Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-04-03

I'm the old Gaelic tongue. Ali of the
members OF tho Dahl Eireann speak 1
4 irish according to Information here.
The Government letter heads are
printed I'm Irish. and even when the
lletter " written In English. tho salu-
tation Is "a cara''-my dear.
TO show that tho language IL in /
common use, Irish speakers at meet |
lings in this country often open their |
talks with a few words In Gaelic. |
When Dc Valera held his meetings
hero he liked to do this. even though
scorcely anyone in the audience could
understand the Gaelic words Of greet
ling.
Several years ago 81 was estimated
that sixth OF the Irish people
spoke the native tongue. and tho pro
portion is growing steadily.
This Is a triumph for a language
which was medium for literature 10
centuries ago and then dropped back
almost out Of sight. Only the Deasants
in Some Of the Irish villages chung 10
lthe pleasing twist OF the Gaelic words,
and for them II was the lanUage Of
the fresIde. The vocabulary which
remained in use was made up chiefly
OF words describing the life OK kitchen,
farm. and courtship, and some of the
quaint language Of tho Celtic fairy
lore: so that George Moore summed
up Irish az a wonderful language that
had not been 20 school.
or late years. whom Irish has begun
70 be revived In the cities OF Ireland
the old fashioned state Of the Language
. has been apparent. There were no
eaulyeIents for such modern contri-
vauces az the automobile. trains. or
b telephones. and It has been necessary
20 coin words 70 bring up-to-date the
= vocabulary which ~ 90 rich IN words
d of emotion and affection.
Not to supplant English.
Gaelic Is not taking tho place o'
English. nor is there any prospect Of
- ia doing so The irish people will IN
.doubtedly continue % speak English
because Il Is necessary for communi-
!. cation in the cities. The status of the
/, language can probably be compared
best 70 tho status 81 French IN south
eastern Canada. In the Province d
Quebec. French 81 widely spoken. but
: English is also Understood almost
y everywhere. The two languages are
used together, eiRns on streets and
il shops being in both tongues. Both
are taught IN the schools. Irish Is ap-
preaching this state. II is being taught
" In the elementary schools. and foi
some years the National University
n % Ireland has required all STUDENT
n entering 70 have a knowledge q tn
T. language.
nh
Al people want 20 speak their native Ian
guage. one Is that II is their heritage
a an ancient speech--the oldest languag
now spoken which has somehoV
re been kept alive through centuries O
n English domination. It has survive
because the native Irish OF the peas
- ant class loved It's brogue and its mu
Il sic. They chung TO Il IN many district
even when the schools taught onl
va English 10 tha children The conse
Sc lquence WAS that IN such places IN
" children got very little benefit out c
oy their brief schooling N the strang
ly English tongue. They returned HON
Is with a stilted knowledge OF readtn
and writing in English and continue
ct talking the local dialect without Al
ltempts at higher education
rs The Irish affection for Gaelic is ;
er the root q matter Of patriotic sent
no ment. They know that centuries ag'
10 when the clans OF Ireland were fgh
M ing between themselves, they cou
be rallied together TO attack son
he common enemy on the plea Of comnc
.. speech. In later days this too was q
NON belief Of Padraic Pearse and his con
ms panions VINO prior 10 thelr reOeAl'
TO in 1916 had taught Irish in ST. End
school and recruited their small for
partly from their pupils.
The Irish think also Of how Il
turns and twists Of English as it
- spoken in Ireland were brought ov
vi from the Gaelic. He went off wi
himself, or He put his speak on ms
The or lis it TO see you they Gamer"
sx- Il saw a woman and she watkins
m show the influence Of the Gael
are Originally such roundabout structur
ION were evolved by persons thinking
H. Gaelic and translating literally in
." English, or, sometimes, they simI
al represented attempts 10 soften I
abrupt English speech TO make it mo
like the accustomed Irish. They q
Inc a link between Gaelic and the Engli
~ speech OF Ireland; examples of Il
1iIS rhythm are found in the works
- Lynge and Lady Gregory.
49, There IS a strong affinity betwe
-'' the Irish and the old language ev
- when 1t is not the speech that "
AZ learned at home. The Gaelic Leag
49, which some years ago began 20 h
-. classes to promote the study of Irl
- found that the pupils who volunteer
were eager 10 learn. Old wom
children. working men, and studel
gathered at night in classes 70 lea
to speak and read Gaelic.
" To Revive Gaelic Literature.
ags Aside from their inherent Affect
for the radical language. the Ir
are interested in the revival Of Gas
as medium Of literature. II IS OF
in the past so years that scholl
have been working on the old Gae
manuscripts with view 20 hayi
them published.
The manuscripts Of the Irish lit
allure were so widely scattered II
for centuries they had lain aim,
Unnoticed. Irish monks who We
banned from the country had tax