Protestants and the Irish Language
Historical Heritage and Current Attitudes in Northern Ireland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8102391 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rosalind M O Pritchard, Rosalind Pritchard (0000-0001-7854-7637, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2004 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 62-82 |
| Publication date | 2004-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0143-4632 • E-ISSN: 1747-7557 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/01434630408666520 |
| OpenAlex | W2139619945 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 21 |
| References cited | 13 |
The Irish language has long been regarded in the popular mind as a correlate of Irish nationalism. A model expounded by the sociolinguist, Joshua Fishman, is applied to the evolution of Irish as a nationalist icon, and it is demonstrated that its divisive potential developed only gradually. In fact, it was an object of affection and admiration for many influential 19th century Protestants and unionists. In the 20th century, the language became increasingly polarised for political ends, and after Partition was largely rejected in the education system as experienced by unionist children in Northern Ireland. It is argued that such an overwhelmingly anglocentric orientation, not just in language, but also in history and geography, has paradoxically served to exacerbate the Troubles. It has alienated unionists from cultural capital which rightfully and historically belongs to both traditions, and in so doing has promoted a 'frontier mentality' among them. Somewhat in a spirit of definition by opposition, they are currently turning to Ulster-Scots; yet by adopting a more positive attitude towards Irish, unionists would simultaneously reconnect with their historical roots, and might deprive the language of its potential as a political weapon to be used against them. Keywords: PROTESTANTSIRISH LANGUAGENORTHERN IRELAND
Admiration · Allegiance · Frontier · Irish · Irish nationalism · Linguistics · Nationalism · Opposition (politics · Political science · Politics · Sociology · History · Irish and British Studies · Law · Migration, Policy, and Dickens Studies · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology · Sociology and Cultural Identity Studies
Minority-language Education in a Situation of Conflict
Finding the Irish Language in Canada
Intracultural dialogue as a precursor to cross-community initiatives
Queer gan teanga, queer gan anam
Establishing new norms of language use
Questions of language in the commonwealth censuses
Whither the Irish Language Act? Language policies in Northern Ireland
Confirming two cultures
Secondary foreign policy activities in Third sector cross-border cooperation as conflict transformation in the European Union
When language rights are not enough
Deliberating the Irish language in Northern Ireland
Learning Irish amid controversy
Minority Language Advertising
When Bi-nationalism Meets Multiculturalism
Transitional Politics and Language Rights in a Multi-ethnic Northern Ireland
Unionism, Loyalism, and the Ulster‐Scots Ethnolinguistic ‘Revival
Culture and the Irish border
Negotiating Identity and Belonging
Irish on the World Wide Web
Public discourses on multilingualism in the UK
Linguistic Relativity and Dialectical Idiomatization
| Unique citing works | 21 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,05 |
| Citation span | 2006 - 2025 (20) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 21 |