Irish language

Irish (Gaeilge), a Goidelic language spoken in the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the USA, is constitutionally recognised as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland. On 13 June, 2005, EU foreign ministers unanimously decided to make Irish an official working language of the European Union. The new arrangements will come into effect on 1 January, 2007.

Names of the language

In English

The language is sometimes referred to in English as Gaelic (IPA: {{IPA|/?ge?l?k/}}), or Irish Gaelic, but this has a derogatory ring, so it is more generally referred to, both among linguists and in the Constitution of Ireland, as the Irish language or simply Irish. Use of the term Irish also avoids confusion with Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig), the closely related language spoken in Scotland and often referred to in English as simply Gaelic (IPA: {{IPA|/?ge?l?k/}} or {{IPA|/?gæ?l?k/}}). The archaic term Erse, originally a Scots form of the word Irish, is no longer used and in most contexts is also considered derogatory.

Related Topics:
English - IPA - Scottish Gaelic - Scotland - Erse - Scots

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In Irish

In the Caighdeán Oifigiúil (the official written standard) the name of the language is Gaeilge, which reflects the southern Connacht pronunciation {{IPA|/?ge?l?g??/}}. Before the spelling reform of 1948, this form was spelled Gaedhilge; originally this was the genitive of Gaedhealg, the form used in classical Modern Irish. Older spellings of this include Gaoidhealg in Middle Irish and Goídelc in Old Irish.

Related Topics:
Connacht - 1948 - Genitive - Old Irish

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Other forms of the name found in the various modern Irish dialects, in addition to south Connacht Gaeilge mentioned above, include Gaedhilic/Gaeilic/Gaeilig (pronounced {{IPA|/?ge?l??k?/}}) in County Donegal and parts of County Mayo, Gaedhealaing/Gaoluinn/Gaelainn (pronounced {{IPA|/?ge?l???/}}) in Munster, and Gaedhlag (pronounced {{IPA|/?ge?l?g/}}) in Omeath, County Louth.

Related Topics:
Irish dialects - County Donegal - County Mayo - Munster - Omeath - County Louth

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