde · 07-05-2011 03:14PM

People want it yet can't be arsed to learn it.

What's needed is to give people an ultimatum: Irish or an increase in tax by... let's say 0.5% to fund the teaching, translating and printing of Irish material.

Ultimatum's make everything clear.

PK2008 · 07-05-2011 03:50PM

For me, no way.

Keep forcing kids to learn it though, I hate kids

Catsmokinpot · 07-05-2011 03:57PM

Keep it, but ditch the teaching method for a new one.

Catsmokinpot · 07-05-2011 04:02PM

Wow, i'm surprised at so many no's! I'm not even irish and I think if it was taught correctly it could be revived.

Iwasfrozen · 07-05-2011 04:05PM

Catsmokinpot wrote: »

Wow, i'm surprised at so many no's! I'm not even irish and I think if it was taught correctly it could be revived.

That's why you think that.

PK2008 · 07-05-2011 04:06PM

Catsmokinpot wrote: »

Wow, i'm surprised at so many no's! I'm not even irish and I think if it was taught correctly it could be revived.

Its not only about teaching, there's just no real use for it...

You can teach Morris dancing effectively, doesn't mean anyone will give a toss

tonycascarino · 07-05-2011 04:15PM

Keep it for sure.

Iwasfrozen · 07-05-2011 04:27PM

Where's Deise go Deo? He's running late today.

InTheTrees · 07-05-2011 04:28PM

Ba chóir dúinn gach is féidir linn a choinneáil beo.

Fiú amháin má chiallaíonn sé ag baint úsáide as google aistriú.

:eek:

Dangerous Man · 07-05-2011 04:36PM

I don't speak Irish; I hate the way it was 'taught' in schools; I hate militant Irish speakers. I say keep the language. While it's not perfect it's still our language and we should try to keep it alive. The pathetic thing is that everyone knows what's wrong with it yet the government consistently fail to address the shortcomings of how it is taught.

flyaway. · 07-05-2011 04:44PM

Keep it. I love the language and really wish I could speak it better but I have to spend too much time memorizing stories and poems and novels. It's a joke. I wish it was taught how French is taught- I can hold a good conversation in French for ages, but would really struggle doing the same in Irish!

Catsmokinpot · 07-05-2011 05:12PM

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

That's why you think that.

no its because its being taught wrong in schools, i've lived here since i was 10, i'm 28 now. its taught as a second language in this country.

Catsmokinpot · 07-05-2011 05:18PM

PK2008 wrote: »

Its not only about teaching, there's just no real use for it...

You can teach Morris dancing effectively, doesn't mean anyone will give a toss

If that was the case than why do Lithuanian speak Lithuanian?
why do people from the Basque region speak Basque? of course there's a use for it. but unfortunately it was battered out of this countries tongue by the English. it's one of the great successes of British colonialism, and this country decides to teach it arseways, if parents got involved the whole country would be speaking Irish again in no time.

Krusader · 07-05-2011 05:20PM

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

Some people have Polish as their 1st language in this country.

:rolleyes:

PK2008 · 07-05-2011 05:26PM

Catsmokinpot wrote: »

If that was the case than why do Lithuanian speak Lithuanian?
why do people from the Basque region speak Basque? of course there's a use for it. but unfortunately it was battered out of this countries tongue by the English. it's one of the great successes of British colonialism, and this country decides to teach it arseways, if parents got involved the whole country would be speaking Irish again in no time.

You're missing the point it, if everyone wanted to learn Irish they would, and we would all be speaking it now, just because its taught badly in school doesn't change the fact that people have no interest in learning it

Plus it doesn't matter how well any language is taught you are still going to have to put in years of effort to be proficient- people aren't arsed, especially for a language that has little use in the modern world

Gunsfortoys · 07-05-2011 05:29PM

It should be made optional.

Irish Language, Keep it or Ditch it?

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