Béarlachas

Béarlachas is an Irish word used to describe a variety of Irish language perceived by users of the term to be excessively influenced by English. This influence may vary between simple anglicisms to a process of pidginization. It is a result of language contact.

A common form of Béarlachas is the creation of an Irish verb by a process of borrowing an English verb and adding the Irish suffix 'áil'. [ [http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/irish-language/dialects.html Irish dialects - use of "áil"] ] [ [http://www.gaeltacabac.com/7i.htm Gael-Taca website (Irish language promotion organisation) Examples of 'Béarlachas'] ]

Example: "Táim ag runáil go dtí an siopa" (I'm running towards the shop) - "runáil" is not an Irish word, and should instead be "rith".

Calquing also occurs: an English phrase is literally translated into Irish, even though an equivalent Irish phrase already exists. [ [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=667974 Everything2 project - bearlachas] ]

Example: "Moilligh Síos" (Slow down - calque from English), instead of the more correct "Maolaigh ar do luas" (reduce your velocity).

Many Béarlachas words have become common in the Irish language, for example:

* mar shampla: for a sample
* liosta: list
* aidhm: aim (where "cuspóir" already exists)
* praghas: price
* fón: phone (where "guthán" already exists)
* dabht: doubt (where "amhras" and "gó" already exist)
* halla: hall (where "áras" already exists. Also H does not occur at the beginning of a word in Irish unless of a mutation).
*ceint IPA| [sˠɛnʲtʲ] : cent, even though the soft "C" does not exist in Irish. "Soint" would be an acceptable spelling.

Letters that are not traditionally used in Irish orthography occur (such as J K Q V W X Y Z and H at the beginning of words):

* Véarsa: Verse (where "rann" already exists)
* Jab: Job (where "post" already exists)
* Zú: Zoo (where "gairrín ainmhithe" already exists)

Between the 1970s and 1990s Republican prisoners in Long Kesh prison spoke in Irish. They nicknamed the place "An Jailtacht", a portmanteau combining the Irish "Gaeltacht" (Irish speaking region), and the English "jail". [ [http://www.irishlanguage.net/irish/history.asp IrishLanguage.net - History of the Irish Language] ]

The republican slogan "Tiocfaidh ár lá" (Our day will come) is a form of Béarlachas, more idiomatic equivalents being "Beidh ár lá linn" or "Beidh ár lá againn".

References