hurlingdub, I have stated several times, I speak irish quite well and understand it. It is not a question of myself understanding it, that is ridiculously over-simplisitic... The majority is not allowed for - why?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/08/2013 12:04:07    1466329

I was using the word "you" in general, as in most of us here. If you understand it yourself then you will know that it is pretty basic stuff and easily enough picked up and indeed good practise for someone learning or brushing up! I used listen to Spanish commentary on soccer when learning Spanish and it was good way to get used to listening to 'real time' conversation as opposed to tapes and books.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 23/08/2013 12:12:08    1466336

I prefer the commentary in english even though I have leaving cert irish and can read it fairly well,but the spoken word as gaelige is something I cannot follow-possibly a victim of how irish was taught in school.

TV3 did a great job last year I think it was, where we had the choice of irish or english commentary.

ONdeDITCH (Limerick) - Posts: 873 - 23/08/2013 12:36:57    1466352

TheMaster,

"No it isnt. I can speak it, but it makes no sense to do so"

The only way to maintain an ability to speak a language is by speaking & listening to it. You must be an exception to this seeing as you neither want to speak it or listen to it. If everyone else had your attitude the language would already be extinct. Then the cry from the PC brigade (like yourself) would be why should we continue to play Gaelic sports when most of the world doesn't care about them. Eventually this world would evolve to human uniformity.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 23/08/2013 12:43:57    1466359

keeper7, the thing is, it is my choice if I want to brush up on it. Surely you can see that forcing people to listen to it, and then saying 'well it will help you learn it' is totally wrong. Can we put it in latin and make people learn that? It has so much to do with our history etc that maybe we should be brushing up on it in the same fashion. I am in the minority, but that doesnt matter to any of you, so there we are there is much an argument to have it in latin as irish. Now off you go and brush up on it.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/08/2013 12:49:30    1466362

TheMaster,

Latin was NEVER a spoken language here (outside of the monasteries) & Irish is NOT based on Latin, contrary to what you say. Actually English is not Latin-based either. English & England are named after the Germanic tribe the Angles who invaded along with the Saxons & Jutes about 1500 years ago. That's where the English language came into existence. The Latin influence in English mainly comes from the Norman French who ruled 500 years later. So tell me again what your "equal argument for Latin commentary" is?

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 23/08/2013 13:17:50    1466394

Absolutely ridiculous having the commentary in Irish. It should be dropped as a compulsory language in school and allow people freedom of choice to learn it. The GAA are promoting our Gaelic game worldwide and English is an international language. Having the commentary in a dead language spoken by a handful of people is insular, parochial and of no benefit to the greater GAA community.

bryanadams (Kildare) - Posts: 733 - 23/08/2013 13:58:28    1466443

bryanadams, if the founders of the Association had had the same attitude to 'dying games' then there would be hurling or football today. Like it or not CLG was and is part of a cultural revolution to save the identity of the Irish people. Rather successful too.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 23/08/2013 14:12:13    1466458

keeper7
TheMaster,
Latin was NEVER a spoken language here (outside of the monasteries) & Irish is NOT based on Latin, contrary to what you say. Actually English is not Latin-based either. English & England are named after the Germanic tribe the Angles who invaded along with the Saxons & Jutes about 1500 years ago. That's where the English language came into existence. The Latin influence in English mainly comes from the Norman French who ruled 500 years later. So tell me again what your "equal argument for Latin commentary" is?

Well hang on a minute, first off you say latin wasnt spoken, then you say it was in monestaries. So it was spoken then... Also, it has a lot to do with our religion, which was so important in this country through the years. Now I accept it wasnt spoken as much as irish, but then irish wasnt spoken as much as english, and you have dismissed that language, therefore the same applies here.
Also, you make the point that there is no latin influence on english, and finish by stating there is one... You are all over the place.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/08/2013 14:12:24    1466459

bryanadams, well said.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/08/2013 14:13:01    1466462

"Well hang on a minute, first off you say latin wasnt spoken, then you say it was in monestaries. So it was spoken then... Also, it has a lot to do with our religion, which was so important in this country through the years. Now I accept it wasnt spoken as much as irish, but then irish wasnt spoken as much as english, and you have dismissed that language, therefore the same applies here.
Also, you make the point that there is no latin influence on english, and finish by stating there is one... You are all over the place."

Are you actually THICK or is this all you have to be doing til you go back to school??? I said English is not a Latin-BASED language (like Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese) but there is SOME influence from when the Norman rulers spoke French. The Fr. Ted scene with Dougal "these cows are near but those are FAR AWAY" springs to mind.

Latin was once spoken by monks here, NOT by the people. Irish wasn't spoken as much as English??? There was NO English spoken here at the time & very little of it for a thousand years after that era.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 23/08/2013 15:12:11    1466533

Master,

As the basis of your argument seems to be based on majoritarianism then accept that you are in a minority on this forum and as a result please stop forcing your arguments down our throats! Sin é

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 23/08/2013 15:12:16    1466534

I'd just like to watch minor games in a language that the vast majority of people on this Island speaks....English!

Ps learning Irish should be a choice, having it compulsory is ridiculous if you ask me.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/08/2013 15:31:52    1466555

hurlingdub
County: Dublin
Posts: 4980

1466458 bryanadams, if the founders of the Association had had the same attitude to 'dying games' then there would be hurling or football today. Like it or not CLG was and is part of a cultural revolution to save the identity of the Irish people. Rather successful too.

Hurlingdub, I am of the opinion that Gaelic games should be enjoyed by everyone, and not just those who speak Irish, or whose ancestors waved scythes at cannon on the banks of the Slaney. I think it is great to see young lads and girls from non Irish ethnic backgrounds, playing Gaelic games and becoming part of the GAA family. Speaking Irish should not be a requirement to play Gaelic games.

bryanadams (Kildare) - Posts: 733 - 23/08/2013 15:40:31    1466564

23/08/2013 15:31:52
Htaem
I'd just like to watch minor games in a language that the vast majority of people on this Island speaks....English!

Ps learning Irish should be a choice, having it compulsory is ridiculous if you ask me. Should be compulsory to a certain stage. At what stage would you allow people to make a choice wrt studying irish

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 23/08/2013 15:41:56    1466566

It should be compulsory until ye leave school. Sure why don't u move to england if u don't wanna learn Irish. Or even north to ballymena or bangor or some loyalist stronghold

beansycpn (Down) - Posts: 128 - 23/08/2013 15:47:16    1466571

ormondbannerman

Ps learning Irish should be a choice, having it compulsory is ridiculous if you ask me. Should be compulsory to a certain stage. At what stage would you allow people to make a choice wrt studying irish


I'd say teach it to students in primary school but once you hit secondary then it should just be a choice.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/08/2013 15:47:27    1466572

So now it seems we have " a la Carte" gaels! The importance of our national language is a central tenet of the GAA's philosophy (Rule 4)and to the mind of many gaels the association should be doing more to make it prominant in a day to day context and Gaelic games experience.

If you are a member of a GAA club you must be aware of the fact that you are not merely a member of a sports club but a sporting and cultural organisation.

Some people on here seem happy to proclaim the language dead, well just because the irishman inside of you has withered and died don't presume it has in the rest of us. As one poster said earlier thank God the founders of the Association did not have the defeatest attitude of many of the previous posters regarding our culture.

There are some fools who would like to try to seperate our games from our identity, culture, history or our future. The genius of the GAA from the outset was to see that all these issues are indelibly linked and to strengthen those links - that is why we have the organistation that it is today.

My own opinion is that there must be more done than for the language than there is presently and that things like irish language commentary is not done as a mere token gesture.

CobraVengeance (Meath) - Posts: 46 - 23/08/2013 15:49:37    1466576

CobraVengeance


Way over the top with that post my man, listen I love the Gaa, I love the craic, I love Irish music, I love cabbage and spuds, I love Guinness, I love Irish history (although I do prefer world history), I love our beautiful scenery (particularly the west coast) the list goes on.....but I hate with a passion our language because it's useless these day's and it was forced down my throat for 13 years!

Ps, that is why I'd rather watch our national games in our national language.....English.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 23/08/2013 16:00:51    1466590

Way over the top?

Be a bit specific in what was over the top. you love our history? you were probably one of our county men who was happy to see the M3 plough through the skryne valley.

Your citing of the English language as our national language says it all.

I am sorry you had such a negative experience of learning Irish and I would be the first to say that we need to change how our young people experience it but you are mistaking your negative individual experience of the language with its huge intrinsic value to us as a people.

The number of languages in the world is decreasing rapidly, it is vital that this decline is reversed. There are a whole raft of reasons why it would be awful for the world to become a place where only a handful of languages are spoke. The first thing we can do is protect our own language and encourage its use - not bury it while it's still very much alive and choose our colonizers language in its place.

If you still feel the same then next time your in Croke Park have the decency not to be a hypocrite and please sit down during Amhran Na bfhiann because the sentiments expressed here by you go right against what that great song professes

CobraVengeance (Meath) - Posts: 46 - 23/08/2013 16:16:30    1466608