Advertisement
Help Keep Boards Alive. Support us by going ad free today. See here: https://subscriptions.boards.ie/.
https://www.boards.ie/group/1878-subscribers-forum

Private Group for paid up members of Boards.ie. Join the club.
Hi all, please see this major site announcement: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058427594/boards-ie-2026

US soldier who learned Irish on the internet is set for TG4

2

Comments

  • #32
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    Benny_Cake wrote: »
    I think I read something once about an Irish course at Moscow State University. I wasn't much good at the language after 13 years in school but I wouldn't mind giving it another shot.

    i suppose those courses would teach you more Irish in a year than 13 years as you won't be learning poems or writing post cards to imaginary girls called Sinead and her brother Séan.


  • #33
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    paddyandy wrote: »
    The Irish abroad are far more Patriotic than the pub men here that i know .

    that's because they don't know how much of a depressing blackhole Ireland is.Everybody would be patriotic if they lived abroad in a progressive social country looking at posters of the cliffs of moher everyday.


  • #34
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    I remember meeting a Scandinavian guy who learned irish without knowing any english.

    He found himself plunged into a tiny minority of fluent irish speakers who have no english at all.


  • #35
    paddyandy
    Site Banned Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭paddyandy


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    that's because they don't know how much of a depressing blackhole Ireland is.Everybody would be patriotic if they lived abroad in a progressive social country looking at posters of the cliffs of moher everyday.
    No it's the friendliness among other things .You won't talk to a stranger at a bus stop in london but you can in dublin .


  • #36
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    Everybody would be patriotic if they lived abroad in a progressive social country looking at posters of the cliffs of moher everyday.

    Such as America?


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    Savanna Red Cross wrote: »
    Such as America?
    Not america in Particular.

    paddyandy wrote: »
    No it's the friendliness among other things .You won't talk to a stranger at a bus stop in london but you can in dublin .
    Yes you would,very easily in London.Irish are hallmark friendly,not day to day friendly.


  • #38
    The Scientician
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭The Scientician


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    Yes you would,very easily in London.Irish are hallmark friendly,not day to day friendly.

    I'm not disputing the friendliness of London as I've little experience of it but Irish people are generally friendly when they're not feral. And did you ever see the lengths people will go to to help a lost stranger?


  • #39
    Hazys
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,510 ✭✭✭Hazys


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    I remember meeting a Scandinavian guy who learned irish without knowing any english.

    He found himself plunged into a tiny minority of fluent irish speakers who have no english at all.

    Swedish or Chinese?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoVJYuTyyN8


  • #40
    paddyandy
    Site Banned Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭paddyandy


    The Irish Abroad realise and remember what they left behind but the Irish in Ireland take everything too much for granted and neglect patriotic duties if they even understand the terms . Cities abroad are cold places after Ireland .


  • #41
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    paddyandy wrote: »
    The Irish Abroad realise and remember what they left behind but the Irish in Ireland take everything too much for granted and neglect patriotic duties if they even understand the terms . Cities abroad are cold places after Ireland .
    A lot can be faulted on the way our national language was drilled into us at school. At the time I sat the Intermediate if you failed Irish you wouldn't get the cert even if you had honours in everything else. I only appreciated and learned more of the language long after I left school. The same went for French.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    that's because they don't know how much of a depressing blackhole Ireland is.Everybody would be patriotic if they lived abroad in a progressive social country looking at posters of the cliffs of moher everyday.

    America a progressive social country? The biggest per-head prison population in the world with a health care system that you can lose your house under if you get cancer? A social welfare system that kicks you off in a recession like this after 99 weeks.

    You don't know much about America, do you?


  • #43
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    America a progressive social country? The biggest per-head prison population in the world with a health care system that you can lose your house under if you get cancer? A social welfare system that kicks you off in a recession like this after 99 weeks.

    You don't know much about America, do you?

    He wasn't referring to America in particular.


  • #44
    sensibleken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭sensibleken


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    that's because they don't know how much of a depressing blackhole Ireland is.Everybody would be patriotic if they lived abroad in a progressive social country looking at posters of the cliffs of moher everyday.

    oh well just go away then.


  • #45
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    Savanna Red Cross wrote: »
    He wasn't referring to America in particular.

    So he says but we're talking about an America here, so where else was he talking about? I think he realised he was talking out his backside and backtracked.

    What other country do we know where those of Irish descent are more proud of it than the native Irish? We always associate that with America and we're talking about an American here so I don't buy his 'I wasn't talking about America' line.

    Irish has a very generous benefits system for the unemployed, disabled, elderly and those with substance addictions. Despite how we love to knock ourselves go elsewhere and see they progressive they are if you fall into one of those brackets.


  • #46
    sensibleken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭sensibleken


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    So he says but we're talking about an America here, so where else was he talking about? I think he realised he was talking out his backside and backtracked.

    What other country do we know where those of Irish descent are more proud of it than the native Irish? We always associate that with America and we're talking about an American here so I don't buy his 'I wasn't talking about America' line.

    Irish has a very generous benefits system for the unemployed, disabled, elderly and those with substance addictions. Despite how we love to knock ourselves go elsewhere and see they progressive they are if you fall into one of those brackets.

    not to mentioned 6th best in the world for gender equality and constant high marks in quality of life and personal safety in international indexes. its not a perfect country but there is a lot going for it in socialy.


  • #47
    Kevin Duffy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,439 ✭✭✭Kevin Duffy


    InTheTrees wrote: »
    I remember meeting a Scandinavian guy who learned irish without knowing any english.

    He found himself plunged into a tiny minority of fluent irish speakers who have no english at all.

    What the feck does having English have to do with learning Irish?
    paddyandy wrote: »
    No it's the friendliness among other things .You won't talk to a stranger at a bus stop in london but you can in dublin .
    paddyandy wrote: »
    The Irish Abroad realise and remember what they left behind but the Irish in Ireland take everything too much for granted and neglect patriotic duties if they even understand the terms . Cities abroad are cold places after Ireland .

    What a crock. Plenty of places just as friendly as Ireland. And WTF are "patriotic duties"?


  • #48
    SisterAnn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 71 ✭✭SisterAnn


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    i suppose those courses would teach you more Irish in a year than 13 years as you won't be learning poems or writing post cards to imaginary girls called Sinead and her brother Séan.

    Sinéad? Ná bí ag caint liom a bhuachaill! Níor scríobh an oinseach sin fiú is focal amháin ar ais chugham tríd na bliainta.:mad:


  • #49
    dlofnep
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    Kevin Duffy wrote: »
    What the feck does having English have to do with learning Irish?

    It makes it a whole lot easier to learn Irish, as most Irish books which have translations are in English.


  • #50
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    sensibleken wrote: »
    not to mentioned 6th best in the world for gender equality and constant high marks in quality of life and personal safety in international indexes. its not a perfect country but there is a lot going for it in socialy.

    It's not socially progressive though. It's a great country, I love the place but socially progressive? Pfftt my hole. As I described you don't wanna be unemployed and you sure as fu*k better have a good insurance policy if you get cancer or you may be saying 'bye, bye' to the house you own.

    BTW, again as we all love to knock ourselves, it wasn't that long ago Ireland was rated as having the highest standard of living in the WORLD. We're still highly ranked and ahead of the US if I'm not mistaken. So again, it's utter balls to slate Ireland and call America socially progressive. It's one of the most right wing countries out there in the industralised world.


  • #51
    Cú Giobach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭Cú Giobach


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    should we tell him now that he just wasted valuable learning time of another language or leave him in blissful ignorance?
    Maybe he should have done something more worthwhile like reading and posting comments on an internet forum. Reading AH is a much better way to spend your valuable time rather than expanding your horizons and learning languages.


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    So he says but we're talking about an America here, so where else was he talking about? I think he realised he was talking out his backside and backtracked.
    We're not talking about America,you're talking about America :rolleyes:
    Note:Canada, Australia,Germany,Sweden etc etc
    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    What other country do we know where those of Irish descent are more proud of it than the native Irish? We always associate that with America and we're talking about an American here so I don't buy his 'I wasn't talking about America' line.
    Canada,Austrailia etc etc.
    Tiocfaidh Armani wrote: »
    Irish has a very generous benefits system for the unemployed, disabled, elderly and those with substance addictions. Despite how we love to knock ourselves go elsewhere and see they progressive they are if you fall into one of those brackets.

    Firstly it's Ireland.
    Our benefit system is totally counter productive,where have you been for the last 2-4 years?


    your pitiful arguments pain my head.


  • #53
    Celly Smunt
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,463 ✭✭✭Celly Smunt


    Cú Giobach wrote: »
    Maybe he should have done something more worthwhile like reading and posting comments on an internet forum. Reading AH is a much better way to spend your valuable time rather than expanding your horizons and learning languages.

    you're doing it too.
    I just don't see why someone would pick to learn a dead language over a Language with a use elsewhere other than a poxy town in the west of Ireland.


  • #54
    Nodin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 46,938 ✭✭✭✭Nodin


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    you're doing it too.
    I just don't see why someone would pick to learn a dead language over a Language with a use elsewhere other than a poxy town in the west of Ireland.


    ...the self-loathing is strong in this one....


  • #55
    Cú Giobach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭Cú Giobach


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    you're doing it too.
    I just don't see why someone would pick to learn a dead language over a Language with a use elsewhere other than a poxy town in the west of Ireland.
    If you mean posting on boards, yes, but I'm not the one complaining about people wasting their time doing things just because I have no interest in them.
    I posted that not long after my daily Cornish lesson, I suppose someone learning that particular language is utterly incomprehensible to you.

    Not the most rational of comments seeing as this soldier seems to be getting quite a lot of use out of his Irish. Since he spends time in Donegal, learning Irish is a bit handier than Japanese, don't you think?


  • #56
    Benny_Cake
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Benny_Cake


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    you're doing it too.
    I just don't see why someone would pick to learn a dead language over a Language with a use elsewhere other than a poxy town in the west of Ireland.

    There is no doubt that learning French, Spanish, German or Chinese would have more practical use than learning Irish.

    But a language is more than just being able to talk to a huge number of people, it contains a lot of unique aspects of a culture, and when we lose languages they are gone forever. I'd argue that while Irish is a part of this country's heritage, it is also a part of the world's common heritage. It's just a shame that more of the people in this country aren't able to speak it. I'm as guilty as the next person in this, I detested Irish in school but I've come to realise that it wasn't the language I hated, but the way we had to learn it.


  • #57
    paddyandy
    Site Banned Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭paddyandy


    Irish with an American accent ...i gotta hear...


  • #58
    Jairo Early Roundworm
    Posts: 6,645 ✭✭✭ Jairo Early Roundworm


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    should we tell him now that he just wasted valuable learning time of another language or leave him in blissful ignorance?

    This attitude is what puts a lot of people off learning Irish. I didn't get the chance to do it at school as I lived in the North. I went to college in Dublin and considered taking Irish classes there, but everyone said it would be a waste of time and told me to concentrate on learning the languages I was studying in college. I still regret not starting Irish back then. I've realised that I'm perfectly capable of learning several languages at once and I started learning Irish a few months ago. Much harder now, as I live in London, so opportunities to use Irish are really limited. It's not all about a language being 'useful'. Sometimes it's really nice just to learn something for fun. It's part of my culture and it's a fascinating language in many ways.


  • #59
    Tiocfaidh Armani
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,335 ✭✭✭Tiocfaidh Armani


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    Firstly it's Ireland.
    Our benefit system is totally counter productive,where have you been for the last 2-4 years?


    your pitiful arguments pain my head.

    It's a generous benefits system, every country should have a good social security net. Ireland does. America, the socially progressive nation, doesn't.

    Ireland has legalised civil partnerships. How much of the US allows them? The US is also a very big country, you should spend a Summer in Kentucky or anywhere down the South and come back and tell me the place is socially progressive. $50,000 a year to go to university etc etc etc.

    Your head hurts because you know your comment was balls and you're being called out for it. Do me and your head a favour and jog on then.


  • #60
    paddyandy
    Site Banned Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭paddyandy


    Jairo Early Roundworm wrote: »
    This attitude is what puts a lot of people off learning Irish. I didn't get the chance to do it at school as I lived in the North. I went to college in Dublin and considered taking Irish classes there, but everyone said it would be a waste of time and told me to concentrate on learning the languages I was studying in college. I still regret not starting Irish back then. I've realised that I'm perfectly capable of learning several languages at once and I started learning Irish a few months ago. Much harder now, as I live in London, so opportunities to use Irish are really limited. It's not all about a language being 'useful'. Sometimes it's really nice just to learn something for fun. It's part of my culture and it's a fascinating language in many ways.
    BBC has an Irish channel .You may be needed here in Ireland .


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    Local-womanizer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,798 ✭✭✭Local-womanizer


    I met him in NY, really sound fella. Looks kinda Mexican and Asian so it really freaked me out when he landed over speaking fluent Irish. Has some good stories about serving overseas too!


Advertisement
Advertisement