Overt and symbolic linguistic violence: plantation ideology and language reclamation in Northern Ireland. Issue 4 (19th May 2022) - MacKenzie, Alison; Engman, Mel; McGurk, Orla
ABSTRACT: We discuss how the colonisation of the island of Ireland has marginalised and delegitimised Gaeilge, the Irish language, and the relationship of this colonial genealogy in place to local educational institutions and the practices therein. The hegemonic and homogenising processes of British colonialism continue to reverberate in modern discourses that frame the language as so politically charged that the 'Acht na Gaelige' (Irish Language Act) giving Gaeilge and English equal status contributed to a three-year (2017-2020) collapse of the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland. As with many minoritised languages worldwide, community members have turned to schools to reclaim language that can no longer be maintained in English-dominant homes, though these reclamation efforts are often segregated from educational policies and practices intended for the public. We explore these issues through a Bourdieusian analysis of symbolic power, linguistic capital and language reclamation to challenge the perceived 'neutrality' of the local university. We argue that by failing to recognise that Gaeilge could have parity with English, the university tacitly supports the hegemony of English. Achoimre: Pléitear an tionchar ag coiliniú na hÉireann ar an Ghaeilge ó thaobh imeallú agus dlisteanú de sa tír seo agus go háirithe an gaol idir choilíneachas agus institiúidí oideachais áitiúla. Bíonn próisis ceanasacha, aonchineálacha de chuid coilíneachas na Breataine go fóill le sonrú i ndioscúrsaí an lae inniu a léiríonn ciall pholaitiúla áirithe bainte leis an Ghaeilge sa tsochaí; tugadh seo le fios nuair a thit Rialtas Thuaisceart Éirinn as a chéile ar feadh tréimhse trí bliana (2017-2020) i ndiaidh easaontais maidir le reachtaíocht Acht na Gaeilge a chuir i bhfeidhm. Tá pobail na mionteangacha ar fud na cruinne anois ag bráth ar scoileanna bheith ag tabhairt faoi ghluaiseacht d'aisghabháil teanga nach féidir a dhéanamh i dtithí agus i dteaghlaigh ina bhfuil lámh in uachtar ag an Bhéarla mar phríomhteanga, cé go bhfuil na héachtaí aisghabhála seo scartha óna polasaithe is cleachtais oideachasúla atá beartaithe don phobal i gcoitinne. Pléann muid na cúrsaí seo trí anailís de chuid Bourdieu a bhaineann le cumhacht shiombalach, caipiteal teangeolaíochta agus aisghabháil teanga chun an seasamh neodrach de chuid na hollscoile a cheistiú. Déanann muid an cás a léiriú ná go dtacaíonn an ollscoil le ceannas na Breataine toisc go dteipeann ar an ollscoil cothrom na Féinne agus aitheanas ceart a thabhairt don Ghaeilge.