The Irish tag features posts related to the Irish language, history, the Irish people and Irish translation news and services. Irish is spoken by approximately 140,000 native speakers (2012).
An Ghaeltacht sign in the region / Image credit: TCD
Gaeltacht community anger over names in English
In a 2015 annual report by the Irish Language Commissioner, the highest number of complaints under the new Eircode postal system related to the translation of place names in the Gaeltacht region.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, head of the office of An Coimisnéir Teanga expressed that he was not surprised at the level of anger in the Gaeltacht communities. More than 70 complaints were noted in the report. All complaints related to the English translation of Irish names and addresses without any Irish version.
Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language group, stated that up to 50,000 household in the Gaeltacht area are affected by the new system and called on the department to amend it.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill also reported that the Department of Communications had ‘breached a statutory language obligation during the rollout of the postcodes – Eircode’.
Irish Proficiency
As of today’s report, there is a reluctance on behalf of certain government departments to identify jobs requiring a proficiency in the Irish language. Mr Ó Domhnaill stated on the ‘serious questions that arise on the State’s willingness to provide services of the same standard in both languages’.
The unveiling of the 1916 Easter Rising Remembrance Wall on Sunday 3rd of April commemorated those who lost their lives in the rebellion 100 years ago.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny attended and laid a wreath in honour of the dead. Almost 500 people died in the uprising, of which 268 were civilians caught up in the violence.
Missplaced Fada / RollingNews.ie
What was surprising to many was the misspelling of the Irish translation of Easter Rising 1916, Eírí amach na Cásca should have read Éirí amach na Cásca. Conradh na Gaeilge said the mistake illustrates a laziness towards the Irish language, and can’t understand why those involved didn’t ensure that the Irish was as accurate and correct as the English spelling.
Furthermore, in a statement the day after, the Glasnevin Trust has said:
There is a misplaced fada in the spelling of the word “Éirí ” on the Necrology Wall unveiled yesterday at Glasnevin cemetery. It will be corrected immediately.
The Irish language is beautiful, but it also finds itself playing catch up with the modern world. So much so that it becomes blatantly obvious with some of these Irish language translations.
We found nine particularly unimaginative translations making their rounds on the Internet. These are too good to miss.
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/coleslaw-dips.jpg450600Graham O'Mahony/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngGraham O'Mahony2016-03-22 14:12:542018-11-12 15:26:149 Irish Language Translations, so bad they're good
Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia. A region known for its linguistic diversity / Wikipedia
10 Oldest Languages in Use Today
It is almost impossible to judge how old one language is from another. The evolution of language is virtually similar to biological evolution; like evolution, changes to a language happen minutely over the course of generations. However, there is no clearly discernible difference between one language and the next language, from which a language derived.
Despite this, each of the ten languages listed are considerably ancient yet still spoken today. Each with an intriguing history that differentiates it from a multitude of others.
Those 10 Ancient Languages
Hebrew
The Hebrew language is an interesting case on this list: it fell out of common usage circa 400 CE. Yet it remained preserved as a liturgical language for Jews around the world. The rise of Zionism in the 19th and 20th centuries revived the language until it became the official language of Israel. Hebrew speakers can fully understand the Old Testament in its original writings.
Tamil
Spoken by circa 78 million people, Tamil is officially recognized as a language of India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. This classical language has survived the ages. Dating back to the third century BCE, and still in continuous use today.
Lithuanian
Lithuanian, like most European languages, is Indo-European in origin. This group divided up c.3500 BCE. The most fascinating feature of Lithuanian is that it retained the sounds and grammar of its Proto-Indo-European ancestor, unlike that of its cousins.
Farsi
Mainly spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Farsi is actually Persian, a direct descendant of Old Persian. Modern Persian first appeared circa 800 CE. Farsi speakers could quite easily read ancient texts in Persian with relative ease, more fluently than English speakers can read Shakespeare!
Ones you wouldn’t consider ancient
Icelandic
The Scandinavian language Icelandic is an Indo-European language from the North Germanic branch. This ancient language of the Norse peoples developed quite conservatively over the centuries. Amazingly, Icelanders can read their ancient sagas as if they were written yesterday.
Macedonian
This Slavic language belongs to the same family as Russian, Polish, Czech and Croatian. The Slavic language family is relatively young as far as languages are concerned and only split from Proto-Slavic, pre-ninth century CE.
Basque
The Basque language is a linguistic mystery. Spoken in regions that stretch across both France and Spain; it’s also unrelated to the Romance language family. The only explanation to explain it thus far, is that it existed long before the Romans arrived with the Latin they had spoken that subsequently developed into French and Spanish.
Finnish
The Finnish language is a member of the Finno-Ugric family which includes Estonian, Hungarian and several languages in minority groups across Siberia. Written down in the 16th century, its history is long. Interestingly, Finnish has many loanwords still in usage from Old Germanic and Gothic (those two languages do not exist today).
Georgian
Georgian is spoken in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, originating from the Caucasus region, the frontier between Europe and Asia. It’s part of the Kartvelian language family and unlike any other in the world. Although its alphabet is thought to be adapted from Aramaic.
Last but not least
Irish Gaelic
A minority of people in Ireland speak Irish (Gaeilge) today, but its history is long and artistic. A member of the Celtic branch of Indo-European languages, it existed long before the Germanic influences of Norse, Anglo-Saxon and Frisian landed on the British Isles. Scottish Gaelic and Manx derived from Irish Gaelic through migration. With the oldest vernacular of any language in Western Europe, the ancient Irish chose to write their manuscripts in Gaelic rather than the common Latin, at that time.
Graham Web Designer and Blogger The STAR Team Follow the conversation on @STARTranslation
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/mount-elbrus_v2.jpg332500Graham O'Mahony/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngGraham O'Mahony2016-02-22 15:42:202018-11-12 15:57:2310 Oldest Languages Still Spoken Today
It was reported in The Journal today that criminal cases across the country could be adjourned or even dismissed as a result of the state’s failure to have 11-year-old legislation translated into Irish.
Solicitor, Samantha Geraghty, speaking on RTÉ Radio na Gaeltachta said the government has failed in its constitutional obligation to translate the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004. Summonses are issued because of this piece of legislation. A judge from Belmullet district court, Mayo said that of such a breach “an order of prohibition could apply to appropriate cases.” Simply put, if a translation of the Act is not produced by 21st of March 2016, then there is a danger that some cases may be thrown out.
There is a constitutional right to have your case defended in Irish without disadvantage and that can’t happen if the law is not available in Irish,” Samantha Geraghty added.
According to a spokesperson from the Oireachtas, the Act is currently being translated into Irish and will be available shortly.
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/four-courts-dublin.jpg384512Graham O'Mahony/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngGraham O'Mahony2016-02-17 11:40:522018-11-16 16:58:29Not translating into Irish could see legal cases dismissed
Are you learning a new language? Ever wondered what the most well-known animals are called in different languages!
We’ve put together a list of recognisable animal names from ant to whale, monkey to platypus and many more from English into Irish, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish.
Irish Animal Names
Learning the Irish names for animals may spark your interested in the endangered language. How many do you already know?
Download the high quality PDF to use at home, in your office, share with friends or, if you’re a teacher, place in the classroom — it may inspire!
Graham,
The STAR Team
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/animals-different-languages_630x280.png280630Graham O'Mahony/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngGraham O'Mahony2015-09-25 14:46:382017-08-17 09:42:54Most Popular Animal Names in Different Languages
Irish is in swift decline and may become a secondary language in the Gaeltacht communities, a report states.
It was filed in a report on the 29th of May, that Irish will no longer be the primary language of any Gaeltacht community in ten years from now. Commissioned by the State agency Údarás na Gaeltachta and based on census figures from 2006 to 2011, the language has been declining faster than expected. And declining more rapidly than suggested in a similar report from 2007.
Findings
Confined to a mostly academic setting, those of classrooms … Irish is less spoken in social environments. The report which announces its findings by authors of the publications lacks any methods of preserving the language. This is now in dispute between Údarás na Gaeltachta and the authors. However, Údarás has agreed to file a second report for the recommendations on how to preserve Irish in the Gaeltacht communities.
The Figures
Despite all this, the research in the original report shows that of 155 electoral divisions within the Gaeltacht, only 21 are communities where Irish is spoken on a daily basis by 67% of its population. 67% is regarded as a tipping point for language survival among experts.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, the Irish language commissioner has expressed his concerns over the declining use of Irish in the Gaeltacht. Ó Domhnaill commented, “currently, there is no requirement in the Languages Act, that the state should conduct its business through Irish, and that this needs to be looked at.”
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/irish-culture.png280630Star Translation/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngStar Translation2015-06-03 16:27:042017-08-17 11:05:42Gaeltacht sees Irish in decline
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2015, Ireland’s Cultural Festival
This year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge, also known as SnaG (Irish Language Week), runs from the 1st to the 17th of March.
SnaG is one of the biggest festivals of our national language and culture in Ireland. It runs up to Saint Patrick’s Day on the 17th of March, and is celebrated in many other countries.
Irish Alphabet, botanical art exhibition, Bunclody, Wexford
Storytelling with Seó Ó Maolalaí, Halla Contae Fhine Gall
For a full list of the many events taking place around the country, visit the official SnaG website.
About the Festival
Anyone can take part in the hundred of events organised around the country. If you’re enthusiastic about the Irish language and eager to increase your knowledge of it, then find out what events are planned in your local area. Since local authorities and volunteers run many events, there’s sure to be one in your vicinity.
No matter what grade of Irish speaker you are: fluent, learner or a novice, there are numerous entertaining and fun events to suit all ages and walks of life.
Croí na teanga — it’s you!
You can get involved with voluntary and community groups, local authorities, schools, libraries, and music, sports, arts and culture organisations; help organise events for SnaG in your area.
Why is SnaG running for two weeks?
Seachtain na Gaeilge was established in 1902 and is an annual festival in celebration of the Irish language and culture. It’s a widely recognised brand name and understood across Ireland. Its festivals have grown from strength-to-strength in recent years, thus the festival’s duration has grown from a week to up to two weeks. Since Seachtain na Gaeilge is the original brand name, it had been decided that it felt right to keep it!
Are you interested in the Irish language or Irish culture? Leave us a comment in Irish to test your skills.
Graham,
The STAR Team
https://www.star-ts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/snag.png280630Star Translation/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngStar Translation2015-02-24 11:30:482017-08-16 10:45:08Seachtain na Gaeilge 2015
A Celtic round tower and monastery in Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland / Instagram
Seachtain na Gaeilge 2014: it’s Irish language week
To spread the word of the Irish language and its history, we’ve dedicated this post to it.
Irish is the official language of Ireland, although only 41% of its population can speak it. From the 1st to the 17th March this year, the people of Ireland are encouraged through festival events and cultural happenings to speak Irish. Seachtain na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organization, first established by Conradh na Gaeilge in 1903. This cultural event has taken place this time of year for more than a hundred years.
Irish is one of the oldest written languages in the world. First records of written Irish date back as far as the 6th century AD. Prior to written Irish, its archaic form was that of stone inscriptions known as Ogham writings: Ogham was carved on small monuments throughout the Irish sea from the 4th to the 7th centuries. As many of you probably know, Irish is a Celtic language. It was widely spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man and the west coast of Britain from 500 AD onwards, although it began to slowly decline through the centuries thereafter.
Over time, Irish became influenced by other northern European languages. From 900 to 1200 AD, the Scandinavian languages of the Vikings gave Irish new loanwords such as ‘pingín’ meaning penny and ‘margadh’ meaning ‘market’. When the French-Normans eventually arrived on Irish soil, words like ‘cúirt’ for court and ‘garsún’ for son began to appear. Up until 1500 to 1600 AD, the entire country was speaking Irish again; many Normans whom had chosen to settle in Ireland, as many Vikings had done before, started using Irish as their own tongue. Irish was never an administrative language on the island even though the majority of the populace spoke it. English was necessary for administration and any legal affairs.
Irish suffered many blows during the 16th and 17th centuries with English plantations of Ireland, the Williamite war (Jacobite-Williamite war of Ireland) and the enacting of the ‘Penal laws’.
Many attempts to reinstate Irish as a major language within the country failed despite great numbers of the rural population speaking it natively. Many Irish people began to adopt the English language during and after the Great Famine of Ireland (1845 to 1852) in which hunger, disease and mass emigration affected the country and its language. Not all was lost after the famine of the 19th century: the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language was established in 1876. This gave recognition for the inclusion of Irish in the education system.
In 1893, the Gaelic League was established; known as Conradh na Gaeilge. The league invoked a mass movement of support for spoken Irish and its influence can still be seen today.
How will you celebrate Seachtáin na Gaeilge? Show off your languages skills by posting comments or status feeds this week and next in Irish.
The STAR Team
/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.png00Star Translation/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngStar Translation2014-03-04 12:49:502018-11-13 10:01:28Seachtain na Gaeilge 2014
An mbaineann tú gáire as daoine? An bhfuil acmhainn grinn agat?
Is mian le Good Company Productions “GIG” a chur i láthair, sraith teilifíse réaltachta 8 gclár do TG4.
Tá “GIG” sa tóir ar an nGaeilgeoir is greannmhaire, is barrúla agus is siamsúla amuigh. Tá duais airgid le buachan chomh maith le háit ag mórfhéile grinn in 2014.
Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil déan teagmháil le John nó Orla ag 01 4973225 nó 087 2387222 nó seol ríomhphost chuig gigtg4@gmail.com nó féach ar Good company
Ní mór d’iarrthóirí a bheidh os cionn 18 agus Gaeilge a bheith ar a dtoil acu.
Dé Céadaoin, 5 pm, 31ú Iúil 2013 an dáta deiridh a nglacfar le hiarratais
8 X 25” – TG4, Arna scannánú i mí Meán Fómhair/Deireadh Fómhair 2013 – le craoladh i mí Eanáir 2014
Sraith ar leagan amach nua do TG4 í “An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhaire” (G.I.G) ina rachaimidne sa tóir ar an nGaeilgeoir is greannmhaire in Éirinn.
Á cur i láthair ag Síle Seoige beidh meascán den scoth moltóirí againn ó shaol an ghrinn chun dul ó cheann ceann na tíre ag lorg an Ghaeilgeora is barrúla amuigh.
Bunaithe ar thaithí na moltóirí (a bheidh le fógairt amach anseo) ar stáitse, ar chúrsaí grinn, ar dhrámaíocht, ar óráidíocht, ar scríbhneoireacht agus ar thaibhiú – beidh a fhios acusan cé atá barrúil agus greannmhar, cé hiad na charachtair, cé aige a bhfuil cumas cainte, cé hé an réalta agus cé atá ag ligean air féin!
Táimid ar lorg búistéir barrúil as Bóthar na Trá, b’fhéidir, nó múinteoir spraíúil as Tír Chonaill, siúinéir siamsúil as Ciarraí nó mac léinn soiniciúil as Baile an tSrutháin – seo é seans na nGaeilgeoirí is greannmhaire in Éirinn a theacht amach agus iad féin a chruthú.
Sa tréimhse 8 seachtain, iarrfaidh na Moltóirí comhairle ar theagascóirí mór le rá leis an lucht grinn nua seo a threorú agus a theagasc. Rachaidh siad ar thuras i ndomhan an ghrinn in Éirinn agus casfaidh le lucht grinn chomh maith le máistir-ranganna a fháil ó na comhairleoirí agus na teagascóirí. Cuirfear scoth na hoiliúna orthu leis an scoth a scríobh, a cheapadh agus a chur i láthair.
I dTaibhdhearc na Gaillimhe i gCathair na Gaillimhe a chuirfear na hiomaitheoirí deiridh i láthair agus is ann a chuirfidh muid fúinn don teagasc agus do na taibhithe gach seachtain. Ní roghnófar ach 8 le páirt a ghlacadh sa tsraith agus tabharfaidh na moltóirí bata agus bóthar d’iomaitheoirí éagsúla de réir mar a rachaidh an tsraith chun cinn.
Deis den scoth atá anseo teagasc agus comhairle a fháil le bheith i d’fhuirseoir – tharla sé cheana i mBéarla! Ach an cheist anois an féidir na scileanna sin a chur ag obair i nGaeilge?
Cé a sheasfaidh é, cé a cheapfaidh an t-ábhar is fearr, agus cé a rachaidh go Cill Airne agus a thabharfaidh 8 nóiméad de thaispeántas grinn os comhair 200 cainteoir ó dhúchas ag féile mhór na nGael ‘Oireachtas na Samhna’ – agus a ainmneofar ar “An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhaire”?
Oíche mhór grinn a bheidh inti, nár tharla a leithéid cheana riamh.
The STAR Team
/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.png00Star Translation/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/STAR-logo-orig.pngStar Translation2013-07-30 10:48:522018-11-13 10:08:54G.I.G: An Gaeilgeoir is Greannmhaire
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