Any chance of spontaneous Umgangssprache?

I always enjoy, while not always agreeing with, the Irish Times's columnist Miriam Lord. Her Saturday contribution as usual unearthed a few snippits of information.

Entitled, Tourists ask Higgins to show them the way, (22nd September 2018) it describes how after an event in Dublin city centre the President was asked for directions as he left. Humourous as that event was I was more interested in the account of another event she covered.

Goethe & Schiller in Weimer (D)

This was the official opening of the Goethe Institut in Dublin's Merrion Square. As someone who has benefited in the past at this establishment I usually note the events that it organises in fostering and promoting German culture in Ireland.

Our Minister of Arts Culture and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, officially opened the new HQ and, according to Miriam, delighted he audience by delivering “three quarters of her speech in German.” We are told that she declared herself a little wary of descending into “spontaneous Umgangssprache.” It was also apparently her first time “speaking in German as a minister.” In her past life she shared that she actually dreamed in German when she lived in Vienna. Her speech earned  her a standing ovation.

I find it richly ironic, if not tragic, that as Minister charged with supporting, developing and encouraging our National Language she is happy to vaunt he knowledge of the language of Goethe and Schiller yet is unable (unwilling) to express herself at public events in the language of Ó Cadhain, MacAingil, Céitinn, and Colmcille.

Aodh Mac Aingil in Rome

This is the person whom, as she assumed the position as Minister she said “I think your proficiency and fluency in a language doesn’t mean that you don’t love the language. Obviously I would have been quite proficient some 30 years ago so yes, I probably will try and endeavour to make it a little bit stronger,” (Irish Times 4/12/2017). In effect this means that she has a significant disadvantage as an effective minister because it makes it more challenging for her to understand the real concerns of the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities. It means that she is cut off from a real connection with the historic Irish nation which perhaps makes a mockery of her position as promoter of a culture which for almost 2000 years was expressed in the Irish language and only 250 years of which is expressed in the English language which itself is about 1000 years old.

The people of the Gaeltacht and Irish speakers would be particularly impressed, I feel, if she descended into Umgangssprache spontaneously or otherwise while speaking at cultural events. She might even get another standing ovation.

Perhaps she would benefit by asking Michael D for directions!

• See also A Pronounced low level of respect. (4/12/2017)

A pronounced low level of respect!

‘I have a great love of the language… but I’m not promising that I’m going to study Irish,’ is the headline this morning in the Irish news service Tuairisc.ie (Irish). It is quoting remarks the new Minister for the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan TD, made in a programme on RTÉ Television - view the segment here.

Beirt gan Gaeilge!

According to a number of tweets that followed,  she displayed a marked depreciation of the National Language and culture. And another stated that she would be unable to communicate with the community she is supposed to be serving.

Indeed is is hardly an exaggeration to say that she embodies, as have all Ministers of the Gaeltachta since 2011, the State message noted by Seán Ó Cuirreáin so many times - "Speak Irish among yourselves but speak English to us!"

The fact that she seems to pawn off this part of her responsibility to a Junior Minister tells its own story - "...you know Joe McHugh has dedicated statutory responsibility for the Gaeltacht...."

A Green Party candidate for the Dublin Mid West Constituency, Peter Kavenagh, remarked, "It would appear that Fine Gael think Irish is quite nice, but that they do not have to take it seriously and show any commitment or leadership at the cabinet table!"

But perhaps the most fluent of the comments on twitter was from the twitter account of author Felicity Hays-McCoy.

"Not being proficient in a language doesn't imply you don't love it. Being unwilling to improve your proficiency in Irish when you're the minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht suggests your definition of "loving" a language doesn't imply a high level of respect for it."

In last Saturday's Irish Times the incomparable Miriam Lord spoke about the new minister's insistence on the correct pronunciation of her name.

One wishes she showed even half this enthusiasm for the language and culture of the Region she has the honour to be responsible for, even if she tries to disown that responsibility.