A chara, – In response to comments by Andrew O’Donovan on Ireland’s bilingual signage (Letters, October 28th), I wonder if he will struggle to read this letter, having been thrown off by my greeting. Or if, perhaps, it would have been clearer in italics. – Is mise,
SARAH HEALY,
Shantalla,
Galway.
A chara, – Andrew O’Donovan cannot be accused of great grá for the local language. He values what he calls “the minimal presence of the Irish language in our culture”, disapproves of the “jumble of bilingualism”, and sees the Official Languages Act as a troublesome “battering ram”. However Ireland is part of Europe, and the European Union is very much a “jumble of bilingualism”, and more than half the citizens are bilingual. But it gets worse. Over a quarter of the population is trilingual, and 10 per cent speak a fourth language. Ireland could take the easy language route, relax in the comfort of the dominant Anglo-bubble, but Ireland likes languages, and this is a great strength. The Irish outperform other Anglophones in language skills, this in large part because multiple languages, starting with Irish, are normal and very much part of the public sphere in Ireland. This linguistic richness and diversity should not be taken for granted, and it deserves to be protected and supported. – Is mise,
CIARÁN MAC GUILL,
Clichy,
France.
Sir, – Andrew O’Donovan complains about “pushing the Irish language”. Nobody complains about “pushing the English language” but such, I’m afraid, is the universal reality. It’s easy enough to ignore Irish, but English is in one’s face wherever you go. In India, for instance the British Council has not one but four separate offices, all merrily pushing away. Good luck to them! Recent developments in India show that many major newspapers, formerly bastions of the English language, now print editions in regional languages – as they should have done from the word go, of course. The readership of newspapers in English is about 40 million or so in India, which sounds a lot; the vernacular reach is 468 million, however, which gives me some cheer.
Irish is the senior language in this country. It deserves respect, the same respect which Andrew O’Donovan would surely show to senior citizens. This comparison is flawed, however. Irish may be the senior language, but it has a youthful energy, a unique literature and culture that refuses to give up the ghost. Is Irish not entitled to make itself known, at home and abroad? Or, as Joyce said, is Ireland that “old sow that eats her farrow”? – Yours, etc,
GABRIEL ROSENSTOCK,
Baile na Manach,
Co Átha Cliath.
Sir, – I am learning Irish as a mature student and welcome the increased use of Irish in official contexts. – Yours, etc,
PAULA KANE KELLY,
Dublin 6W.