Language
Languages of Ireland
Éire. 5,981,448. National or official languages: Irish Gaelic, English. Literacy rate: 99%. Information mainly from M. Stephens 1976; R. McCrum, W. Cran, R. MacNeil 1986; J. Fishman 1991. Deaf population: 214,569. Deaf institutions: 36. The number of languages listed for Ireland is 5. Of those, all are living languages.
[eng] 2,600,000 in Ireland (1983). Dialects: South Hiberno English, North Hiberno English. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Gaelic, Irish
[gle] 260,000 in Ireland (1983 census). Population total all countries: 355,000. Western isles northwest and southwest coasts; Galway, part of Mayo, Kerry, Donegal, Meath, Cork, Waterford, Scotland (Albain), Isle of Mann. Also spoken in Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: Irish, Erse, Gaeilge. Dialects: Munster-Leinster (Southern Irish), Connacht (Western Irish), Donegal (Ulster, Northern Irish). Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Goidelic.
Irish Sign Language
[isg] Dublin and elsewhere. Dialects: In 1816 British signs were brought in. In 1846 Irish signs developed in the girls' school, in 1857 Irish signs brought into the boys' school. Related to French Sign Language. There are informal male and female sign systems. Females learn the male system during dating and marriage. The informal system is referred to as 'Deaf Sign Language'. Irish Sign Language is a new unified system, a manual code for English. It has structural features such as directional verbs. It has influenced sign languages in South Africa and Australia. Classification: Deaf sign language.
Scots
[sco] 100,000 in Ireland (1999 Billy Kay). Population includes 60,000 in Lallans, 30,000 in Doric, 10,000 in Ulster. Donegal County. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Shelta
[sth] 6,000 in Ireland. Population total all countries: 86,000. Also spoken in United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: The Cant, Cant, Irish Traveler Cant, Sheldru, Gammon. Dialects: Based largely on Irish with influence from an undocumented source. Classification: Mixed Language, Irish-undocumented.
______________
http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=IE
Éire. 5,981,448. National or official languages: Irish Gaelic, English. Literacy rate: 99%. Information mainly from M. Stephens 1976; R. McCrum, W. Cran, R. MacNeil 1986; J. Fishman 1991. Deaf population: 214,569. Deaf institutions: 36. The number of languages listed for Ireland is 5. Of those, all are living languages.
Living languages
English[eng] 2,600,000 in Ireland (1983). Dialects: South Hiberno English, North Hiberno English. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Gaelic, Irish
[gle] 260,000 in Ireland (1983 census). Population total all countries: 355,000. Western isles northwest and southwest coasts; Galway, part of Mayo, Kerry, Donegal, Meath, Cork, Waterford, Scotland (Albain), Isle of Mann. Also spoken in Brazil, Canada, United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: Irish, Erse, Gaeilge. Dialects: Munster-Leinster (Southern Irish), Connacht (Western Irish), Donegal (Ulster, Northern Irish). Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Goidelic.
Irish Sign Language
[isg] Dublin and elsewhere. Dialects: In 1816 British signs were brought in. In 1846 Irish signs developed in the girls' school, in 1857 Irish signs brought into the boys' school. Related to French Sign Language. There are informal male and female sign systems. Females learn the male system during dating and marriage. The informal system is referred to as 'Deaf Sign Language'. Irish Sign Language is a new unified system, a manual code for English. It has structural features such as directional verbs. It has influenced sign languages in South Africa and Australia. Classification: Deaf sign language.
Scots
[sco] 100,000 in Ireland (1999 Billy Kay). Population includes 60,000 in Lallans, 30,000 in Doric, 10,000 in Ulster. Donegal County. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Shelta
[sth] 6,000 in Ireland. Population total all countries: 86,000. Also spoken in United Kingdom, USA. Alternate names: The Cant, Cant, Irish Traveler Cant, Sheldru, Gammon. Dialects: Based largely on Irish with influence from an undocumented source. Classification: Mixed Language, Irish-undocumented.
______________
http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=IE
