Irish and its detractors.

karma_

Snakeblood wrote: »

That's sad.

That's AH, welcome to it.

fkt

karma_ wrote: »

That's AH, welcome to it.

Are you incapable of answering a simple question?

Aimsigh

fkt wrote: »

If he can write a whole book on the positives of it, surely you can make just one economic arguement in favour of it?

It contributes over 100 Million to the Economy of Galway alone every year.

Irish language worth €136 million to Galway

The Irish language is worth in excess of €136 million annually to the economy of Galway city and county, supports more than 5,000 jobs, and more than 90 per cent of city businesses believe that it is a unique selling point for Galway’s image and cultural identity.

karma_

fkt wrote: »

Are you incapable of answering a simple question?

I'll tell you what, if you go back and read through the thread, and show me the post where I argued that Irish should be compulsory, I might find the time to answer your question.

Kevo

Aimsigh wrote: »

When students are mandated merely to sit in an Irish class for two hours a week by their school to receive a capitation grant, Irish is being forced upon them, yet people chose to speak English out of their own free will, this despite all education, administration, legislation, commerce and even religion having been mandated (by ecclesiastical or governmental authority) to be conducted through English (or English and latin

Two hours a week is a very long time when you add up all those weeks. Especially when it is during the early years when we are most able to learn language.

I think you will find that people choose to speak English because, for historical reasons, it is the language that they know best. It's not a case of currently being forced to do so.

I don't hate Irish but I believe that the advantages of knowing a widely spoken foreign language greatly outweigh the advantages of knowing Irish. They certainly do for me anyway. I want it made optional at all levels in school and removed as a requirement for entry into any 3rd level institution except for courses where it is obviously needed.

cml387

Aimsigh wrote: »

It contributes over 100 Million to the Economy of Galway alone every year.

Irish language worth €136 million to Galway

And when I click the link to check the source of this survey,it's broken.

Snakeblood

karma_ wrote: »

That's AH, welcome to it.

I'm familiar with AH. I just find your attitude dispiriting.

karma_

Snakeblood wrote: »

I'm familiar with AH. I just find your attitude dispiriting.

You'll get over it.

Krusader

Another Gaeilge thread , AH is getting boring

fkt

Aimsigh wrote: »

It contributes over 100 Million to the Economy of Galway alone every year.

Irish language worth €136 million to Galway

I really do pity you if you believe that.

I would prefer a different language be taught in primary school, and two languages be required for JC/LC with Irish option. I love Irish but I don't think it should be compulsory. It's also taught pretty badly.

fkt

Crosáidí wrote: »

Another Gaeilge thread , AH is getting boring

So is spending forty minutes every day learning it.

Snakeblood

karma_ wrote: »

You'll get over it.

Do you want to go back on topic or keep being rude?

Aimsigh

cml387 wrote: »

And when I click the link to check the source of this survey,it's broken.

Well then you should probably E-Mail the Galway Advetiser.

This is the company that carried out the study. Bane Mullarkey

Krusader

fkt wrote: »

So is spending forty minutes every day learning it.

Wrong you don't learn Gaeilge in school, that's the fundamental problem with the subject

CatFromHue

school is not just about learning info explicitly for your future job.

some of the subjects i did were
geography, interlocking spurs anyone?
biology, do i really need to know how seaweed does "it"
history, i dont see knowing how people lived in the 15 century affects my life in anyway today
french, when i went to france i pointed at stuff i wanted in cafes as i couldnt remember any french. that 6 or how many years learning french worked out well in the end.
chemistry, molar weight anyone??

i am messing abit in the above but my point is that sometimes you learn stuff just to know it. it may have no tangible benefit other than knowledge you have in your nut.

irish has its problems but i would be in the it should stay compulsory group. its a part of our history and identity. getting rid of it from schools will save money in the short term but we will lose so much more if we do.

Aimsigh

Kevo wrote: »

Two hours a week is a very long time when you add up all those weeks. Especially when it is during the early years when we are most able to learn language.

As far as I know, the average student who goes to the LC has 1500 hours of Irish language classes(Thats from Junier Infants all the way to 6th year)

According to the Canadian dept of Education 1500 hours is just about enough to gain a basic grasp of a language.(Think of a student stumbling their way through an Oral and your in the right ball park for expected competancy.)

According to them, Fluency in a language would require 5000 hours of study.

Pherekydes

fkt wrote: »

Are you incapable of answering a simple question?

Is there any economic benefit to it?

Aimsigh

CatFromHue wrote: »

school is not just about learning info explicitly for your future job.

some of the subjects i did were
geography, interlocking spurs anyone?
biology, do i really need to know how seaweed does "it"
history, i dont see knowing how people lived in the 15 century affects my life in anyway today
french, when i went to france i pointed at stuff i wanted in cafes as i couldnt remember any french. that 6 or how many years learning french worked out well in the end.
chemistry, molar weight anyone??

i am messing abit in the above but my point is that sometimes you learn stuff just to know it. it may have no tangible benefit other than knowledge you have in your nut.

irish has its problems but i would be in the it should stay compulsory group. its a part of our history and identity. getting rid of it from schools will save money in the short term but we will lose so much more if we do.

It won't even save money in the short term. Do you really think the teachers will take a pay cut? They are all on contracts, they will probably want more to teach a different subject that wasent covered in their contract.

Aimsigh

fkt wrote: »

I really do pity you if you believe that.

I don't need your pity, or your patronising. If you don't believe it perhaps you would be good enough to provide some evidence to back your claims up?

I don't really care what you do or do not believe, but your silly atempt at casting doubt on the evidence I have posted without providing anything to counter it really is pityful.:rolleyes:

keith16

This is the most depressing thread I have read through.

All these arguments about, 'what use is the language', ' we can't exploit it for our own gain'.

Case in point

If he can write a whole book on the positives of it, surely you can make just one economic arguement in favour of it?

Does everything have to have economic value in order to justify it's existence? Tell me snakeblood, what are the economic arguments in favour of you as a person??

Has anyone ever heard of learning for the sake of learning. I do agree however that Irish is hardly taught in a way that is appealing.

But these arguments of 'we could be **** instead' can be applied to any subject, why not make them all optional? This gets trotted out against mathematics from time to time also, like 'who has ever used quadratic equations in real life' - well maybe no-one, but there is inherent value in learning these things that are not quantifiable and that maybe not everyone realises.

So let's all forget our heritage and restrict ourselves to French, German or Chinese. At least we will be able to understand our new economic overlords when they shout jump. Rant over:mad:

AhSureTisGrand

What's the point in national identity anyway? What good does it do?

Pwindedd

Kevo wrote: »

I want it made optional at all levels in school and removed as a requirement for entry into any 3rd level institution except for courses where it is obviously needed.

Sorry but are you saying that to get into 3rd level education Irish is an entry requirement - not too sure of the 3rd level entry requirements being a non-national myself - or just some institutions?

Krusader

Pwindedd wrote: »

Sorry but are you saying that to get into 3rd level education Irish is an entry requirement - not too sure of the 3rd level entry requirements being a non-national myself - or just some institutions?

Just NUIG, NUIM... as far as i know

Pherekydes

Crosáidí wrote: »

Just NUIG, NUIM... as far as i know

I went to NUIM. No one mentioned anything about Irish at any stage.

CatFromHue

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

What's the point in national identity anyway? What good does it do?

impresses kiwi and aussie girls. which is good for a single irish guy in either oz or kiwiland!

hmmm

Aimsigh wrote: »

Ya I know how you feel, Every time I hear Paisely making some stupid sectarian comment. I just wish they sould separate the English language from Politics.:rolleyes:

Yeah, keep on deliberately missing the point and you'll have your precious language all to yourself in the future.

hmmm

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

What's the point in national identity anyway? What good does it do?

Some people need other people to tell them who they are and what they should believe in.

Dudess

Meh, I don't think it should be mandatory for leaving cert but that doesn't mean I want to see it die out - I actually wouldn't like it to at all.

PrincessLola

When students are mandated merely to sit in an Irish class for two hours a week

What??
More like two hours a day n my primary school.