Spotsolas Seachtain na Gaeilge: Christopher Lewin

Le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar Seachtain na Gaeilge 2023, ba mhaith leis An Chomhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn spotsholas a chur ar roinnt dár dtaighdeoirí Gaeilge.

To celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge 2023 the Irish Research Council highlights a selection of our funded Irish language researchers.

 

An Ghaeilge sa scolaíocht i Manainn

• I don’t think Manx should be compulsory, it was a disaster in Ireland … caused endless resentment. (cainteoir líofa Gaeilge Mhanann, faoi agallamh 2022–3)

Creidtear go forleathan laistigh den ghluaiseacht chun Gaeilge Mhanann (Manainnis) a athbheochan gur botún a bhí i bpolasaí na Gaeilge éigeantaí i gcóras oideachais na hÉireann, a rinne níos mó dochair ná maith. Tuairim í seo a shamhlaítear in Éirinn le mionlach de pholaiteoirí agus d’iriseoirí frithGhaelacha, agus cuireann pobal na Gaeilge féin ina coinne go láidir.

Mar pháirt de mo chuid oibre faoi láthair tá mé i mbun taighde ar thuairimí faoin ábhar seo i measc chainteoirí Gaeilge Mhanann, agus impleachtaí na ndearcthaí seo don fhorbairt polasaí.

Ó bunaíodh Cumann Ghaeilge Mhanann sa bhliain 1899 i lár thréimhse na hAthbheochana Gaelaí agus Ceiltí, chuaigh Éire agus gluaiseacht na Gaeilge i gcion go mór ar shamhlaíocht ghníomhaithe teanga Mhanann mar eiseamláir agus mar fhoinse treoreach don phleanáil teanga, agus uaireanta, mar eiseamláir den rud nár cheart a dhéanamh, dar leis na Manannaigh.

Tá Gaeilge Mhanann ar fáil mar ábhar roghnach i scoileanna Oileán Mhanann ó thús na 1990idí agus foireann de mhúinteoirí cuartaíochta de chuid roinn oideachais Rialtas Mhanann ina feighil. Glacann céatadán ard de na daltaí bunscoile idir aois 8 agus 11 páirt sna ranganna, agus leanann líon i bhfad níos lú ar aghaidh san ardscoil. Cé gur tháinig méadú go pointe ar an soláthar seo, níor athraigh bunphrionsabail an chórais mórán agus ní cheistítear a nádúr roghnach den chuid is mó.

Is minic a mhaíonn cainteoirí Gaeilge Mhanann go bhfuil polasaí oideachais an oileáin níos liobrálaí agus níos pragmataí ná an dogmatachas agus an neamhéifeacht a shamhlaítear leis an nGaeilge éigeantach in Éirinn. Go pointe léiríonn an dearcadh seo stádas an-imeallach na teanga i sochaí Mhanann nuair a cuireadh an soláthar ar fáil ar dtús. D’fhéadfaí a mhaíomh gur constaic í an tuairim seo ar pholasaí níos uaillmhianaí sa lá atá inniu ann, agus go bhfuil dea-mhéin i leith na teanga anois nach bhfuiltear ag baint leasa as.

Compulsory Irish, optional Manx

 

• I don’t think Manx should be compulsory, it was a disaster in Ireland … caused endless resentment. (fluent Manx speaker, interviewed 2022–3)

 

A notable feature of the movement to revive the Manx Gaelic language of the Isle of Man is a widespread conviction that the policy of compulsory Irish in Ireland has been a counterproductive failure – a view more associated in Ireland with a contrarian minority of anti-Irish politicians and journalists, and vigorously opposed by the Irish language community itself.

An aspect of my research at the moment has been investigating views on this topic among Manx speakers, and their implications for policy development.

Ever since the founding of the Manx Language Society in 1899 at the height of the Gaelic and Celtic Revival period, Ireland has loomed large in the imagination of Manx language activists as a role model and source of practical guidance for language planning, and sometimes, as a perceived example of what not to do.

Manx has been available as an optional subject in the Isle of Man’s schools since the early 1990s, taught by a team of peripatetic teachers employed by the Manx Government’s education department. A large proportion of primary pupils aged 8 to 11 are enrolled in these classes, and much smaller numbers continue at secondary school. While there has been some expansion of this provision, the fundamentals of the model have changed little and its optional nature is largely unquestioned.

Manx education policy is typically framed by Manx speakers as both more liberal and more pragmatic than the perceived dogmatism and ineffectiveness of compulsory Irish. In part this view reflects the more marginal position of the language in Manx society and policymaking in the period when the provision was introduced. Arguably, this stance is an obstacle to the pursuit of more ambitious policy today, when there is increased goodwill towards the language which is not fully harnessed.