This book is a general introduction to the English spoken in Ireland, its most characteristic features, and its historical development. It provides a practical introduction to the topic of Irish English (also known as Hiberno-English), the variety of English that arose in Ireland as a consequence of contact between the Irish and the English languages. As well as looking at the specific examples where substratum from Irish can be observed, the book analyses other features unique to Irish English, from different perspectives (taking into account, for example, the pragmatic implications of certain syntactic structures in current spoken Irish English). It offers the reader a comprehensive coverage of the history and most salient features of this variety of English, while discussing key concepts such as bilingualism and language shift. The material is presented in a simple and accessible manner. It encourages the reader to discuss and think critically about some of the topics and to use the last section of each chapter as a basis for further investigation. An Introduction to Irish English contains exercises and practical activities with each chapter, as well as suggestions for further reading. It deals with both real data and fictional representations of this variety and it includes excerpts from Literature, media and film scripts, as well as other contexts, including everyday conversation, political debates, newspapers, e-mail, blogs, etc.

Accompanying CD-ROM contains ... "all the bibliographical items in this book ... along with self-installing software necessary to process the databases and tha annotations on a personal computer." -- p. [535].

English has been spoken in Ireland for over 800 years, making Irish English the oldest variety of the language outside Britain. This 2007 book traces the development of English in Ireland, both north and south, from the late Middle Ages to the present day. Drawing on authentic data ranging from medieval literature to authentic contemporary examples, it reveals how Irish English arose, how it has developed, and how it continues to change. A variety of central issues are considered in detail, such as the nature of language contact and the shift from Irish to English, the sociolinguistically motivated changes in present-day Dublin English, the special features of Ulster Scots, and the transportation of Irish English to overseas locations as diverse as Canada, the United States, and Australia. Presenting a comprehensive survey of Irish English at all levels of linguistics, this book will be invaluable to historical linguists, sociolinguists, syntacticians and phonologists alike.

Engagingly written and packed with illustrations, Early Ireland offers an authoritative introduction to the riches of Irish prehistory.

This popular introduction to the Irish language is now accompanied by an audio CD. Irish, also known as Irish Gaelic or Gaelige, is spoken today by approximately one million people worldwide. It is also the basis of the Irish literary tradition, which is the oldest in Europe after Greek and Latin. This valuable guide, ideal for both individual and classroom use, teaches the basics of Irish grammar and vocabulary in 10 easy-to-follow lessons. The audio CD feature complements the dialogue and grammar sections of the lesson, aiding the reader in understanding the language as spoken.

This book comprises the first complete treatment of the Irish language in social context throughout the whole of Ireland, with a particular focus on contemporary society. The possibilities and limitations of the craft of language planning for the revival of the Irish language are outlined and the book also situates the language issue in the context of current debates on the geography, history and politics of the nature of Irish identity. A comprehensive multidisciplinary approach is adopted throughout.

Learning Irish is the standard introductory course to the Irish language. The product of many years of original and scholarly research as well as much teaching experience, this book and the accompanying online audio program serve a double function: they provide a sound approach to the ordinary language learner and at the same time furnish the professional linguist with an authentic description of the spoken language. The book does not presuppose prior knowledge of Irish and gives thorough coverage of the grammatical patterns of the language. Texts and exercises are presented in an authentic, interesting, conversational style and in carefully graded stages. The learner is assisted in mastering the pronunciation by the use of phonetic spelling and by the related audio recordings.