Irish and English: Essays on the Irish Linguistic and Cultural Frontier, 1600-1900

The transformation of Ireland from a predominantly Irish speaking country to a primarily English speaking country was the most profound social change to take place on the island in the course of the 19th century. Yet the nature, manner, and course of that transformation are less than clear. In this collection, scholars from a variety of disciplines engage with the moving linguistic frontier that obtained in Ireland, in order better to understand the multiplicity of reasons for this linguistic shift, as well as to expand and to deepen an appreciation of the manner in which it took place. *** "This book consists of a collection of essays, which has the value of not trying to present a consistent or unified point of view, and which examines the interface between the Irish the the English languages through three hundred years. The essays range widely and encompass historical, literary, bibliographical and biographical concerns. We encounter a number of fascinating characters, both for their own personal history and for their impact on the Irish language." - Irish Literary Supplement, Vol. 33, No. 1, Fall 2013Ëœ