Irish English
Emerald Isle speech
Irish English is the variety of English spoken in Ireland, shaped by Irish Gaelic substrate and distinct from British or American English.
It features distinctive vocabulary (craic for fun, eejit for idiot), grammatical patterns influenced by Gaelic (I'm after eating for "I've just eaten"), and characteristic intonation.
Also called Hiberno-English.
Rhythmic speech quality
- accentRegional speech pattern
- brogueAccent or sturdy shoe
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- cadenceRhythmic pulse or pattern
inflection · twang · vowel sounds · stress patterns · melodic · singsong · soft · elongation
Imposing or splendid
- craicIrish word for fun
- eejitFoolish person, Irish dialect
- feckSpirit or vigor
- gobshiteStupid, mouthy person
colleen · smithereens · banshee · banjaxed · gansey · gob · hooley · keen
Everyday regional speech
- colloquialismsInformal everyday expressions
- idiomsFixed figurative expressions
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
- syntaxRules for arranging words
vocabulary · localisms · regionalisms · turns of phrase · expressions · lingo · youse · thou
Irish capital city
- CorkSouthern Irish city
- GalwayWestern Irish port city
- CelticOf Irish-Welsh descent
- GaelicCeltic linguistic tradition
James Joyce · Oscar Wilde · Yeats · Beckett · Shaw · pub culture · storytelling · toasts
Study of language variation
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- loanwordsAdopted foreign vocabulary
- diglossiaCoexisting language varieties, distinct roles
standardization · dialectology · language revival · historical development · Gaelic roots
lilt
Rhythmic speech quality
- accentRegional speech pattern
- brogueAccent or sturdy shoe
- intonationPitch variation in speech
cadence · inflection · twang · vowel sounds · stress patterns · melodic · singsong · soft · elongation · musicality
grand
Imposing or splendid
gobshite · colleen · smithereens · banshee · banjaxed · gansey · gob · hooley · keen · lashing
vernacular
Everyday regional speech
- colloquialismsInformal everyday expressions
- idiomsFixed figurative expressions
- slangInformal in-group vocabulary
syntax · vocabulary · localisms · regionalisms · turns of phrase · expressions · lingo · youse · thou · ye
Dublin
Irish capital city
Gaelic · James Joyce · Oscar Wilde · Yeats · Beckett · Shaw · pub culture · storytelling · toasts · Blarney
sociolinguistics
Study of language variation
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- loanwordsAdopted foreign vocabulary
diglossia · standardization · dialectology · language revival · historical development · Gaelic roots
Irish EnglishBritish English
UK's native dialect
Queen's English · American English · BBC English · Standard English · Australian English
Irish, English, Ireland, Irishman, Irishwoman, Irishness, England, Englishman, Englishwoman