tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2623721153002721356.post3464750970314195886..comments2024-03-28T17:49:01.125+00:00Comments on Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness: Careful tongues: The Irish Language ConundrumOwen Polleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00567787385096905811noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2623721153002721356.post-68594966485825578252007-08-30T14:17:00.000+01:002007-08-30T14:17:00.000+01:00Sorry fellas but there are not more daily speakers...Sorry fellas but there are not more daily speakers of Chinese languages in NI than Irish Gaelic speakers. All linguistic surveys point to this. According to the last census there are only 8,000 people who can speak Chinese languages.<BR/><BR/>Indeed the original post in general is quite positive - hopefully Unionist politicians take note.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14231108504741533849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2623721153002721356.post-72661830456501029022007-08-30T11:47:00.000+01:002007-08-30T11:47:00.000+01:00Ciaran - I couldn't agree more on the Chinese issu...Ciaran - I couldn't agree more on the Chinese issue. It would be extremely useful if we began dealing in a meaningful way with other minority rights in our society generally.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad that you recognise my views on Irish Language as generally supportive. There is an increasing assumption within some quarters that anything less than mandatory bi-lingualism in public life is in some way an infringement of rights. <BR/><BR/>I think unionist inarticulacy is playing into the hands of those who wish to harness the Irish Language lobby politically. Broad based attacks on the language itself and demonstrating a visceral dislike of hearing it are gifts to Sinn Fein.<BR/><BR/>I think we (unionists) need to demonstrate that we welcome more plays, newspapers and A Levels in Irish, but we just don't accept the need for DVLA forms in that medium! <BR/><BR/>Btw forms in Mandarin would actually serve a useful purpose.Owen Polleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00567787385096905811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2623721153002721356.post-14944796253281669102007-08-30T09:03:00.000+01:002007-08-30T09:03:00.000+01:00Great post. Of course, if the civic approach is to...Great post. Of course, if the civic approach is to generally support language rights, then it would also be a good idea to point out that more people speak Chinese than Irish every day in NI and follow up by supporting similar language rights for Chinese speakers.CiarĂ¡nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04213198599101535603noreply@blogger.com