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Old 05-13-2006, 01:36 PM
PhoenixAzul PhoenixAzul is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Da 'burgh. My heart is in Glasgow
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RE: teaching official languages

What I find interesting in Ireland is the teaching of Irish. It is mandatory for students to take Irish and pass an exit exam in the language. Signs are in Irish and in English, but in Irish first (in the republic...Irish is a hot button issue here in the North). However, even students who pass the exam, don't speak the language. It is only spoken in remote areas in the south and west Gaeltacht (almost literally "Gael talk") regions, and even then, those people speak English.

But the recovery of Irish, Scots Gael (and Ulster Scots..a mix of the two), and Welsh has been slow. The English language/occupation of these areas meant people were FORCED by brutal punishment to speak English. It nearly exterminated the language.

Something to think about...
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