History of the Irish Language
Bethany Miller
1The Irish language, or Irish Gaelic, is one of the Celtic languages. Though some refer to Irish Gaelic as simply “Gaelic,” this is actually incorrect. Gaelic is the language spoken in Scotland; it is also known as Scottish Gaelic. The Irish form of the language should always be referred to in English as "Irish Gaelic," or even simply, "Irish."
2At one time, Irish Gaelic was the only language spoken in Ireland. It is one of the oldest written languages in existence, and it was spoken in Ireland when others in Europe were still speaking and writing in Latin. Various invaders of Ireland, beginning with the Vikings in the eighth century, began to insert other words into spoken Irish. The language soon began to evolve and change. After the Anglo-Norman invasion in 1169, the language had progressed through three stages, from what is known as "Old Irish" into "Middle Irish," and finally, to "Modern Irish," the language still spoken today. Unfortunately, the language began to experience a downfall after this time, affecting the unique culture of Ireland.
3In the late seventeenth century, Ireland began to communicate with the British Empire for trade purposes, and the language started to collapse. Because English was the language of business and potential wealth, it became much more important to learn English than to speak the more traditional Irish Gaelic. Soon, the upper class in Ireland was speaking only English, and Irish Gaelic was only used by the poorer classes. When the Irish Potato Famine struck in the mid-nineteenth century, it was necessary to speak English in order to live, to find work, and to earn money. It was predicted that the language would be completely wiped out by the end of the nineteenth century.
4Finally, in the 18Which method does the author use to convince the reader of her viewpoint?
A definitions supported by facts
B descriptions supported by evidence
C general statements clarified with examples
D events presented in the order they took place