Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Being forced to use your "Irish" name at school

Options
  • 09-04-2013 7:35pm
    #1
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭


    My daughter attends a second-level gaelscoil that insists on calling her by a translation of her actual name that sound similar to her actual name but is in fact a different Irish name. She hates it and has frequently resisted it by saying to her teacher 'that's not my name'. Her teachers continually 'correct' her if she asserts that her name is her name by repeating the translated name back to her.

    Should she put up with this? What does AH think?


«134567…37

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    HondaSami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,713 ✭✭✭HondaSami


    what is the name? how is it wrong?


  • Options
    #3
    Matt Simis
    Registered Users Posts: 8,718 ✭✭✭Matt Simis


    Why is she in a Gaelscoil at all then? Im not on for them, but that seems part and parcel of the "deal". She/You should also find out what your actual Irish name is and not some reverse Anglicisation "sounds like" nonsense.


  • Options
    #4
    For Forks Sake
    Registered Users Posts: 11,487 ✭✭✭✭For Forks Sake


    MadsL wrote: »
    My daughter attends a second-level gaelscoil

    What does AH think?

    the answer in in the question.


  • Options
    #5
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,092 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Well if its not her actual name and I was one of her parents then I'd be telling them politely to GTFO, regardless of the language involved.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Options
    #6
    Turtyturd
    Registered Users Posts: 28,395 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    Just call her teachers made up names during any interactions you have with them.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    HondaSami wrote: »
    what is the name? how is it wrong?

    Errm not posting her name online but a close comparison would be.if a boy were called John being called Eoin.


  • Options
    #8
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    MadsL wrote: »
    My daughter attends a second-level gaelscoil that insists on calling her by a translation of her actual name that sound similar to her actual name but is in fact a different Irish name. She hates it and has frequently resisted it by saying to her teacher 'that's not my name'. Her teachers continually 'correct' her if she asserts that her name is her name by repeating the translated name back to her.

    Should she put up with this? What does AH think?
    Had the same experience in school. A lot of Irish teachers seem politically motivated, usually I would suggest going over their heads but this is an Irish language school so I don't know. :/ I suppose the best thing you could do is ring the principal and politely but firmly admonish the him(her) for allowing this to happen. Best of luck anyway OP.


  • Options
    #9
    Irish_wolf
    Registered Users Posts: 265 ✭✭Irish_wolf


    If it was someone called James, and the teacher insisted on calling them Seamus, and the student didn't like it. I would probably say well why did you send them to a gaelscoil.

    That being said if it is actually a wrong name and it is upsetting her you might want to get in contact with the school.


  • Options
    #10
    Gatling
    Registered Users Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    MadsL wrote: »
    My daughter attends a second-level gaelscoil that insists on calling her by a translation of her actual name that sound similar to her actual name but is in fact a different Irish name. She hates it and has frequently resisted it by saying to her teacher 'that's not my name'. Her teachers continually 'correct' her if she asserts that her name is her name by repeating the translated name back to her.

    Should she put up with this? What does AH think?

    Well its a gaelscoil after all ,
    ,
    I'll have the same problem my daughers name doesn't translate to Irish when spelt with a capital letter ,but in normal letter at the start of her name you get a total different translation ,
    I suggest talking with the teacher and explain there translation is wrong
    360_F_102352090_ie3kLjDIvgrT1sxVDknWCUh8PxgMYzM7.jpg




  • Options
    #11
    Rayne Wooney
    Registered Users Posts: 14,136 ✭✭✭✭Rayne Wooney


    Seeing as she's in an Irish secondary school I don't see the problem of her being called by her Irish name as I suspect she's not the only one, they're not singling her out. If it's the wrong one get the proper translation and tell the principal.

    If it really upsets her that much you should go straight into the principal and ask him/her to get it to stop. Simple as that really.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,239 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    MadsL wrote: »
    Errm not posting her name online but a close comparison would be.if a boy were called John being called Eoin.
    That would be correct. Bad example.


  • Options
    #13
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,027 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    First step in the brainwashing process:D


  • Options
    #14
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    For Forks Sake wrote: »
    the answer in in the question.

    Does she not get the right to have a say in how her name is pronounced as a consequence of having an education through Irish?


  • Options
    #15
    Defiler Of The Coffin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Defiler Of The Coffin


    I don't think it's that a big a deal really.


  • Options
    #16
    muckisluck
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭muckisluck


    MadsL wrote: »
    Errm not posting her name online but a close comparison would be.if a boy were called John being called Eoin.
    Why wouldn't a boy be called Eoin as a translation for John. It is actually correct!


  • Options
    #17
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    endacl wrote: »
    That would be correct. Bad example.

    Does John not get to be called John if that is what is on his birth cert? If John's parents want to call him Eoin, they would have called him Eoin, no???


  • Options
    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yeh, I don't get it.

    Your name is your name, regardless of language. Change the language and it's not your name any more.


  • Options
    #19
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Defiler Of The Coffin wrote: »
    I don't think it's that a big a deal really.
    Identity is a huge deal.


  • Options
    #20
    HondaSami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,713 ✭✭✭HondaSami


    MadsL wrote: »
    Errm not posting her name online but a close comparison would be.if a boy were called John being called Eoin.

    Fair enough but without knowing the name it's hard to know how it's wrong.
    If they are calling her a completely different name then i would insist they correct it, how long is this going on ?


  • Options
    #21
    Riamfada
    Registered Users Posts: 10,246 ✭✭✭✭Riamfada


    My first name is English and my surname is Scottish. They used to stick an "O" in between and a fada on a few vowels and pronounce it like the walking dead talk.

    Hilarious, my name is my name. Germans dont call me "Hans"


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    HondaSami
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,713 ✭✭✭HondaSami


    MadsL wrote: »
    Does John not get to be called John if that is what is on his birth cert? If John's parents want to call him Eoin, they would have called him Eoin, no???

    What is the Irish for John? Is this what the problem is, they are calling her the Irish version of her name?


  • Options
    #23
    Gatling
    Registered Users Posts: 40,291 ✭✭✭✭Gatling


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    Identity is a huge deal.

    Yes but in a gaelscoil everything is identified in Gaelic so its right to be called or addressed in irish
    360_F_102352090_ie3kLjDIvgrT1sxVDknWCUh8PxgMYzM7.jpg




  • Options
    #24
    Seachmall
    Registered Users Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    I don't think it makes sense to translate a name. Your name is your name regardless of language.


    Seems pretentious to me, and I can see why it would be annoying.


  • Options
    #25
    The_Nipper_One
    Registered Users Posts: 215 ✭✭The_Nipper_One


    I don't think she should have to put up with it.

    Object names are translated into another language because they are a kind of identifying common linguistic description of something.
    The name you give a person is more abstract than that, a Michael is no less or more a Michael than someone named Kevin, but a fork is never an apple. (I really hope that made sense.)

    Do they translate all the names of cities all over the planet into an Irish form as well?


  • Options
    #26
    Rayne Wooney
    Registered Users Posts: 14,136 ✭✭✭✭Rayne Wooney


    The_Nipper_One wrote: »

    Do they translate all the names of cities all over the planet into an Irish form as well?

    Yes.


  • Options
    #27
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Gatling wrote: »
    Yes but in a gaelscoil everything is identified in Gaelic so its right to be called or addressed in irish
    Proper nouns like names don't translate. If I was in France my name wouldn't be translated.


  • Options
    #28
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    HondaSami wrote: »
    Fair enough but without knowing the name it's hard to know how it's wrong.
    If they are calling her a completely different name then i would insist they correct it, how long is this going on ?

    Two years. She has tried and tried. All the documentation that the school have is in her "translated" name. I suspect this may cause future problems with emigration. Her passport also has an additional surname.


  • Options
    #29
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    MadsL wrote: »
    Two years. She has tried and tried. All the documentation that the school have is in her "translated" name. I suspect this may cause future problems with emigration. Her passport also has an additional surname.
    No sorry but that's just going too far. Contact the school and have them stop, enough is enough.


  • Options
    #30
    Rayne Wooney
    Registered Users Posts: 14,136 ✭✭✭✭Rayne Wooney


    MadsL wrote: »
    Two years. She has tried and tried. All the documentation that the school have is in her "translated" name. I suspect this may cause future problems with emigration. Her passport also has an additional surname.

    Have you ever gone in to the principal? Seems like one meeting with a parent could resolve this.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    robinph
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,083 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    If the kids went to a school in France or Germany would their name be changed by the teachers? Might get pronounced badly, but the name would not change.


Advertisement