Irish language's struggle with being cool.

FinnLizzy · 01-12-2011 02:21AM #1

I like to think that introducing Irish to pop culture can be beneficial to the language. But the way it's been implemented can be cringe worthy at times.

When I was in school, we were practicing a bit of aural for the JC. "Is mise BAAAAART Shimpson!" came on in the crappiest mock Simpsons accent. I cringed for the entire thing.

For my LC, I made a bet that in the aural, Oxegen would be mentioned in one of the tracks, "Beidh mé ag dul go dtí Oxegen an samhradh seo". You know that really slow dorky voice that they always use in OL Irish.

The worst ones are the textbooks! This one has pictures of a skateboarder, a science lab and a water park in some sub-tropical country.... NOT EVEN CLOSELY related to the subject.

Can you think of the most shameless way irish has been made to look cool?

mackg · 01-12-2011 02:23AM

Ros na Run

Celly Smunt · 01-12-2011 02:24AM

Doesn't bother me as such since Irish should be done away with at this stage anyway.

Saila · 01-12-2011 02:25AM

hector!

Celly Smunt · 01-12-2011 02:26AM

Saila wrote: »

hector!

what a gob****e.Who say's parish anymore?

AlmightyCushion · 01-12-2011 02:30AM

Have you watched TG4? All the women on it are stunners. That's cool enough for me.

FinnLizzy · 01-12-2011 02:35AM

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Have you watched TG4? All the women on it are stunners. That's cool enough for me.

No ones complaining, they can make collecting vintage chess sets cool without trying.

Oranage2 · 01-12-2011 02:35AM

Nuair a duirt Obama "Is feidir linn"

KeithAFC · 01-12-2011 02:41AM

Lámh Dhearg Abú

massiveattack · 01-12-2011 02:45AM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Lámh Dhearg Abú

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNsrK6P9QvI

KeithAFC · 01-12-2011 02:51AM

Hey, still trying to learn the language. Go easy

massiveattack · 01-12-2011 02:59AM

KeithAFC wrote: »

Hey, still trying to learn the language. Go easy

Tiocfaidh your lá

The Scientician · 01-12-2011 02:59AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmIy8VfXPhU

I kinda agree with the OP and a lot of the "cooler" things on TG4 etc deal with the music and history of Gaelic Ireland. Some fascinating shows and great music. It doesn't need to engage so much with pop culture imho.

smk89 · 01-12-2011 03:02AM

South Park on TG4. Without the swears.

I don't know if the lack of swears are because they were left out or the words didn't exist in Irish.

Robdude · 01-12-2011 03:06AM

pmcmahon wrote: »

Doesn't bother me as such since Irish should be done away with at this stage anyway.

Yeah - I don't mean to be culturally insensitive or anything - but why do people learn Irish any more? It seems like virtually everyone speaks English here.

Squeeonline · 01-12-2011 03:15AM

Robdude wrote: »

Yeah - I don't mean to be culturally insensitive or anything - but why do people learn Irish any more? It seems like virtually everyone speaks English here.

If you go to Galway (both county and city) you'll still hear a lot of Irish spoken on the streets. Not only among older people either.

hondasam · 01-12-2011 03:20AM

pmcmahon wrote: »

Doesn't bother me as such since Irish should be done away with at this stage anyway.

I would love to be able to speak it.

Robdude · 01-12-2011 03:31AM

Squeeonline wrote: »

If you go to Galway (both county and city) you'll still hear a lot of Irish spoken on the streets. Not only among older people either.

Fair enough - I still haven't made it outside of Dublin.

I think it'd be fun to learn, but I get the feeling I'd never use it. On the plus side, maybe it'd help me learn the Irish accent?

kowloon · 01-12-2011 04:51AM

Trying to make it seem 'cool' and relevant is probably having the opposite effect. In much the same way forcing people to learn something might just make them hate it.

The strategy needs a bit of a rethink.

Jess16 · 01-12-2011 05:13AM

Mention Peig Sayers = "Irish is stuck in the dark ages, no wonder we all hate it." Bring it into the 21st century and it's "Irish is so cringeworthy"
Damned if you do and damned if you don't basically.

If half of you spent the same amount of time speaking the language as you do banging on about how much you hate it, then you'd find yourself fluent fairly quick

LH Pathe · 01-12-2011 05:21AM

Nothing uncool about it is like some great lyrics that I.. don't quite understand I wouldn't say jaw dropping but I do definitely be in awe.

And yes a little envious, not worthy etc.. bitter. Can I have my language back?

shannon_tek · 01-12-2011 05:51AM

The Scientician wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmIy8VfXPhU

Well........

I dont know what to say. But its now gone on the iTunes:pac::D

Elba101 · 01-12-2011 06:12AM

pmcmahon wrote: »

Doesn't bother me as such since Irish should be done away with at this stage anyway.

Absolutely disagree in every way possible!

The Scientician · 01-12-2011 06:42AM

shannon_tek wrote: »

Well........

I dont know what to say. But its now gone on the iTunes:pac::D

You can get it free from his site.

Dostoevsky · 01-12-2011 10:09AM

The Scientician wrote: »

a lot of the "cooler" things on TG4 etc deal with the music and history of Gaelic Ireland. Some fascinating shows and great music. It doesn't need to engage so much with pop culture imho.

Agree entirely. It's not as if English language stations which engage in the English language with these subjects are "cool". TV3? Or any station which has XFactor/America's Next Top Model/The Apprentice etc?

TG4's niche is in cultural and educational programs, and I hope it keeps that way. That's the height of "cool" in my view.

fishy fishy · 01-12-2011 10:14AM

pmcmahon wrote: »

Doesn't bother me as such since Irish should be done away with at this stage anyway.

you've obviously never been to parts of Ireland where Irish is their first language. Probably too involved in trying to learn and pronounce the usa slang from glee programmes.

:D

maybe take a few days to learn about your own country and people and what their language is.

pragmatic1 · 01-12-2011 10:27AM

Oranage2 wrote: »

Nuair a duirt Obama "Is feidir linn"

Yes. That whole visit was cringe. The patronising wanker.

pragmatic1 · 01-12-2011 10:29AM

Its cool when you're on holiday. You can talk **** about people in front of them.

Duggy747 · 01-12-2011 10:44AM

Someday I will learn it, the sister teaches it so I have no reason not to, really.

Might not seem cool to the general public but foreigners love the language. They make me feel dumb when they ask me to say something in Irish and the best I can come up with is:

Me: "Eh............uh............Chuaigh me go dti an siopa"

Them: "Oooooh, what does that mean?"

Me: "Eh........it means........At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet....................*cough*"

Immaculate Pasta · 01-12-2011 10:47AM

I think it's important to preserve it.

When I go back to Connemara to visit my family although English is the dominant language people still drift into Irish. Being English, I'm always comic relief for my cousins out there with my pronounciation of Irish

. It's customary to introduce yourself in Irish out there through who you're related to which I can do and am now used to people addressing me through my Irish name. I'd love to have a basic grasp of the language but I pick up more and more words each time I go.

foxyboxer · 01-12-2011 10:48AM

Liz: A Uachtaran...agus a chairde.

Mary Mc: Wow....wow..

cringe, facepalm, doublefacepalm etc

Irish language's struggle with being cool.

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