Re: Celtica (was: Maggel)

Doug Dee wrote:

>In a message dated 6/14/2004 8:48:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>barbarabarrett@ORCHIDSERVE.COM writes:
>
>
>
>>What baffles me is how come when one uses the word "Gaelic" ouside of
>>Ireland folk assume you mean the Scots dialect
>>
I've noticed that too, but it doesn't baffle me at all. I'm not sure
what (Scots) Gaelic could be called if not "(Scots) Gaelic", while Irish
can be called Irish. I think "Erse" is a bit out of favour (for either
language) in these politically correct days.... Really, I'd prefer if
they were called Gaeilge and Gaidhlig (and not forgetting Gaelg!),
though :).

>> rather than the parent
>>language,
>>
Parent language? Sibling, surely. The parent was Old Irish. I don't
think Irish gains seniority just because it's spoken on the same
landmass as the parent.

>>even if you use the Irish rather than the Scots pronounciation of
>>"Gaelic"? It seems that in English; Irish=Gaelic but Gaelic=Scots Gaelic:
>>Wierd.
>>
>>
>
>Usage seems to be different in (my part of) the USA.  I think "Gaelic" is
>likely to be taken to mean "Irish Gaelic."  If you say "Irish" with reference to
>the language, people may respond "You mean 'Gaelic'?"
>
>
I've noticed that (as Barbara suggests) "Gaelic" when referring to Scots
Gaelic is pronounced [gal1k], or when referring to Irish, [gEjl1k].
However, In Ireland, "gaelic" is really only used to refer to gaelic
culture, most often gaelic sports. Using "Gaelic" meaning "the Irish
language" has a rather contemptuous ring to it, I think, though I'm not
sure why (similar to "Erse", in fact). I suppose it might be because
either it's a typical name used by people who are ignorant about the
languages (or their distinctness), or because it was the standard term
in the bad old days when most Irish people knew as much Irish as they
did Dyiribal.. However, there are certainly people in Ireland who,
rather old-fashionedly to my ears, use the name "Gaelic" without malice.
But generally it's not done.


As for it's use by Forringers, well, there's no accounting for that...
but Irish people call "Gaeilge" "Irish", and that's about as authoritive
as you can get, I think.

s.
--
Stephen Mulraney   ataltane@ataltane.net
    Klein bottle for rent  ...  inquire within.

Replies