Hiberno-English facts for kids

Irish-Latin-English phrase book from 1564 for Elizabeth I of England.

Hiberno-English (which means "Irish English" from the Latin word Hibernia for Ireland) is the way English is spoken in Ireland. This includes both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It is also sometimes called Irish English.

In the Republic of Ireland, English is one of two official languages, along with the Irish language. English is the main language used for work and daily life. The way Irish English is written, like its spelling, is similar to British English. However, the accents, some grammar rules, and words used in Irish English are special. They have been influenced by the Irish language. Some sounds in Irish English are also older, meaning they are not common in accents in England or North America anymore.

Experts often divide Irish English into a few main types of accents. These include Ulster accents (in the north), West and South-West Irish accents (like in Cork), different Dublin accents, and a standard accent that is becoming more common across the country.

History of Irish English

English first came to Ireland in the late 1100s. This was after the Anglo-Norman invasion. The English spoken then was called Forth and Bargy dialect, and it was very different from modern English.

A second wave of English speakers arrived in the 1500s. This made the English spoken in Ireland some of the oldest English outside of Great Britain. Even today, some sounds in Irish English are older than in many other English accents.

At first, English was mainly spoken in a small area around Dublin called the Pale. Most of the rest of Ireland spoke the Irish language. Over time, Irish culture and language became strong again. Even in the Pale, many people spoke Irish.

However, in the 1500s, the Tudor conquest and colonisation brought more English speakers. The Irish language was suppressed and its use declined. By the mid-1800s, English had become the main language in Ireland. It is still the main language today. Even people who speak Irish as their first language usually speak English very well.

Ulster English

Ulster English is spoken in the Ulster province. This includes Northern Ireland and nearby counties. It has been shaped by Ulster Irish and the Scots language. Scottish settlers brought Scots to Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster.

Some unique things about Ulster English include:

• Sentences that are not questions often end with a rising sound, like a question.
• Words like "kit" and "strut" have different vowel sounds.
• The vowel sounds in "goose" and "foot" are often the same.
• The "l" sound at the end of a word, like in "ball," can sometimes sound "darker."

West and South-West Irish English

This type of English is spoken in the western and southwestern parts of Ireland. Accents in these areas are known for:

• The vowel sound in "mouth" often starts further back in the mouth.
• The vowel sounds in "north" and "thought" are more open.
• The "o" sound in "goat" is often a single, long sound.
• The "th" sounds, like in "this" or "thin," are often pronounced like "d" or "t."
• In the West, older speakers might pronounce "s" and "z" like "sh" and "zh" before a consonant. So, "fist" might sound like "fished."

South-West Irish English (like in Cork, Kerry, or Limerick) has two other main features:

• The "pin" and "pen" sounds can be the same. This happens when the "e" sound in words like "pen" or "again" sounds like "i."
• The way people speak can sound like a "sing-song" pattern. This is because the pitch of their voice goes up and down on certain syllables.

Dublin English

Dublin English is the way English is spoken in and around Dublin. There are many different accents within Dublin. Some are older, more traditional accents, often heard in working-class areas. Others are newer, more modern accents, often heard among middle and upper-class people.

Generally, all Dublin English accents have some common sounds that are different from the rest of Ireland:

• The vowel sound in "mouth" is often made further forward in the mouth.
• The "h" sound is sometimes added where it shouldn't be, like saying "haitch" for the letter "h."
• The vowel sound in "goat" is usually a diphthong, meaning it has two vowel sounds blended together.

Local Dublin English

Local Dublin English is a traditional accent often heard in older, working-class parts of Dublin. In the past, this accent did not pronounce the "r" sound at the end of words, but now it usually does.

This accent is known for "vowel breaking." This means that long vowel sounds in words like "mouth," "price," "goose," and "fleece" can sound like two syllables.

New Dublin English

New Dublin English is a newer, more modern accent. It became popular in the 1990s, especially among younger people and those who wanted to sound more "sophisticated." This accent is now spoken by many Dubliners born since the 1980s.

This accent replaced an older, once-fashionable accent called "D4 English." D4 English was often made fun of, so its features went out of style. New Dublin English has spread to other parts of eastern Ireland and can be heard in many major cities in the Republic among middle and upper classes.

Standard Irish English

Standard Irish English is a way of speaking that is common among educated people across most of the Republic of Ireland (but not the north). It was influenced by the "mainstream Dublin English" of the mid-1900s.

This accent has kept some Irish features but has also adopted some sounds from standard British English. However, it is still a unique accent and not just a copy of British English. Younger speakers born after the 1980s are starting to use more features from the "new Dublin English" accent.

In Standard Irish English:

• The vowel sound in "trap" is quite open.
• The vowel sound in "start" is often made further forward in the mouth than in other accents.
• Words like "war" and "wore," or "horse" and "hoarse," are usually pronounced differently.

Pronunciation and Sounds

Irish English has its own unique sounds for vowels and consonants. Here's a simple look at some of them.

Vowel Sounds

• The vowel sound in "strut" is often made in the middle of the mouth and can be rounder than in other English accents.
• In most Irish English accents, words like "bath" and "dance" have a different vowel sound than words like "trap" and "land."
• The words "any" and "many" often rhyme with "Annie" and "Danny."
• Sometimes, an extra "uh" sound is added between certain sounds, like "filum" for "film." This comes from the Irish language.

Consonant Sounds

The consonant sounds in Irish English are mostly like other English accents. But some have special qualities:

• Th-stopping: The "th" sounds, like in "this" (/ð/) and "thin" (/θ/), are often pronounced like "d" and "t." So, "then" and "den" can sound the same. In Ulster, they keep the "th" sound.
• Rhoticity: The "r" sound is always pronounced in Irish English, even at the end of words or before other consonants (like in "here" or "cart"). This is like American English, but different from British English.
• Yod-dropping: The "y" sound is often dropped after "n," "l," and "s." So, "new" might sound like "noo."
• H-sounds: The "h" sound is always pronounced. Also, "h" can be heard in places where it's not in other English accents, like in the middle or at the end of some words.
• "L" sound: The "l" sound is almost always "clear" (not "dark" or "velarised"), unlike in British or American English.

Words and Phrases

Words from Irish

Many words from the Irish language are used in Hiberno-English. This is especially true for official terms. For example:

• Taoiseach: The head of government (like a Prime Minister).
• Tánaiste: The deputy head of government.
• Oireachtas: The parliament.
• Dáil Éireann: The lower house of the parliament.

People also use Irish words in daily talk, but this is less common now, especially among young people. Here are some examples:

Words Made from Irish

Another group of words in Hiberno-English come from Irish but have changed into English forms. Some are now used in general English, while others are only used in Ireland. These words might be English versions of Irish words or direct translations.

Older English Words

Some words in Hiberno-English come from Old English and Middle English. These words are not often used in modern English anymore. Irish English has also given special meanings to words that are still common in English.

Other Unique Words

There are also other words and phrases in Hiberno-English whose origins are not clear. While they might not be unique to Ireland, they are often used there.

Grammar and Sentence Structure

The way sentences are put together in Irish is quite different from English. This has influenced Hiberno-English. Also, some older English words and phrases are still used.

From Irish Language Influence

Repeating Words

Sometimes, words are repeated for emphasis.

• "I've no time at all at all." (Meaning: I really have no time.)
• "I brought some cash to be sure to be sure." (Meaning: I brought cash just in case.)

"Yes" and "No"

In Irish, there are no direct words for "yes" or "no." Instead, you repeat the verb from the question. Hiberno-English speakers sometimes do this too, instead of just saying "yes" or "no."

• "Are you coming home soon?" – "I am."
• "Is your mobile charged?" – "It isn't."

This can also be used to add emphasis:

• "This is strong stuff, so it is."
• "We won the game, so we did."

Recent Past Actions

Irish has a special way to talk about something that just happened. Hiberno-English uses "after" with a verb ending in "-ing" to show this.

• "Why did you hit him?" – "He was after giving me cheek." (Meaning: He had just been cheeky to me.)
• "I'm after hitting him with the car!" (Meaning: I just hit him with the car!)

You might also hear:

• "I have the car fixed." (Meaning: I have finished fixing the car.)
• "I have my breakfast eaten." (Meaning: I have finished eating my breakfast.)

Referring to People

Words like "herself" or "himself" are often used to refer to a specific person, especially someone important like a boss or the main person in a house. It can also refer to a spouse.

• "'Tis herself that's coming now." (Meaning: She is coming now.)
• "How's herself doing?" (Meaning: How is your wife/partner doing?)

Prepositions

In Irish, there is no verb "to have." Instead, possession is shown using the word "at." This influences Hiberno-English.

• "Do you have the book?" – "I have it with me."
• "Have you change for the bus on you?"
• "He will not shut up if he has drink taken." (Meaning: He won't stop talking if he has been drinking.)

When describing something, many Irish English speakers use "in it" instead of "there." This is because the Irish word ann means both.

• "Is it yourself that is in it?" (Meaning: Is that you there?)
• "Is there any milk in it?" (Meaning: Is there any milk?)

You might also hear "this man here" or "that man there" to refer to things.

• "This man here." (Meaning: This thing.)
• "That man there." (Meaning: That thing.)

Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences (using "would") are more common in Hiberno-English.

• "John asked me would I buy a loaf of bread." (Meaning: John asked me to buy a loaf of bread.)
• "How do you know him? We would have been in school together." (Meaning: We were in school together.)

"Bring" and "Take"

The use of "bring" and "take" is different from British English. In Irish English, "bring" is used for almost all movements, no matter the direction. "Take" is only used when you are accepting something from someone else.

• Don't forget to bring your umbrella with you when you leave.
• (To a child) Hold my hand: I don't want someone to take you.

"To Be"

The Irish language has two ways to say "to be" in the present tense: one for things that are true now or generally, and one for repeated actions. This influences Hiberno-English, especially in rural areas and parts of Dublin.

• "He does be working every day." (Meaning: He works every day, as a habit.)
• "They do be talking on their mobiles a lot." (Meaning: They often talk on their mobiles.)

From Older English Influences

• ’Tis: The old-fashioned "it is" can be shortened to "’tis." You might also hear "’tisn’t" for "it is not."
• Ye/Yous: In Irish, there are different words for "you" (singular) and "you" (plural). In Hiberno-English, "ye" or "yous" is often used for the plural "you."

* "Did ye all go to see it?" * "None of youse have a clue!"

• Mitch: This word, meaning to skip school, is very common in Ireland. It was used by Shakespeare but is rarely heard in British English today.
• Imperative with Pronoun: You might hear a pronoun after a command, like "Get youse your homework done!" or "Up to bed, let ye."

Other Grammar Influences

• Now: This word is often added to the end of sentences without much meaning, just to complete the thought. Examples: "Bye now," "There you go now," "Hold on now."
• So: Used for emphasis ("I can speak Irish, so I can") or to show agreement ("Let's go so"). It can also contradict a negative statement ("You're not pushing hard enough!" – "I am so!").
• Sure/Surely: Used to emphasize something obvious, like "Well" or "Indeed." Example: "Sure, I can just go on Wednesday."
• To: The word "to" is sometimes left out of sentences where it would be in British English. Example: "I'm not allowed go out tonight" instead of "I'm not allowed to go out tonight."
• Will: "Will" is often used where British English might use "shall." Example: "Will I make us a cup of tea?"
• Once: Sometimes used to mean "if" or "provided that." Example: "I have no problem laughing at myself once the joke is funny."

Images for kids

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  Irish-Latin-English phrase book written in 1564 by Irishman Sir Christopher Nugent for Elizabeth I of England.

See also

In Spanish: Inglés irlandés para niños