UVMan

I was wondering for the people that live in Ireland, is "Irish" a language? Or do people from Ireland just speak something of a dialect of English? Always wondered that. If "Irish" is a language, please leave a little sample of how to say something. Sorry for my ignorance too either way the answer turns out.

Siren

The Irish speak English.

Quiggs

There is an Irish language. It is sometimes called "Irish" but is commonly known around the world as "Irish Gaelic" or just plain "Gaelic". It isn't really spoken much in Ireland because most people speak English. I do know that there are some areas where it is spoken more, and I believe that you have to take some kind of language test on it to go to college. (That's what I've heard.) The street signs in many cities are also in English and Irish.

I know some Irish because my grandfather was from Cork and could speak it. Although, I am not very fluent. I would leave you a saying or something, but I don't know how to write it. I just know how to speak it. Sorry!

Here is a website I found for you look at. I don't know how accurate it is because, like I said, I don't write it. The prununciation is good though.
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/gaeilge/gaelic.html

Hope this helps!

financeguy

I can't resist mentioning that there's a song on the Boy album called "An Cat Dubh". The title is Irish for "The Black Cat". Lyrics are in English though!

Also I read somewhere that Bono couldn't get into college because he failed Irish in the Leaving Certificate (the school leaving exam in Ireland).

That aside what Quiggs has said above is totally correct.

Joshua_Tree_Hugger

Like others have said, yes there is an Irish language. Quiggs, only non-Irish people call it "Gaelic". We call it Irish... just plain simple Irish

Also, by law, every road sign is in both Irish and English. There a lot of other bilingual things in culture too. Every student takes Irish as a subject and you cannot get into college without at least passing it. Finally, there are some small areas called the Gaeltacht where Irish is still spoken as the only language. There's only about 60,000 native Irish speakers left though.

Hoped that's been informative

evenbetterthan

there was an post in irish here last week...

lady luck

slan agat = bye bye

lady luck

and Yes, of course it's a languace -- the problem is that it's spoken by a few people!
It's like latin -- a few ones still know it but rarely they use it to communicate!

U2girl

I've seen the word "slainte" used on this forum a few times, and Larry had it in his apology letter from U2.com.

That is Gaelic isn't it?

lady luck

slainte = cheers

honeychild

Gaelic is also spoken in Scotland, in the highlands and islands. On some of the islands off the west coast Gaelic is the first language. You will see street signs in both Gaelic and English in Inverness and many places in the highlands. We have TV shows in Gaelic with english subtitles, seeing as most people don´t speak it. But there are efforts being made to keep the labguage alive now Its the first language of my grandmother and an uncle.
By the way, while the Irish pronounce it gaylic, in scotland we say gaalic...

greety

not long a ago i heard on the news here that Gaelic is now acknowledged as an official european language, which means that when all the euro ministers are meeting in Brussels, they need to have an additional translator for that little minority.
I'm not sure but I believe they said it would cost us taxpayers over 1 million euros each year

financeguy

Ok, so per EU citizen that works out at one third of one cent. Guess it won't break the bank.

mee2

irish is what irish people call "irish gaelic"(gaeilge) but it isnt spoken on many areas maybe if u go to the west is more likely to find someone speaking Gaeilge but Irish people in general speak English. The road signs it is in both languages due to something that happened in the 60's as i was told.

LJT

Road signs are getting converted to just Irish in some places No English whatsoever