Why don't you speak Irish?

franktheplank · 30-01-2013 04:14PM #1

Well, why don't you? As far as I can see (I'm open to correction

) efforts to revive the Irish language have failed. For me, I think what put me off was being forced to learn it in school and also, I don't think learning it makes me any more or less 'Irish'.

I'm interested to know why other people don't speak Irish, especially considering the amounts spent yearly on Irish language life-support. So it's time (if you're willing) for that mainstay of social research, an AH poll!

Wibbs · 30-01-2013 04:15PM

What's "not again" as Gaelige?

DrumSteve · 30-01-2013 04:15PM

Because the way it was taught in school was crap and no one else uses it.

Unfortunately.

syklops · 30-01-2013 04:15PM

An bhfuil cead agam dul go dti an leithreas?

Jaxxy · 30-01-2013 04:15PM

I do speak Irish!

Franticfrank · 30-01-2013 04:16PM

I wasn't born in the Gaeltacht.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 30-01-2013 04:16PM

I'm ashamed that I am unable to speak Irish.

That will be rectified this year though.

Bertser · 30-01-2013 04:17PM

Because of how it's taught and how it presents little or no job opportunities.

danslevent · 30-01-2013 04:18PM

I don't plan on living in Ireland my whole life so didn't see the point. I'm so much better at French than Irish, which career wise etc, it so much better.

DenMan · 30-01-2013 04:19PM

Wibbs wrote: »

What's "not again" as Gaelige?

Ní arís

Diageio_Man · 30-01-2013 04:19PM

Prob cause my irish teacher was so bad at teaching it, she turned me off it for life. Such a pity.

Iang87 · 30-01-2013 04:19PM

was forced to learn it in school so immediately took a dislike, just like vegetables. I chose to do german in secondary, only done it for 3 years but still know more german than irish

Recidivist · 30-01-2013 04:19PM

Because it has zero relevence to my life.

J_E · 30-01-2013 04:20PM

The curriculum is terrible. You spend about 12 years being forced to learn it and most come out barely able to hold a conversation!

What's so wrong with English? It's firmly cemented as our primary language and that's not going to change any time soon. Irish is just awkward to use in a modern society.

franktheplank · 30-01-2013 04:20PM

* mod note, I can't edit the poll now, could you please add an 'other' option and an 'it was poorly thought' option. Thanks.

Frolick · 30-01-2013 04:21PM

I don't speak Irish, grew up trying to learn it. But now looking back I wish I knew it. My language etc etc

I wouldn't totally blame the teaching of it. There is this whole attitude surrounding irish. People don't like it because it was forced upon them and their children pick up this dislike from them then, if you get what I mean.

backthephilup · 30-01-2013 04:21PM

I spent all my time looking out the window. There were squirrels in our school yard. Fascinating creatures squirrels

BillyMitchel · 30-01-2013 04:23PM

I don't see the option of my teacher was useless and a nervous wreck who couldn't control the class who was also more interested in giving us a history lesson about Irish politics.

I feel crap when I go to foreign countries and they ask me to speak Irish

it's a shame really. One day ill get around to it.

LordSutch · 30-01-2013 04:23PM

Well I don't speak/converse in Irish, my family don't speak Irish, the extended family don't speak Irish either, if I go shopping in Dublin I don't hear Irish being spoken, people don'y speak Irish down the gym or at the local swimmimg pool . .

Come to think of it, the only time I am going to come into contact with the Irish language is when the kids start primary school.
Thats my personal experience living & working on the east coast-Greater Dublin area.

Rhinocharge · 30-01-2013 04:23PM

Wibbs wrote: »

What's "not again" as Gaelige?

Ní arís = "not again"

Tá mé cúpla focal na Gaeilge, ach níl mé líofa.

emeraldstar · 30-01-2013 04:24PM

Because I don't live in the Gaeltacht so there's no one to speak it to :rolleyes:

Vojera · 30-01-2013 04:24PM

It's taught REALLY badly, no real structure to it at all. I remember being in 5th year in secondary school and learning that irish words have genders!

Plus once you reach secondary school they assume you can already speak it and start going off with poems and plays when students find it hard enough just to get through basic conversation. There doesn't seem to be much emphasis after that on improving grammar and vocabulary.

I learned (and have retained) ten times more French in the 5 years I took it than I did taking Irish from junior or senior infants, whenever they introduce it.

jester77 · 30-01-2013 04:25PM

I can barely speak English, what chance would I have with Irish :eek:

ejmaztec · 30-01-2013 04:26PM

English sub-titles on TG4 are very useful.

Oranage2 · 30-01-2013 04:27PM

I speakail Irish.

akura · 30-01-2013 04:28PM

I had no interest in Irish at school so it was in one ear, out the other

gg2 · 30-01-2013 04:28PM

I know alot more French and German after spending just 4 years learning it in secondary.... Its a shame really. It was taught totally bum about elbow imo.

Go tabann is a favourite. I used it dozens of times writing essays!

Lucena · 30-01-2013 04:29PM

Badly taught, there should be more conversational classes and less writing. Realistically, most people will never want to write, but might want to chance more than a cupla focal now and then.
No opportunity. Very few people speak it in everyday situations. Even if you go to countries like the Netherlands where they have good English, all the signs are in Dutch, labels on stuff is in Dutch, people around you will be speaking Dutch, so you will have an opportunity to pick up a bit of the lingo.
None of that for Irish (apart from a bit spoken sna Gaeltachtai)

Where To · 30-01-2013 04:30PM

I canny evin spake Inelish, never mine anyhin else.

Wibbs · 30-01-2013 04:31PM

akura wrote: »

so it was in one ear, out the other

You've reminded me that my dad used to add "with nothing in the middle to impede it's progress" when I'd use the phrase

Lelantos · 30-01-2013 04:32PM

It's just peoples attitude to the language, if an American comedian can pick it up in 6 months or so the rest of us should be able to do it within 6 years. It's easy to blame teachers, curriculum, the language itself, but not so easy to blame ourselves

Why don't you speak Irish?

Why don't you speak Irish? 696 votes

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