The Road Map of a Culture

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where it's people came from and where they are going.” - Rita Mae Brown

The ability to communicate by sharing thoughts and ideas is crucial to human survival. It is also important in building speech communities of people who share similar beliefs or ways of speaking. That is why the revival of the Irish language is so meaningful. I found it fascinating that there is a special pin, such as the one Paula wore, that conveys information about whether or not the wearer can converse in Irish. Although the pin is a simple object, it has a much deeper meaning.

This simple gold circle is known as An Fáinne, which means “The Ring” or “The Circle.” There are three different types of pins that denote varying degrees of ability, in addition to a badge which shows sympathy to the language but not an ability to speak it

 

Today the pins are easy to obtain, but originally there was a required test to determine if a person could wear one. The idea for the pins was proposed at a meeting of the Gaelic League in February, 1916, with many of the Easter Rising rebels present. The pins were not very popular at first, because most fluent speakers did not feel the need to advertise it. However, the pins were more successful in the 1920s with nationalists who learned the language as adults, often while imprisoned for fighting with the Irish volunteer army. During the relatively peaceful years these pins faded out of use, but they became more common again in 1965.

So much culture and history is wrapped up in the words and phrases of the Irish language. Just from looking at the language it is easy to see the significance religion has had in Ireland as well as the extreme hospitality and friendliness conveyed by many of the phrases. When the Irish language became more scarce, the country lost more than mere words. Language is a powerful way to shape identity, which is why the movement to bring Irish back into use is so incredible. By requiring schoolchildren to obtain a knowledge of the language, there is a much higher chance that future generations will be fluent in Irish, thereby reclaiming some of the heritage that was lost under British rule.