While Connecticut might be separated from Ireland by 3,000 miles, an increasing number of Huskies can answer “yes” to the question, An bhfuil Gaeilge agat? (“Do you speak Irish?”), thanks to a visiting scholar from the Emerald Isle.<\/p>\n
Muireann Nic Corcr\u00e1in is spending the academic year at UConn as a Fulbright Scholar teaching the Irish language. Along the way, she also wants to help promote Irish culture to the University community.<\/p>\n
The Irish language, commonly known as Gaelic in the United States and elsewhere, is the official national language of Ireland, even though plenty of English is spoken there.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see it on road signs and grow up with it,\u201d says Nic Corcr\u00e1in, who full name is pronounced \u201cmur-en nick cur-crawn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are years of history of trying to rebuild the language and rebuild the positive connotations toward the language.\u201d she says. \u201cThere are places around Ireland where it is the first language for many and the language of the community. It\u2019s about trying to make people realize that is not just a school subject, but very much a living language you can use and engage with.\u201d<\/p>\n
English became the dominant language for Ireland during centuries of colonization by neighboring Britain, but Nic Corcr\u00e1in finds Irish a beautiful alternative.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you study French, German or Spanish, the structure is subject-verb-object, but in Irish we put the verb first, so it is verb-subject-object,\u201d says Nic Corcr\u00e1in. \u201cThat\u2019s the way the grammar works and some people do get a little confused. I think it\u2019s a lovely language that is very musical and really melodic. When you talk to someone who has grown up speaking it from a native area, it\u2019s just so lovely to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n