Irish Translation Forum

oisin718 wrote:Déarfaidh mé arís é.

Mórán cainte ar bheagán cúise.

An-chiúin le deanaí, a Oisín!

(ag magadh atá mé!)

Eoin wrote:

Tanis wrote:

Eoin wrote:

Ossian wrote:I'll continue to post in whatever language I see fit, period.

Sorry I have to say this, but American society has taught you its ways well.

Meas mór.
Eoin

I didn't generalise to every American, I pointed out what I view to be one of the "values" or beliefs that American society holds, as a whole: the right to speak "with" or "at" anyone in English.

The point I am about to make however, can also be used about Irish society.

When Americans visit, say, France, I have seen them persist in conversing in English with or at the people serving them. Be it in restaurants or shops. In a mirror of that situation, if a French person went to a shop in America, and started telling the shopkeeper this or that in French, I don't think the Americans would put up with it. Therefore, in that respect, you don't have a right to push your language whereever you go.

Eoin

Well, forgive me for not deducing this intricate (and so well informed) analysis of American society from your original comment.

You were generalising. Don't be ashamed.

I realise that a lot of Americans do this, but it isn't something sinister with rude intentions. Most Americans don't speak French, and they also know that most French people do speak English. For the millions of dollars Americans contribute to the French economy every year via tourism, I think that French shopkeepers and restauranteurs who speak English shouldn't mind accomodating the lingual abilities of people who are patronising their businesses. As someone who has spent countless hours learning French, being the good Canadian that I am (that's right folks, dual-national here), I do indeed wish that more Americans would attempt to learn it (and German or any other language for that matter), but that isn't the case. I guess those angry entrepreneurs in France will just have to learn to deal with it (they'll have plenty of time on those frequent trips to the bank).

Even before the creation of this button, did most regulars to this forum not include Irish in almost every post in the first place? And as long as you're pointing things out, why don't I also point out that I have done my best with the Irish I do have, and I have even used French and German on the forum when it has been relevent to do so. I'm not (as you would like to believe) an ignorant American monoglot, hell bent on screaming at the world in my ear-shattering English dialect. I would just like to feel comfortable using my native language (and the native language of almost everyone else on this forum, I might add) without feeling lesser for not being able to properly express myself in Irish.

I will use Irish as much as I can, whenever I can. That, I thought, would be a given thing for anyone on this Irish Gaelic Translationforum. But I guess now I need to wear a button which points out the obvious. Just like I said in my original comment on this thread, it's a great, well-made, good-looking button and I commend the craftsmanship, the effort, and the good intentions... but I do not feel it is necessary and I won't be using it. In my posts it will be "status quo ante bellum."

I don't understand the waste of space here. If you don't want to use it, then don't. I'm not using it either (because I couldn't get the damned thing to work ).

JSmith13 wrote:I don't understand the waste of space here. If you don't want to use it, then don't. I'm not using it either (because I couldn't get the damned thing to work ).

You get to say what you want, I get to say what I want. It's not a waste of space. Posting emoticons is, but not posting a reply to what others have posted.

Everyone here is free to do what s/he wants (for now). Thank goodness for that.

Ossian wrote:

JSmith13 wrote:I don't understand the waste of space here. If you don't want to use it, then don't. I'm not using it either (because I couldn't get the damned thing to work ).

You get to say what you want, I get to say what I want. It's not a waste of space. Posting emoticons is, but not posting a reply to what others have posted.

Everyone here is free to do what s/he wants (for now). Thank goodness for that.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that what you're saying is a waste of space, just the fact that we're going on and on about an option. If you don't wanna use it, then don't.

Ossian wrote:I will use Irish as much as I can, whenever I can. That, I thought, would be a given thing for anyone on this Irish Gaelic Translationforum. But I guess now I need to wear a button which points out the obvious. Just like I said in my original comment on this thread, it's a great, well-made, good-looking button and I commend the craftsmanship, the effort, and the good intentions... but I do not feel it is necessary and I won't be using it. In my posts it will be "status quo ante bellum."

I agree with you completelty, and for that reason I shall not be using that thing, either.

Aontaím leat go hiomlán, agus sin é an fáth nach mbeidh mise ag úsáid an ruda sin ach a oiread.

Ceapaim féin go bhfuil an cnaipe an rud is fearr a tharlaigh anseo in aois madadh. Tá sceitimíní orm leis. Ag tús nbliana, bhí mé ag iarraidh níos mo chuid Gaeilge a úsáid ar an fhoram, ach bhí sé deacair i m'aonair. Anois, tá spiorád comhsheilbhe ann. Is an cnaipe, agus na daoine eile ag úsáid a tegcuid Gaeilge féin, a chuir i gcuimhne domh an teanga a úsáid.

Tá brón orm go bhfeiceann duine éigin cúrsaí drochthuaracha ann. Ní é sin m'intinn.

Personally, I think the button is the best thing to happen here in ages. I am delighted with it. At the beginning of the year, I was trying to use more Irish on the forum, but it was difficult on my own. Now, there's a community spirit about it. The button reminds me, and other people using their Irish reminds me, to use the language.

I'm sorry that some people see sinister motives in it. That's not my intention.

oisin718 wrote:

Ossian wrote:I will use Irish as much as I can, whenever I can. That, I thought, would be a given thing for anyone on this Irish Gaelic Translationforum. But I guess now I need to wear a button which points out the obvious. Just like I said in my original comment on this thread, it's a great, well-made, good-looking button and I commend the craftsmanship, the effort, and the good intentions... but I do not feel it is necessary and I won't be using it. In my posts it will be "status quo ante bellum."

I agree with you completelty, and for that reason I shall not be using that thing, either.

Aontaím leat go hiomlán, agus sin é an fáth nach mbeidh mise ag úsáid an ruda sin ach a oiread.

Go raibh maith agat for understanding.

Déarfainnse gurb é an rud go bhfuil muid go léir anseo ar an Irish Gaelic Translation Forum a spreagann an spíorad comhphobail ann an teanga a fhoghlaim agus úsáid a bhaint aisti.

I would tha that it's the fact that we're all here on the Irish Gaelic Translation Forum that inspires the community spirit to learn and use the language.

mhwombat wrote:I'm sorry that some people see sinister motives in it. That's not my intention.[/i]

I don't think there is anything sinister about it at all, I just think that in time it will inadvertantly (sp?) lead to a little community of Gaeilge elitists, with everyone else left out. It takes a long time to learn Irish well enough to participate in lengthy conversations, so it isn't like French where you can upgrade your fluency within a matter of hours. One has to take baby steps.

If people want to go 'head with the button thing and start going as gaeilge go leor (which is what will happen after everyone gets tired of translating it into English every time), then go right on with it. Everyone here is free. Perhaps in a year or so, I'll be able to catch up.