‘Erse-atz’ & ‘Gaelassenheit’: What Can We Learn from Ó Nualláin’s Use of Irish?

Abstract

The objective of this essay is to examine Brian ÓNualláin’s attempts at analysing anddisarming a particular type of obsessive attitude to the Irish language and posingits appositeness to contemporary academic discourse. In diagnosing a problemsuch as a neurosis, it is possible that it becomes self-perpetuating, and to acertain extent this is true of Irish. It is often difficult to divorce thelanguage from an expression of Irishness, and even in the case where it existsas a means of communication, the perception of its ‘Irishness’ remains. Ó Nualláin astutely assessed thistendency to bind the language to a conservative essentialised identity whichwould seek to exclude that which did not fall within the remit of such aprescribed identity. To read the article, click Download or View PDF.

Keywords

• Irish studies
• Irish language
• Brian Ó Nualláin