Thomas Leigh wrote:
> Keith wrote:
>
>> Interjection. Where I'm from (Sligo), "Gaelic" is
>> ['ge:lIk]
>
> I've heard that in Ulster Irish, "Gaeilge" is ['ge:lIk]!
Same here amongst the older population who still have some Irish.
>> Here here! Indeed they're not, and I question classifying them as
>> seperate languages too.
<snip>
> I find Irish and Scottish Gaelic becoming less and less
> mutually intelligible, and I'm afraid the situation will only worsen.
Which is terribly unfortunate. It might be a losing proposition, but I
think the only real hope for the language is to reconcile the
divergences between the two. Both communities a failing because they
lack the strength by themselves.
> Heck, Serbian and Croatian are more similar than Irish and Scottish
> Gaelic, probably even more similar than Ulster Irish and Munster Irish,
> and they're generally considered separate languages now.
One of my best friends is Bosnian, and she fully admits that the only
reason for that is politics. Much the same reason as Mandarin,
Cantonese, &c. are considered as "Chinese".
> But the idealist in me still insists on "one language with three
> varieties"! :-)
I'd bump that number up to five or six at least!
>> I reckon that had the classical language managed to
>> survive, people wouldn't ever think of regarding them as seperate.
>
> I agree completely!
So maybe it's time for a new Gaedhilg Aontaithe, as Stephen proposed!
>> Now, if only we could get the Scots to spell properly... :-)
>
> Hey! You guys are the ones that changed everything! ;-)
We just got rid of all the detrius ye insist on hanging on to.
K.