I am an Irish-American who studying Gaeilge on my own. I have went to a few good sites and downloaded lessons. In addition, I have read many ariticles from Irish publications about the task of preserving Gaeilge and promoting the language in schools throughout Ireland. My question: Is there a difference between Northern Ireland Gaeilge and Gaeilge spoken throughout the Republic? I am really curious to know are there different dialects of Gaeilge spoken on the Isle? If so, how many and what are the biggest differences between them? I know there is a whole movement of retaining and preserving the Irish identity through lanuage, music and literature.
Please, if anyone can clear this up for me, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much
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Roisin-Teagan
"There, in that hand, on that shoulder under that chin---all of its lightness delicately balanced and its strings skillfully bowed---it becomes a voice."---Rich Mullins
"At 18, if you have oversized aspirations, the whole world sees you as a dreamer. At 40, you get the reputation for being a visionary." ---Rich Mullins
"God gives the gifts where He finds the vessel empty enough to receive them."---C.S. Lewis
Hello RT Sorry, but I don't even speak Scots Gaelic, so I cannot answer your question...
I have a school friend who speaks Irish Gaelic (and learned it at her school in Ireland before her family moved to Scotland) she comes from Donegal. I visited her family's home there on a few occasions with her and we visited family in Londonderry (her family, I mean!) - they all spoke Gaelic, and appeared to have no difficult in understanding one another - even though Donegal is in the Republic and Londonderry is in Northern Ireland.
My question: Is there a difference between Northern Ireland Gaeilge and Gaeilge spoken throughout the Republic? I am really curious to know are there different dialects of Gaeilge spoken on the Isle? If so, how many and what are the biggest differences between them?
Hi Roisin,
I can partially answer your question. I know, it's 6 months later, but here we go.
Just like Ireland has 4 provinces, I am told their are 4 different dialects of the Irish language. I was learning the Ulster version a couple of years back.
Donegal, the West Coast of Ireland, and the Southeast as well as Ulster have their own dialects. I will let you figure out the geography involved.
A perfect example of the dialect being different is as follows
In Ulster, "How do you do? " would be said like this :
"Cadje mar a ta tu?" Sorry for my butchering of the spelling...
In Dublin, one would say "Conas a Ta Tu?"
As for the push for languages to be brought back into the culture, it may seem this way, as in Ulster, the Gaelic language was not allowed to be spoken out in public for years under the British governments laws. Since the peace accord was signed, the Gaeilge language has flourished once again, partly as a sign of pride in their home country once again and in themselves, but also, and I am sure someone will correct me on this, but it became fashionable to learn it in Ulster.
I can't tell you the biggest differences, but I do know folks from differing areas with the dialects, and they admit to me as much that they don't understand what each other talk about. I dunno if they were pulling my leg or not, but I thought that was a bit humourous. Hope this helps.
Go raibh maith agat for the information on Gaeilge (Irish-Gaelic). I supposed as much as I would see differing spellings on exact same words or phrases. For instance, Cead mile failte romhat! (A hundred thousand welcomes!) and Dia dhuit (Hello) I've seen in different variations.
Right now I'm studying Gaeilge, but I couldn't tell you which dialect from which area of Ireland. From what you wrote "Conas ata tu?" (How are you?) I'm learning Dublin's dialect. Am I correct?
Right now I'm studying Gaeilge, but I couldn't tell you which dialect from which area of Ireland. From what you wrote "Conas ata tu?" (How are you?) I'm learning Dublin's dialect. Am I correct?
slainte, Roisin
Hi Roisin, I love your name by the way..Very Irish indeed
Anyhow, yes, what you are learning is the Dublin dialect.
Maybe one day you can make your way over to take in a school course. They have them going on all the time.
Hi Roisin, I love your name by the way..Very Irish indeed
Go raibh maith agat, Breandain, I like yours as well. May I ask what your username means or stands for? I see we are fellow displaced Irishmen/(woman).
Well, they are (probably.. not that I am an authority on that) probably still universally understandable, just as it is with dialects all over the world.. Even if some words differ and it might be a bit harder to understand, people know what you mean when you talk to them... *shrugs* My own view on things
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Moderator: The Playground (RPG)
Carpe Jugulum Carved with a twisted smile An epitaph for sorrow Sethian - Epitaph
Well, they are (probably.. not that I am an authority on that) probably still universally understandable, just as it is with dialects all over the world.. Even if some words differ and it might be a bit harder to understand, people know what you mean when you talk to them... *shrugs* My own view on things
Aon,
Your are probably right, but with a person like me muttering through Gaeilge the differences seem huge and confusing. Breandain's right---I need to take a course on Gaeilge then maybe it will come a little easier.
For someone learning on their own I guess I'm doing good writing wise. Now the pronounciation of Gaeilge words it's coming along---Some words and phrases are easier than others, but practice makes perfect...so they say?
I tried it myself.. I started teaching it myself and terribly failed. But for me it is alot easier to reproduce ch sounds (alike if it is the soft or hard version) because they are used alot in German.. also the pronunciation often reminds me of German since the certain vowels are pronounced in similar ways..
It sort of always makes me smile when I hear Englishmen & Americans pronounce "Loch". If I wasn't used to all these sounds, I would certainly pronounce them in a similar way.