Wenn man lange miteinander lebt, ist es nicht verwunderlich, dass Eigenschaften des einen auf den anderen abfärben. Bei Sprachen ist dies nicht anders. Wenn zwei Sprachen lange Zeit nebeneinander existieren, liegt es nahe, dass sie sich gegenseitig beeinflussen. Dies kann auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise geschehen und mit unterschiedlicher Intensität erfolgen. Für den Wissenschaftler bleibt nun die Frage, welche Eigenschaften einer Sprache kontaktbedingt sind, und welche nicht. Ein viel debattiertes Beispiel für Sprachkontakt ist das des Englischen und Irischen. Die Frage wie weit das Irische das Englische in Irland beeinflusst hat, findet viele Antworten, je nachdem wen man fragt, und es ist nicht einfach für den objektiven Wissenschaftler eine klare Antwort zu finden.
Table of Contents
1.) The history of Irish and English in Ireland
2.) What is language contact?
3.) Features of Irish English and their relationship with the Irish Language
3.1) Yes/No questions:
3.2) Indirect questions:
3.4 After-Perfect
3.4.1 Other perfects:
3.5) The definite article:
3.6) Periphrastic do:
3.7) Subordinating and:
3.8) Prepositions:
3.9) Clefting and topicalisation:
4.) Conclusion
Research Goal and Focus
The primary research objective of this study is to examine how the historical language contact between Irish Gaelic and English has structurally influenced the development of Irish English. By analyzing specific grammatical features and comparing them to Irish language patterns, the work aims to determine the extent to which structural interference persists in the English spoken in Ireland.
- The historical coexistence and transition from Irish to English.
- Theoretical frameworks of language contact and substratum interference.
- Analysis of specific grammatical markers like the "after-perfect", yes/no response patterns, and clefting.
- The role of "multiple causation" and social factors in language shift.
- The potential for broader Celtic influence on the English language beyond simple lexical borrowing.
Excerpt from the Book
3.4 After-Perfect
One of the most discussed features of Irish English is the so called after perfect. The after perfect is usually used to refer to an event that has just taken place, so that the effects of the event still persist. The event is therefore of immediate relevance to the discourse. It is also sometimes called the “hot news” perfect. After perfect constructions usually follow the patter: Subject + “be” + after + V-ing, as in “I was after buying”17.
The after perfect is one of the few features of Irish English which is indisputably of Irish origin. It is universally said to be a calque, or loan translation of a similar construction found in Irish. The Irish construction usually follows the pattern Tá “be” + Subject + tar éis (tréis) “after” + verbal noun, like in Tá sé tréis imeacht. (He’s after going), which means, “He has just gone”18. Instances of after perfect correspond to constructions involving “just” in Standard English.
That the after perfect is so widely agreed upon to be derived from Irish is due to the fact that no alternative explanation has been found. No similar construction appears in older forms of English and it does not exist in modern dialects, except for other Celtic contact varieties. Filppula19 shows that a similar feature can be found in Hebridean English were it is based on Scots Gaelic. Welsh English has nothing comparable, but the Welsh language does not either. This leads to the conclusion that whenever something like the after perfect appears it is due to Celtic contact.
Summary of Chapters
1.) The history of Irish and English in Ireland: This chapter provides an overview of the long-standing coexistence of Irish and English, highlighting the eventual linguistic shift caused by historical settlement and political dominance.
2.) What is language contact?: This chapter defines language contact and discusses theoretical concepts such as substratum interference and contact-induced change as articulated by Sarah Thomason.
3.) Features of Irish English and their relationship with the Irish Language: This central chapter analyzes various grammatical phenomena, including questions, perfect constructions, the definite article, and prepositional usage to identify Irish influence.
4.) Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, concluding that while lexical borrowing is minimal, Irish has had a profound structural impact on the English spoken in Ireland.
Keywords
Irish English, Language Contact, Substratum Interference, Grammar, After-perfect, Bilingualism, Structural Influence, Celtic Languages, Linguistic Shift, Periphrastic do, Clefting, Topicalisation, Contact-induced change, Historical Linguistics, Syntax
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper explores the structural influence of the Irish language on the variety of English spoken in Ireland, specifically focusing on grammatical features resulting from language contact.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The core themes include historical linguistic background, the theory of language contact, and the identification of specific grammatical shifts in Irish English compared to Standard English.
What is the core research question?
The work seeks to answer to what extent the close historical contact between Irish and English has shaped the specific grammatical structure of the English language in Ireland.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a comparative analysis of grammatical features, synthesizing evidence from existing literature and dialectal data to evaluate the likelihood of Irish language influence.
What does the main body cover?
The main body investigates specific linguistic features such as yes/no question responses, the "after-perfect", the definite article, periphrastic "do", and various prepositional and focusing constructions.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Irish English, Language Contact, Substratum Interference, After-perfect, and Structural Influence.
How is the "after-perfect" construction formed in Irish English?
It follows the pattern of "Subject + be + after + V-ing", which is a calque or loan translation of the Irish construction "Tá + Subject + tar éis + verbal noun".
Why does the author argue that Celtic influence on English may be greater than often assumed?
The author argues that even in the absence of significant lexical borrowing, historical contact often leaves deep, permanent marks on the syntax and grammar of a language, which are frequently overlooked in mainstream textbooks.
- Quote paper
- Iris Heuse (Author), 2007, Celtic Connections - How much Celtic is in Irish English?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/73540
