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Gaelphobail nua-aoiseacha: inmharthanacht agus pobail mhionteanga i saol faoin domhandú
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Date
2020-12-11
Authors
Ní Shionnain, Ursula
Journal Title
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Publisher
University College Cork
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Abstract
Is é príomhchuspóir an taighde seo ná iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar na fachtóirí a bhaineann le hinmharthanacht i bpobail mhionteanga na sochaí nua-aoisí. Díríonn an staidéar nua agus uathúil seo ar Ghaelphobail atá ceantrach-bhunaithe agus ar phobail Ghaeilge a fheidhmíonn trí ghréasáin shóisialta mar chás mionteanga ar leith chun na fachtóirí seo a chíoradh. Taispeánann teoiricí Fishman (1989; 1991; 2001) an tábhacht a bhaineann le seachadadh idirghlúine na mionteanga agus an nasc idir an baile, an chomharsanacht agus an pobal i gcothú na mionteanga agus cuirtear argóintí chun cinn i bhfabhar dlúthphobal déimeagrafach sa chothú sin. Cíorann an tráchtas seo na teoiricí seo, chomh maith le teoiricí eile a bhaineann le hinmharthanacht mhionteanga, agus rinneadh taighde príomhúil chun na teoiricí seo a mheas. Baineadh úsáid as modhanna measctha chun eolas a bhailiú don taighde, léirmheas litríochta, agallaimh, agallamh grúpa agus ceistneoir go príomha.
Léiríonn an taighde, cé go bhfuil méadú tagtha ar úsáid na Gaeilge leis na glúnta éagsúla ó ghlúin na seantuismitheoirí síos go dtí glúin na ngarpháistí sna Gaelphobail atá faoi scrúdú anseo, go bhfuil an dátheangachas chun cinn sna pobail ar fad. Taispeántar an tionchar a imríonn an tógáil Ghaeilge aonteangach ar iompar teanga rannpháirtithe an taighde seo níos déanaí le linn an tsaoil le tromlach an ghrúpa sin ag tógáil a bpáistí féin le Gaeilge inniu agus úsáid níos fabhraí i leith na sprioctheanga i gceist leo i gcomparáid leis na rannpháirtithe a tógadh le Béarla. Léirítear chomh maith gur ghlac tromlach na dtuismitheoirí atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge sa staidéar seo cinneadh comhfhiosach maidir leis an mbeartas seo. Mar atá pléite ag Ó Giollagáin et al (2007a), d’fhéadfadh an cás seo castacht nó leochaileacht atá ag an bpobal teanga ina chuid teagmhálacha le pobal teanga eile a thaispeáint agus d’fhéadfaí hipitéis a thabhairt sa chás seo go bhfuil na tuismitheoirí ag dul i ngleic leis seo trí chinneadh comhfhiosach a ghlacadh maidir le cur ar aghaidh na mionteanga chuig an gcéad ghlúin eile.
I gcomhthéacs theoiricí Fishman ar inmharthanacht an phobail mhionteanga, taispeánann an taighde seo go bhfuil fearann an teaghlaigh sna pobail faoi scrúdú i mbaol ó thaobh cothú na mionteanga de agus nach bhfuil an chomharsanacht ag feidhmiú mar fhearann cothaithe do pháistí na bpobal seo. Léiríonn torthaí an cheistneora go bhfuil iompar teanga níos láidre i bhfabhar na Gaeilge soiléir i gcás na rannpháirtithe a bhfuil cónaí orthu i gcomharsanachtaí Gaeilge agus go bhfuil bunús áitiúil ag formhór na ngréasán sóisialta atá ag rannpháirtithe an taighde. I gcás an staidéir seo, tá sé soiléir go bhfeidhmíonn na pobail Ghaeilge ar bhonn logánta den chuid is mó.
Taispeánann an taighde seo go bhfuil modhanna forbartha pobail éagsúla i bhfeidhm sna pobail faoi scrúdú ach meastar go bhfuil éifeachtacht ar leith ag baint leis an gcur chuige ón mbun aníos, cás a chruthaíonn úinéireacht, rannpháirtíocht phobail agus tógáil nasc i measc na mball. Taispeánann an staidéar seo an ról tábhachtach a imríonn siombailí i gcothú na sprioctheanga agus an nasc a dhéanann baill phobail le stair, oidhreacht agus cur faoi chois i gcomhthéacs na Gaeilge. Airítear an tionchar a imríonn an mhórtheanga ar úsáid na mionteanga, an brú síoraí a mhothaítear uaidh agus an creimeadh a dhéanann sé ar phobail na Gaeilge. Taispeánann an taighde seo, má tá an mhionteanga le cothú, go bhfuil gá le teorainneacha éifeachtacha a fhorbairt leis an mórtheanga chomh maith le tacaíocht chuí stáit chun staid níos fabhraí a chruthú do Ghaelphobail chomhaimseartha na linne.
The primary objective of this research is to examine the factors associated with viability in modern society’s minority language communities. This new and unique study focuses on Irish-language communities that are geographically based as well as Irish-language communities that function through social networks as a specific minority language case to examine these factors. Fishman’s theories (1989; 1991; 2001) demonstrate the importance associated with the intergenerational transmission of the minority language and the link between the home, the neighbourhood and the community in its maintenance. In terms of that preservation, they argue in favour of a demographically concentrated community. This thesis examines those theories, as well as others relating to minority language viability, and primary research was carried out to assess those theories. Mixed methods were used to collect data for this research, primarily a literary review, interviews, a group interview and questionnaires.
This research shows that, although there has been an increase in the usage of Irish with various generations, from grandparents down to grandchildren in all of the Irish-language communities being studied here, that bilingualism is to the fore in all of the communities. The influence that raising a family with Irish only has on the language behaviour of this research’s participants later in life is demonstrated with the majority of that group raising their own families with Irish today and displaying stronger language behaviour favourable to Irish in comparison to participants who were raised with English. It also shows that the majority of parents who are raising a family with Irish consciously decided to do so. As discussed by Ó Giollagáin et al (2007a), this case could demonstrate the complexity or the vulnerability of the language community in relation to its relationship with another language community and it could be hypothesized in this case that the parents are tackling this by making a conscious decision to pass the minority language on to the next generation.
In light of Fishman’s theories on the viability of the minority language community, this research shows that the home domain in the communities being examined here are at risk in terms of language maintenance and that the neighbourhood is not functioning as a maintenance domain for the children of these communities. The results of the questionnaire demonstrate stronger language behaviour in favour of Irish from those who live in Irish-language neighbourhoods and show that most of the social networks of the research participants have a local basis. In the case of this study, it is clear that the Irish-language communities function locally for the most part.
This research shows that various community development methods are in use in the communities being studied here but it is estimated that the bottom-up approach is particularly effective, which creates ownership, community participation and the building of connections amongst its members. This study shows the important role played by symbols in the maintenance of the target language and the connection that community members make with history, heritage and oppression in the context of Irish. The influence that the majority language has on the usage of the minority language is seen here as well as the constant pressure from English and its erosion of Irish-language communities. This research shows that, if the minority language is to be maintained, effective boundaries with the majority language must be developed as well as appropriate state support to create a more favourable state for contemporary Irish-language communities.
Description
Keywords
Gaelphobail , Pobail mhionteanga , An tIar-nua-aoiseachas , Forbairt Pobail , Irish language communities , Minority language communities , Postmodernity , Globalisation , An domhandú , Community development
Citation
Ní Shionnain, U. 2020. Gaelphobail nua-aoiseacha: inmharthanacht agus pobail mhionteanga i saol faoin domhandú. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.