Table of Contents
Why the Irish lost their language?
Here we trace the decline of the Irish language from a dominant postion in the 1500s, to its catastrophic collapse after the Great Famine of the 1840s. Padraig Lenihan argues that factors such as the dispossession of the native elite, and the de-coupling of the language from social prestige were key factors.
Is Irish being revived?
The written standard remains the same for all Irish speakers, and urban Irish speakers have made notable contributions to an extensive modern literature. The Irish-American scholar James McClosky has argued that the current (urban) Irish-language revival is in fact highly impressive if seen in perspective.
Why did the Irish language decline after the famine?
The Irish language was another thing to decline in the post-famine years. Those who died or emigrated in the famine were disproportionately Irish speakers, mainly because the famine hit rural areas hardest and that is where Irish had survived the longest. In 1861, the number of Irish speakers had fallen to 24\%.
Was the Gaelic revival successful?
Although it was more concerned with fostering the language in the home than with teaching it in schools, it was nonetheless successful in having Irish added to the curriculum; the number of schools teaching it rose from about a dozen in the 1880s to 1,300 in 1903.
When did Ireland lose the Irish language?
Irish In Decline 1970 The disappearance in about two generations of a language which had been spoken throughout the land for at least fifteen hundred years. There were over four million speaking Irish in 1840. It was down to less than a million by 1870.
Is Gaeilge a dead language?
So, in answer to the initial question; no, the Irish language is not dying. It is, in fact, very much alive and remains the heartbeat of our Irish culture.
How can the Irish language be revived?
Revival efforts are ongoing and long may they continue. It can easily be revived if the government puts the right policy into use. Currently the Irish languages is hated in schools because when you go to school it’s a stress to pass and when most people pass it they are done with it and the language will not be spoken by them.
How many Irish people actually speak the language?
While this looks impressive on paper, it says nothing about the level of Irish people have or if they ever use it. More revealing is the number of people who claim to speak it on a daily basis, only 77,000 people, less than 2\% of the population.
Should the Irish language be taught in schools?
Currently the Irish languages is hated in schools because when you go to school it’s a stress to pass and when most people pass it they are done with it and the language will not be spoken by them. The only way to solve it is allowed the Irish language into the young people and allowing them to decide how it should be taught.
What is the difference between Irish and English in Ireland?
English was the official language of rule and business, and there was no one to support the Irish language and culture. It was the language English slowly spread, especially in the East and in Dublin, the capital, while Irish remained strong in the West.