As nobody seems to agree what it means, I now completely agree with this too. I suggest we all drop the term! People are now defending what isn't being attacked as well as what is so it's becoming very complicated - in any language!

This makes sense to me. I await the blogs with interest!

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So Lughaidh when you speak English do you speak it with a London accent? You can speak Irish with any accent from Ireland as long as the phonology and prononciation is right, it works with any accent from Ireland because its Irish. It wouldn't work someone speaking Irish with an Italian accent with the sounds, because its foreign.

Theres blas na Gaeltachta, and blas na Gaeilge(ie, right prononciation no English influenced) and then theres just bad urban pronunciation of Irish.

I've met speakers from Down, Dublin who speak Irish in their own accent but their pronunciation, phonology sounds native but in their own accent. Theres a difference between an accent and prononciation. Ofcourse then they have to emulate a Gaeltacht dialect.

I'd like to speak it with an Irish accent But I don't have any opportunity to practise it, and to me, speaking perfect English isn't as important as speaking perfect Irish and perfect Breton



that depends on the meaning of "accent" to you. Accent in the sense you mean it, isn't really a scientific term. Looks like "accent" more or less means "(local) pronunciation", for most people. That's the problem. In linguistics we talk about phonetics, phonology, phonotactics, prosody... etc. If I understand properly, to you "accent" is what we call "prosody" in linguistics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody_%28linguistics%29

When you say people should keep their Galltacht accent when speaking Irish, although they have to use the real sounds, you imply, for instance, that the accent Dubliners have in English now, is the same as the accent the Irish speakers had when Irish was the common language in Dublin area. but we have no idea if it's true or not, that's the problem... we can't verify.

But you're right when saying that what counts most is the sounds (consonants, vowels etc).

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

I don't think that's what he was saying. I think his point is that most laymen talk about speaking a language in their own accent and don't realise they're missing important phonemes (for example ch & gh), so speaking "in their own accent" is speaking wrong.

I think his point was that as long as you're making all the right distinctions, the "colour" of your accent on top isn't that important, which is exactly what you said.

And this is something I agree with... to a certain extent. Because how is a learner supposed to know what's "close enough" to be native-like pronunciation in a non-native accent? (Which is why I don't like saying "I speak" any language other than English -- I'm mindful that I always need to improve, and I'm still making plenty of mistakes....)

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A language belongs to its native speakers, and when you speak it, you are a guest in their homes.
If you are not a good guest, you have no right to complain about receiving poor hospitality.

Well haven't you the connections , have you asked him yet?

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

Nope...still crazily trying to get caught up with writing!

Redwolf

Ní bhfuair mé an fóram sin ach anois. Ba mhaith liom neart a scríobh ar an dtopaic sin.


Ar feadh mo thaistil in Éirinn, chuala mé neart cainteoirí Gaeilge, ón nGaeltacht agus ó cheantair eile in Éirinn. Chuala mé caint ar nós Gaeilge cathrach ó chainteoirí dúchais na Gaeltachta agus sa Ghaeltacht freisin. Mar shampla, chuala mé go minic an "r" leathan fuaimnithe (beagnach) cósúil leis an "r" Béarla. Is cainteoirí níos sine agus ó Ghaeltachtaí an-láidre ar nós Ceantar na n-Oileán nó Gaoth Dobhair ar chuala mé an fhuaim gan aon tionchar ón mBéarla. Ach ní fhuaimníonn muintir na Gaeltachta an "r" sleamhain chomh maith ar nós an chinn Béarla.


Tá Gaeilgeoirí le saghas Gaeilge cathrach ann atá fuamniú inghlachta acu dom féin agus cinn eile a bhfuil a gcaint as Gaeilge ag fuaimniú go fíor-ghránna.

Alex

Now in English for those who have little Irish.


I have not found this forum until now and would like to say something on this topic.



On my trips in Ireland, I have heard some Irish speakers, from the Gaeltacht and from other swathes in Ireland. I have heard something like townish Irish from mothertongue speakers from the Gaeltacht and in the Gaeltacht, too. For byspell, I have often heard the broad "r" spoken (almost) like an English "r". It is from older speakers and some folks from very strong Gaeltachts like Ceantar na n-Oileán (Conamara) or Gweedore (Donegal) that I have heart outspeakings without any inflow from English. But Gaeltacht folks are not likely to speak the slender "r" as well like an English one.



There are Irish speakers with a kind of townish Irish with an outspeech that is all right to myself and others whose talk in Irish is sounding in truth awfully.

Alex

Seans ann nach gcloisfeá an r leathan sin ó chainteoirí níos sine, nó ó chainteoirí a chaith níos mó ama ina measc.