Davy F
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Irish is pretty much a dead language. It's funny when an Irish speaker has to put a word in their sentence in English because they don't have an alternative in Irish. 
Polish is Ireland's Second Language
- Thread starter essjay
- Start date
You kind of helped me to illustrate my point. I don't think any kind of learning is a waste of time. My brother who learned spanish in school can now speak better mandarin which is currently more use to him. Incidentally the job he's in now is nothing to do with what he learned in either of his degrees. Was his spanish, microbiology, or accountancy a waste of time? He doesn't think so.
A foundation in knowledge is just that (speaking metaphorically): the concrete and hardcore. The hardwood flooring can be swapped for a new carpet if the house is built right.
A good friend of mine is Principal of a large Primary School in Dundalk and he tells me that he has a constant stream of Polish parents in his office indicating that they want their kids withdrawn from Irish lessons, their reason being that the kids are here to learn English which will be of great use to them when they go back to Poland.
He has a wide range of nationalities enrolled in his school which poses a range of problems for the staff. For example, many of them do not wish their children to be taught religion as they come from non-Christhian countries leading to 'interesting' discussions with the BoM and the PP
Pupils from (I think) Uganda are taught at home that eye contact with adults is extremely rude. Teachers who are unaware of this tell the kids, 'Willya look at me when I'm talking to you,' and then they go home and their Da gives them a thump saying, 'Don't you look at me like that.'
Incidentally, my friend, who's from Limerick, told me that there was a directive from the Dept of Ed in Dublin which recommended that these families be referred to as Newcomers rather than Foreign Nationals. He says to me, 'Jaysus, in Limerick, we call people from Ennis 'Newcomers.'
He has a wide range of nationalities enrolled in his school which poses a range of problems for the staff. For example, many of them do not wish their children to be taught religion as they come from non-Christhian countries leading to 'interesting' discussions with the BoM and the PP
Pupils from (I think) Uganda are taught at home that eye contact with adults is extremely rude. Teachers who are unaware of this tell the kids, 'Willya look at me when I'm talking to you,' and then they go home and their Da gives them a thump saying, 'Don't you look at me like that.'
Incidentally, my friend, who's from Limerick, told me that there was a directive from the Dept of Ed in Dublin which recommended that these families be referred to as Newcomers rather than Foreign Nationals. He says to me, 'Jaysus, in Limerick, we call people from Ennis 'Newcomers.'
Ravenbyrne
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Sure if it wasn't for the olde Focal we wouldn't have hit's like this................
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the celt
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Irish is pretty much a dead language. It's funny when an Irish speaker has to put a word in their sentence in English because they don't have an alternative in Irish.
David that is ooh so silly...
Im am sure that being an Ulster man you would have
used if not heard the words "mucker" et "Twig on"...
and i am sure a man of your knowledge would have at
one time ordered a baguette ???
The Irish language is alive and well and used by ooh so
many people on a daily basis, sure it make you pull your
geansaí over your head
geansaí = let you search for ulster scots word that looks the same or even sounds like it coming from the Irish
like sooo many others
Davy F
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geansaí = let you search for ulster scots word that looks the same or even sounds like it coming from the Irish
like sooo many others
Sorry, don't do Ulster Scots either, another nonsensical language that really isn't relative in today's modern World.
the celt
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Davy F
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David, David stap naah bafor ya urt yer self
See, even you have descended into jibberish.
It's the Queens English for me, old boy.
And if you can't understand that, then I'll just talk louder.
the celt
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I see ...
so tell me what part of dear old England you be from ???
Would it be from that Cornish part of her majesty's isle
or be ye from else where ???
richie
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But that is the secret of learning a second language, just put in another word from another language when you are stuck.Irish is pretty much a dead language. It's funny when an Irish speaker has to put a word in their sentence in English because they don't have an alternative in Irish.
Je vais cherchez un parking pour ma caisse....
Davy F
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The Province of Ulster, as if you didn't know. It's where most of the residents are more loyal to the Crown than many in England itself.
the celt
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The Province of Ulster, as if you didn't know. It's where most of the residents are more loyal to the Crown than many in England itself.
would that be six or or 3/4 of a douzaine coming from the French
I googled 'tír gan teanga, tír gan anam' as it is a phrase I would agree with, and I found the following.
http://talideon.com/weblog/2006/07/tir-gan-teanga-tir-gan-anam.cfm
The op was obviously voicing similar dislike/discontent with irish similar to the op of this thread.
It is worth a read, It's pretty much what I would've said but the author is far more learned and eloquent than I
the celt
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"there is nothing i know more caricaturist of the celtic genius,
than the way we adopted our selfs to the foreign tougue.
For the saxons took our lands and made them desolate,
but we took their language and added more beauties."
than the way we adopted our selfs to the foreign tougue.
For the saxons took our lands and made them desolate,
but we took their language and added more beauties."
essjay
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Jesus it's turning into a thread of romantic nonsense..... Haven't read such crap since Yeats during the leaving cert..... 
the celt
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Jesus it's turning into a thread of romantic nonsense..... Haven't read such crap since Yeats during the leaving cert.....
cast a cold eye
on life on death
horseman pass by
Yes.
Every language has its own character.
Though I'm crap at it - i can see how expressive it is, and English just does not come anywhere near.
But speak it?!
Nee friggin' higgum
can I ask a stupid question?
What's Ireland got to attract all these Polish people?
Plus I'm all for retaining a "Native Language" it seems the right thing to do otherwise we may all just speak "txt spell"
What's Ireland got to attract all these Polish people?
Plus I'm all for retaining a "Native Language" it seems the right thing to do otherwise we may all just speak "txt spell"
richie
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They are hanging on still after the Celtic Tiger... Nice people in general who were needed back then.
