THE STATUS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN IRELAND
Journal Title: Вісник Одеського національного університету. Філологія: літературознавство, мовознавство - Year 2016, Vol 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The article is devoted to the problem of determining of status of the English language in Ireland. Despite a long tradition of structural and semantic research, the language situation and the formation of bilingual communities still require clarification. Considering the features, which are common to the sociolinguistic characteristics of languages and factors commonly found in the typology of language situations we distinguish specific criteria for the determination of the status of the language. These criteria are: the degree of linguistic variety in close unity with the genetic and typological commonness of the systems in contact, demographic factors, the amount of functions assigned to language and the linguistic self-definition. It can be said that a number of extra-linguistic factors resulted in the contact situation that took place in the nonhomogenous Irish society. In addition, language served as a means of social differentiation and identity of speakers in the mentioned situation. At the present time the English language remains a prestigious means of communication for the majority of the population in Ireland. Nevertheless, the awareness of the Irish national identity entails the revival of the indigenous linguocultural elements by the introducing of certain measures of language policy. These include the inclusion of the Irish language in the list of compulsory school subjects and its use in the media and elsewhere. The mentioned activities are not limited to the regions where the leading role is assigned to the Irish language and culture (known as Gaeltacht or Gaedhealtacht, in other words – regions where Irish is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home) and cover the entire territory of Ireland. At the same time the languages of a few social groups – Shelta (a language spoken by Irish Travellers) and Ulster Scots (the dialects of Scots spoken in parts of Ulster) – had little impact on the status of the English language. The specific historical and social conditions of interaction between the Irish and the English languages and cultures led to the formation of a new hybrid culture and determined the peculiarities and results of linguistic contact. Thus, the language situation in Ireland can be identified as bilingual, since both the English and the Irish languages are used in the country and have the same functions. However, bilingualism in Ireland is not balanced whereas languages differ in the number of users and in terms of prestige.
Authors and Affiliations
D. Polgorodnyk
Keywords
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