Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht [ gɰe ɫt̪əxt̪ ː ] (plural Gaeltachtai [ gɰe ː ɫt̪əxt̪i ː ] ) is the term for regions in Ireland where Irish is officially the predominant language. The totality of these regions, and some regions are denoted by the singular, several individual regions with the plural.

Regions

These areas are mainly located in the west of Ireland, particularly in the counties ( counties) of Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry and Cork, and in small areas in the south of Waterford and the east of Ireland in County Meath. The total population in these areas around 86,000 people, virtually all speak fluent Irish as a second language or even for the Irish is the first language.

History

The Gaeltacht was established for the first time a few years after the formal independence of Ireland in 1926. A distinction in so-called Fior - Ghaeltachtaí ( "real Gaeltachtai " ) and Breac - Ghaeltachtaí ( " Pied Gaeltachtai " ) has been made. The defining feature was the higher percentage of Irish speakers in the Fior - Ghaeltachtaí. However, it soon turned out that the boundaries of the areas concerned had been pulled too far and with that determination, neither the effective management still a useful language policy was possible. The actual number of habitual English speaker was much too high for these purposes.

For this reason the Gaeltacht in 1956 redefined with much narrower limits. The distinction between Fior - Ghaeltachtaí and Breac - Ghaeltachtaí has been dropped here. Within these limits the Gaeltacht basically until today. However, there is also now the problem is that the habitual Irish speakers in fact only in a few small parts of the Gaeltacht represent the majority of residents. In most parts of both language groups are approximately balanced, in part, provide even the English speakers in the majority. This situation is favored in part by the support payments to residents of the Gaeltacht, which also attract residents of neighboring areas, but by no means in all cases, the Irish are powerful or willing this to learn in a degree sufficient for everyday conversation.

Problems

Another problem of the Gaeltacht, the so-called fish -bowl effect (English " aquarium effect " ) dar. every year attracts a wide range of pupils, students and other interested parties, to a large extent also from the USA, the Gaeltacht to learn Irish and to experience the supposedly traditional lifestyle of the residents. This travel is due in large part to the ideology of the 1920s to the 1960s, in which the Irish -speaking and traditionally living Bauer was almost raised in the West of Ireland to the mythical symbol inflated the true identity of Ireland. Although today (and probably to some extent in those decades ) is to feel it a little, this idea is still quite alive. It leads on the one hand, however, mean that with the best little Irish -speaking guests reinforced keeps the English entered the Gaeltacht. Of courtesy usually use English in such situations. On the other hand, the residents feel very often seen and even as hillbilly disregarded (actual fish -bowl effect). Most residents do not consider themselves as traditional or conservative than their neighbors outside the Gaeltacht. However, this does its own socio- cultural self-image with the appropriate Regional or local pride in most cases not sufficient.

This form of tourism has led, together with the government support payments to a relative prosperity in the Gaeltacht, which usually exceeds the surrounding areas. This ensures on the one hand for the retention of many residents (and thus the Irish language ), but also draws again ( English speaking ) people from outside. Overall, even at a superficial glance, a complex network of positive and negative factors that act in the Gaeltacht to the Irish.

Culture

The Gaeltachtai have, despite the contradictory factors described above to a number of cultural features, which make them culturally relatively independent areas. To a large extent this is due entirely to the consciousness of belonging to the last beams of the Irish language. However, the cultural characteristics based long not only on the remains of the "old Irish culture " as it existed until the 16th or 17th century. However, "traditional " and subsequently formed cultural characteristics are difficult to distinguish from each other.

Music

Among the most striking peculiarities include the existence of a vibrant musical tradition. While the instrumental music for outsiders only slightly different from the other traditional music of Ireland, there is here a singing culture, which is characterized as purely musical characteristics mainly by an obviously deep and honest rooted in many people. This so-called Sean - nós tradition ( Ausspr. / ' s'an'no: s /, like " old customs " ) carried out by numerous people. Relative or completely spontaneous vocal performances at private parties, in bars or various other occasions are not uncommon. Men and women who have good singing voices with sophisticated technology and also maybe learn a large number of songs are usually in very high esteem, even among younger people.

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