A new language has been introduced in Leinster House. It is keeping a lot of people on their feet just trying to get to the bottom of it and we have Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams to thank for it.
The new language is being called Jaeilge and seems to be the first language of Gerry Adams.
The new language, which is learned in the Jailteacht, has its roots in Irish and English but even experts in both languages have difficulties figuring out exactly what Adams is saying.
Political prisoners, who had lots of time to learn, often became fluent in Irish behind bars in prison – or the Jailteacht, as it is referred to.
Adams has a habit of speaking in both Jaeilge and English while on the floor of the Dail. He can be very easy to understand but purists of the Irish language are cringing with embarrassment.
One expert pointed out that Adams constantly mixes up his tenses, past, present and conditional – when speaking.
“He was speaking in the Dail the other day about having debates in Irish and I honestly could not understand a word he was saying,” one fluent Irish speaker said.
Adams’ Irish may be remedial to the ears of experts but how is he on understanding what others are saying to him in the native tongue?
Quite good, in fact. And sure, if he runs into any translation problems, his colleague and fluent Irish speaker Aengus O Snodaigh is always sitting behind him ready to provide a quick translation!!
1 comment:
Aren't Irish-speakers forever urging people not to be embarrassed but at least try and use whatever Irish they have?
The experts' snarkiness is enough to put learners off.
At least Adams is giving it a go.
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