Irish Translation Forum

Look at the figures for "b" speakers

and recheck the native speakers numbers..it's low but higher than you say

B speakers in ireland is unusually high. International speakers are higher than Welsh and Scottish too for various reasons

I thought they changed the languages status to "vunerable" a while back or am I just imagining things ?

brianocuinn wrote:Yeah, I agree. It's seems a bit misleading. From what the information says, they only took data from the Gaeltacht areas, whereas, as this website clearly shows, there are tonnes more speakers...

The vast majority of speakers are from the Gaeltacht. The amount of competent daily speakers outside the Gaeltacht doesnt amount to tonnes. Sadly the ratios are changing which means in the future there will be fewer Gaeltacht speakers and a lot of non fluent speakers who think in English.

fiairefeadha wrote:

brianocuinn wrote:Yeah, I agree. It's seems a bit misleading. From what the information says, they only took data from the Gaeltacht areas, whereas, as this website clearly shows, there are tonnes more speakers...

The vast majority of speakers are from the Gaeltacht. The amount of competent daily speakers outside the Gaeltacht doesnt amount to tonnes. Sadly the ratios are changing which means in the future there will be fewer Gaeltacht speakers and a lot of non fluent speakers who think in English.

A family can keep the Gaeilge even outside of the Gaeltacht. Not easy, I know, and I don't know how many there are now around the country... but those who have it need to give it to the kids - they can make up their minds but at least they'll have the Gaeilge to think about it and make up their minds in it... I agree with fiairefeadha - the numbers getting the Gaeilge while young outside of the Gaeltachtaí are definitely not to be measured in the 'tonnes'...
Is féidir do theaghlach an Ghaeilge a choinneáil lasmuigh den ghaeltacht. Ní bhíonn sé éasca, tá a fhios agam go maith, agus níl a fhios agam go barainneach cé mhéad acu atá sa tír... ach tugadh éinne a bhfuil sí acu do na gasúir í - tá gá leis sin - is féidir leis na gasúir a gcuid intinní féin a dhéanamh suas ina dhiaidh sin maidir leis an nGaeilge a thabhairt ar aghaidh ach ar a laghad bheadh sí acu... Aontaím le fiairefeadha faoin méid daoine a shealbhaíonn an Ghaeilge agus iad óg taobh amuigh den ghaeltacht agus nach féidir iad a chuntas ina 'dtonnaí'.

Is féidir an Ghaeilge choinneáil i do chomhlódar i nGalltacht na hÉireann ach bheadh ort an teanga a labhairt leis na páistí an t-am ar fad, TG4, RnG ar siúl sa teach agus ag léamh scéaltaí leo i nGaeilge agus rudaí beaga mar sin mar is annamh an Ghaeilge a chloisteáil i measc na daoine lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht, tá sé tábhachtach an teanga a chloisteáil.

the numbers getting the Gaeilge while young outside of the Gaeltachtaí are definitely not to be measured in the 'tonnes'

I agree, its like a drop in the ocean.

oceans are made of drops.

I and a lot of my friends speak Irish , and i have meet many children and adults with excellent Gaeilge, we may not be native speakers or use Irish Everyday , but the amount of Irish speakers and teachers and people who are fluent and have moved north and throughout the world , are not on any Register , dont we/they count , dont you count !!!!!

Teifeach wrote:I and a lot of my friends speak Irish , and i have meet many children and adults with excellent Gaeilge, we may not be native speakers or use Irish Everyday , but the amount of Irish speakers and teachers and people who are fluent and have moved north and throughout the world , are not on any Register , dont we/they count , dont you count !!!!!

Well, just wondering? What would make you speak Irish everyday?? I've always kind of wondered, I know they can teach Irish but what makes people use it Daily?

What if your workplace was in Irish? what if all entertainment was in Irish? films, music, tv, books?

What makes a speaker of a language use it daily ?

i use it in the schools , especially with the teachers , i also meet with a group of friends 3 times a week in different cafe,s and chat in Irish , and not raising as many strange looks as we first did , i myself feel this normalises the languge with non speakers , thats the reason we dont meet in each others houses , or in the same cafe , its a Living bearthing Language , and not statistic. also at weekend i meet friends in the bar and chat in Irish , the reactions stil amuse me , at first i was nervous , and yeas even angry , not as much so now ,

Welsh is generally considered to be in a 'stronger' position than Irish for the following reasons:

- more native speakers
- It is widely spoken in [some] rural and urban areas.
- higher percentage of first language speakers amongst the broad Welsh speak community, compared with Irish. Some have relatively little English.