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Is this an English language forum?

Article about: Unfortunately the Irish language is dieing out because of lazyness. I live in one of the very few Gaeltacht areas where most things are done through Gaeilge. But with a lot turrism from Brit

  1. #41

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    Quote by Wagriff View Post
    Not actually fair, though, to call it's cause as laziness. The several hundred year occupation by the English pretty well started a ball rolling that once implemented could not be practically stopped. After nearly 800+ years of forcibly suppressing and eliminating the Irish language, it has all but disappeared today-aside from a number of academicians and your Gaeltachts, as you said. The Statutes of Kilkenny of 1367 was one of the 1st openly determined efforts to eliminate Gaelic from Ireland, and after several painful (literally) centuries of these and other laws being forced upon the people, they have for all practical means succeeded.

    In the meanwhile, I've been watching this discussion with considerable interest. I think that it's boiled down to a byproduct of the age of instant gratification. Many of us here have grown up learning the old hard way, but the next wave has never had such learning-they've always learned what they've needed to know by staring at a tiny computer screen in their hand and pecking at it with their finger tips. Quick information-and quite often very accurate. But the basic Hows and Whys, etc are bypassed in the process. It's akin to learning algebra by using a calculator. You get the right answer immediately, but have no idea as to How. Required school supplies now include a laptop computer. I've often wondered how you can Learn with such resources. But, today's generation would counter by asking "Why do we Need to learn? The answers are right There! You're just jealous because You didn't have it easy like we do!". Pretty much, the old generation could do Anything-from building a house to stripping down a car engine. Today's generation couldn't build a boiled egg without instructions, But...they Are excellent information finders. It's not "Learning" as defined by books, but what Is it? It seems to Work, somehow... It's a hell of a situation, and expressed quite well by another old school style learner-Albert Einstein "I fear the day when technology overlaps our humanity. It will be then that the world will have permanent ensuing generations of idiots."
    That's why sometimes I feel quite obsolete,I,ve spent a life time filling my head with information this generation can find in 30 seconds on their "magic boxes".But do they have any depth or reason to their knowledge?
    Sometimes I feel the old pre internet day's were much better,you had to work for what you learnt which gave you an appreciation of the subject matter.This I put into practice with my little one's,I ask them this question quite often."If you have learnt something today can you explain what you have learnt and why it is so."
    Sorry if this is a tad off topic.
    Cheers
    Dave

  2. #42

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    [QUOTE=Eric Zentner;714882]
    Quote by BOB COLEMAN View Post
    No matter what one collects, your collecting skills will improve based upon the effort you put in to it. During the period I seriously collcected Japanese swords, I had to learn a new language for me and also have the ability to read kanji used in sword inscriptions.

    You had your wife as a bilt in teacher though, Thats not fair

    Eric
    Actually that is not the fact. I had to learn this on my own years before we ever met. In fact, I taught her the pronunciation of some kanji as it was archaic not taught in school anymore.
    BOB

    LIFE'S LOSERS NEVER LEARN FROM THE ERROR OF THEIR WAYS.

  3. #43

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    Quote by ObKrieger View Post
    I think that it's vital to have at least a general understanding of German when it comes to collecting German militaria. If learning both Arabic and German have taught me anything about the world, it's that the language of a people directly reflects the mindset of the people. One can spend years studying German culture, and he or she will only know die Deutsche Leute on a textbook level. When you can understand the language, it opens your mind to a whole new world of what it means to be German. When it comes to the study of Nazi Germany, one should discard of his or her (particularly rampant) ethnocentrism, and see the years 1933-1945 from a German perspective.

    Too many people forget that Nazi Germany wasn't simply the SS and the Holocaust. There was/is and entire culture associated with it. My study of German has helped me grasp an understanding of this culture.

    As far as the idea of English being the primary language of this forum goes, I should note that the name of this site is 'Warrelics.eu', not 'Warrelics.uk'...
    Bravo. Well said.

  4. #44

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    I must say gents, I've been looking into taking some German lessons to help me with the hobby. I can use the google translate thing, it's the pronunciation that I'd like to learn. I can read and spell some words but I've got no idea how many of them are pronounced. When I was in school we simply didn't have the option to learn another language, it just didn't exist in Australian schools, certainly not in any school I went to and I went to many as my father was a crop duster and we travelled all over Australia with bis work. I suppose a country like ours is so far from anywhere it just wasn't seen as something that should be taught. Several decades later and Australia is a different place, my daughter is seven years old and has been learning Japanese at school since last year, she's smarter than her dopey dad!

  5. #45
    ?

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    Quote by Wagriff View Post
    Not actually fair, though, to call it's cause as laziness. The several hundred year occupation by the English pretty well started a ball rolling that once implemented could not be practically stopped. After nearly 800+ years of forcibly suppressing and eliminating the Irish language, it has all but disappeared today-aside from a number of academicians and your Gaeltachts, as you said. The Statutes of Kilkenny of 1367 was one of the 1st openly determined efforts to eliminate Gaelic from Ireland, and after several painful (literally) centuries of these and other laws being forced upon the people, they have for all practical means succeeded.
    The thing is, you are able to become the President of Ireland without knowing fluent Irish, but you cant become a postman without it.
    Penal laws and what not did have a big part in the loss of the Language but I was referring to more recent times.

    250px-Gaeltachtai_le_hainmneacha2.svg.png220px-Gaeltacht_1926.jpgAttachment 420493
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #46

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    I know enough German to order a beer and a meal and be reasonably sure of what i'm expecting. I can catch a train to the correct destination in Germany or usually drive to my destination without getting terribly lost yet I don't consider myself higher than a 1 out of 10 in the German language stakes. The point is, a basic understanding is not difficult and I for one am glad that we embrace the correct terms in this forum.

    I was speaking with the father of my German friend last week and asked him his former rank in the Bundeswehr, "Lieutenant Colonel" he replied. " Herr Oberst-Leutnant" I responded and he was visibly pleased that I was versed in at least the basic terminology of his former career.

  7. #47

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    I know a few basic phrases from my tour guiding days, the tourists used to teach me words and phrases from time to time but, of course, nothing of a military nature. It wasn't the right subject to bring up on tour, most of them were quite sensitive about it.

  8. #48

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    I'll assume that you meant to say "did" as opposed to "did not"...lol And, yes-I totally agree. Gaelic is pretty much like Latin is today. Still known and understood, but sadly lost as a speaking language for every day usage and quite likely never will return again. People like Yeats and Russell tried their damnedest to revive it and instill some local pride in knowing and speaking it, but to no avail. I believe in your lifetime, you will see Gaelic flicker out from Eire, and this will be a sad day, indeed.
    William

    "Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."

  9. #49

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    As Bob mentioned, it would be good to hear from the thread starter as to the meaning of his question and if it has been addressed, as his phrasing allowed some ambiguity as to what he was asking.

    A lot of good points raised so far and I think that most agree that the use of German terminology is seen as a good thing.

    With regards to the Irish, Wales has had similar problems with regards to the decline of it's native language, though measures have been taken to halt that and in fact the use of Welsh has increased in recent years. I am from Cardiff and very few people spoke Welsh when I was a child and though I had Welsh lessons in school for many years, it was not something that had any use in that region and most of it is long forgotten. These days things have changed and Welsh is used as the first language in many schools even in Cardiff and where I now live in West Wales, 70% of the locals speak Welsh and all government documents are bilingual, though interestingly, most of the locals read the English version as the Welsh version is of such an artificial nature that is is not understandable to native Welsh speakers. I still know very little Welsh, other than the basic polite greetings and a little more besides. In fact, I probably know more Dutch than I do Welsh, having lived there for two years and having passed a course in Dutch for absolute beginners when I was in residence there.

    Diolch
    Regards,

    Jerry

    Whatever its just an opinion.

  10. #50
    ?

    Default Re: Is this an English language forum?

    Quote by Bond View Post
    As Bob mentioned, it would be good to hear from the thread starter as to the meaning of his question and if it has been addressed, as his phrasing allowed some ambiguity as to what he was asking.

    A lot of good points raised so far and I think that most agree that the use of German terminology is seen as a good thing.

    With regards to the Irish, Wales has had similar problems with regards to the decline of it's native language, though measures have been taken to halt that and in fact the use of Welsh has increased in recent years. I am from Cardiff and very few people spoke Welsh when I was a child and though I had Welsh lessons in school for many years, it was not something that had any use in that region and most of it is long forgotten. These days things have changed and Welsh is used as the first language in many schools even in Cardiff and where I now live in West Wales, 70% of the locals speak Welsh and all government documents are bilingual, though interestingly, most of the locals read the English version as the Welsh version is of such an artificial nature that is is not understandable to native Welsh speakers. I still know very little Welsh, other than the basic polite greetings and a little more besides. In fact, I probably know more Dutch than I do Welsh, having lived there for two years and having passed a course in Dutch for absolute beginners when I was in residence there.

    Diolch

    Im glad that you brought the Welch language into this Jerry.
    My daughter-in-law is Welch, immensely proud of it, (she insisted that my son put a Wales sticker on the opposite rear corner of the family car to the England sticker that he had put on!) she speaks Welch fluently, complete with that lovely lilting accent AND is teaching her daughter and my son, (her husband) to speak the language.
    Personally, to me it seems that, with the increasing use of English as a primary language, the previous "pre-requisite" of having to learn a country's language, whether going on holiday, or, as in our hobby, for research etc, seems to be "going out of the window"! As has been stated more than once already, with the advent of the computer and google-translate etc, the need to learn a native language for research etc is fast disappearing.
    As has previously been stated, the title of this forum is WarRelics.eu, that, by it's very nature to me says that we should be using the appropriate native terminology for whatever we are posting, and, if necessary putting an English translation alongside.


    Regards etc
    Ian D

    AKA: Jimpy

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