Master's Thesis from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,3, Birkbeck, University of London, language: English, abstract: Abstract Given the existing relations between language attitudes and linguistic competence, and places in the bilingual context of the Republic of Ireland (Irish/English) the goal of the present study is twofold: first, attitudes towards the Irish language are described, and second, variables that can explain such attitudes are studied. These include: family language, linguistic proficiency in Irish, residence (Gaeltacht vs. Galltacht), cultural identity, socio-educational background and gender. In addition, attitudes towards Irish and English will be compared. A questionnaire that had been successfully used in other areas was adapted and used in a sample of 62 adult speakers of Irish, about half of them (N=27) coming from traditionally Irish-speaking areas, or Gaeltacht, and the other half (N=35) coming from English-speaking areas, or Galltacht. 33 females and 29 males took part in the study. The mean age was M=35.5, SD=10.35. All participants had undergone secondary education in the Republic of Ireland. Globally, results show neutral attitudes towards Irish and somewhat unfavourable attitudes towards English. The information of the participants’ attitudes to the Irish language proved not to be correlated with any of the independent variables. Possible intervening variables, unaccounted for in the questionnaire design, were suspected to be responsible for shaping the respondents’ Irish language attitudes. An open-ended question in the survey revealed great dissatisfaction over the way Irish is taught in schools as well as lament over the lack of opportunities to use the language in an everyday context.

Essay from the year 2015 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,0, University College Dublin, course: Seminar: Minority and Endangered Languages, language: English, abstract: This essay discusses the ways in which the Irish Government attempts to revitalize the Irish language. Even though Irish is technically the first official language of the Republic of Ireland, it is a minority language, while Engish (the second official language) is spoken by the majority. The essay gives a short historical overview and analyzes revival strategies, for example within the educational system of Ireland.

In this book, Aidan Doyle traces the history of the Irish language from the time of the Norman invasion at the end of the 12th century to independence in 1922, combining political, cultural, and linguistic history. The book is divided into seven main chapters that focus on a specific period in the history of the language; they each begin with a discussion of the external history and position of the Irish language in the period, before moving on to investigate the important internal changes that took place at that time. A History of the Irish Language makes available for the first time material that has previously been inaccessible to students and scholars who cannot read Irish, and will be a valuable resource not only for undergraduate students of the language, but for all those interested in Irish history and culture.

During the nineteenth century Irish-speaking communities declined almost to the point of extinction. But in 1922 the new Irish state launched a broad strategy to re-establish Irish as a national language. This book is about that policy and its impact over the last seventy years. Ó Riagáin focuses on the evolving structure of bilingualism in Ireland but he is more centrally concerned with the process of bilingual reproduction. His analysis is based on a series of language surveys conducted between 1973 and 1993. In Part I he reviews the evolution of language policy and the main theoretical perspectives emerging in Irish research. In Part II he is concerned with the position of the Irish language in the residual Irish-speaking areas, and in Part III with the present position of the Irish language in the English-speaking areas. He examines the role of policy in education, in the public sector, and in the forming of Irish-speaking networks. He argues that the various dimensions of Irish language policy have been heavily conditioned by the way the Irish economy and, in turn, Irish society has developed since independence. He concludes in Part IV with a discussion of current issues within Irish language policy.

This book comprises the first complete treatment of the Irish language in social context throughout the whole of Ireland, with a particular focus on contemporary society. The possibilities and limitations of the craft of language planning for the revival of the Irish language are outlined and the book also situates the language issue in the context of current debates on the geography, history and politics of the nature of Irish identity. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach is adopted throughout.