Studying in Ireland – The Challenge of Hiberno-English

Studying in Ireland – The Challenge of Hiberno-English

The two most spoken forms of English are British and American English. They are largely the same, with some minor differences in spelling (British English has a u in words like colour, but American English does not) and word choice (like Shopping Centre and Shopping Mall).

In Ireland, we speak a different form of the language, known as Hiberno-English.

Why the name ‘Hiberno’?

Students in Ireland might agree with the origin of the name. It comes from the classical Latin name for Ireland, Hibernia. This roughly translates to “the land of winter”, with the same root as the word “hibernate”.

It is because of this that the Romans never wanted to conquer Ireland.

What is Hiberno-English?

In simple terms, Hiberno-English is what happens when the people of Ireland have translated directly from the Irish language. Language students often find that their most common mistakes come from translating from their native tongue to another. Frequent mistakes include word order, especially when describing things. In English, we say “red car”, but in Spanish, for example, they say “auto rojo”.

Hiberno English is similar mistakes, but with more confusing outcomes as we translate from Irish to English. Irish is an old and confusing language, and this tends to leak into English on the island of Ireland.

Examples

1. “I’m after doing something.”

Grammatically, this is a mess. The sentence should read “I have just done something”. The problem lies in translation.

Táim tar éis dul go dtí on siopa.
(I’m after going to the shop)

2. “Giving out”

This is a phrase we use to mean “complaining”. Why don’t we just say complaining? That’s not how languages evolve.

3. The present habitual tense

What is this? Simple: “I do be”
“I do be there at 8 o’clock”, for example, is used because the situation is a habit, like going to the gym or your job. This comes from the Irish bím, which means “I do be”.

What’s the point?

There are a few reasons for this. First and foremost, cultural understanding. If you travel to a country to learn a language, it’s important to learn about the cultural identity of the locals.

Secondly, so you don’t panic if you hear an Irish person talk and the accent isn’t the only problem.

Finally, and most importantly, so you stop translating from your language to the one you’re trying to learn. It doesn’t work, and sentences just sound confusing as a result.

Ábh mór (or, good luck… although the direct translation for mór is big).