Why Are Irish Never On The List Of Native English Speakers In Thailand?

[garro]

This may seem trivial and petty, but it does seem to influence conditions offered when applying for jobs in Thailand. In other countries Republic of Ireland is usually listed when indicating native English speakers, but it is never listed in Thailand. Many teachers are not even aware that Ireland is a native English speaking country. In most schools where I have worked it is the western teachers who are responsible for drafting advertisements so I wonder why this omission. Is it a type of snobbery? Even South Africa is often listed despite the fact that many there do not speak English.

[DragonQuest]

You must be of irish decent lol

[lost_in_isaan]

I wouldn't get too up and arms about it, probably ignorance more than anything. NZ and Scotland often get missed as well and they are English speaking countries.

For instance, in all of these countries English is the major language spoken...

Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America

[deprogrammed]

Wull da resun dat Iorland is nat in da list - nut evun da top tree - is a mistory

[garro]

It is not that I'm getting up in arms about this, but it is interesting. I have never met a teacher here from the Dominican Republic, but I have met plenty from Ireland.

Scotland, Wales, and so on are always covered as the ads say UK.

[garro]

You must be of irish decent lol

I am actually Polish, but worry that my Irish friends are getting a bad deal.

[DragonQuest]

well as long as you got white skin, your in.

[Jingthing]

It is not that I'm getting up in arms about this, but it is interesting. I have never met a teacher here from the Dominican Republic, but I have met plenty from Ireland.

Scotland, Wales, and so on are always covered as the ads say UK.

The Dominican Republic, a SPANISH speaking nation on the island of Hispaniola (also contains Haiti) is a completely different nation than DOMINICA.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/th...ok/geos/do.html

Edited May 15, 2009 by Jingthing

[garro]

It is not that I'm getting up in arms about this, but it is interesting. I have never met a teacher here from the Dominican Republic, but I have met plenty from Ireland.

Scotland, Wales, and so on are always covered as the ads say UK.

The Dominican Republic, a SPANISH speaking nation on the island of Hispaniola (also contains Haiti) is a completely different nation than DOMINICA.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/th...ok/geos/do.html

There you go then, as I said above, I have never met anyone from the Dominican Republic teaching English here.

[PeaceBlondie]

I occasionally have seen Ireland listed in a Thai ad - very seldom. Met an Irish teacher of English on a bus here once. My granddaughter in Ireland may elect to learn Irish as a second language.

//Added: it's a small country.

[Loaded]

Maybe because many Thais think Ireland is part of England if they've heard of it.

[JimShortz]

Tis a mistory, tis a mistory, indeed it is...

[Mousehound]

Well the irish have a distinctive lilt that may be difficult for some to understand, as with the Sotts.

I worked for two years with a guy called Hans. he had a strong german accent so I used to speak german to him whenever possible as he was the only one I could practice on. After a year or so he asked me why I kept talking to him in german. It turned out he was a geaordie but I had taken his accent as being german, along with the fact that he had a slight cleft pallet and was called Hans. Explains why he never understood my german!!

[hanno]

Explains why he never understood my german

You just made my day!

[patklang]

If its northern ireland no wonder,i cant understand a word they say so thais have no chance.

[garro]

Well the irish have a distinctive lilt that may be difficult for some to understand, as with the Sotts.

I worked for two years with a guy called Hans. he had a strong german accent so I used to speak german to him whenever possible as he was the only one I could practice on. After a year or so he asked me why I kept talking to him in german. It turned out he was a geaordie but I had taken his accent as being german, along with the fact that he had a slight cleft pallet and was called Hans. Explains why he never understood my german!!

Just like other parts of the world, Irish people have a variety of accents. The stereotypical accent that you hear on American TV shows, or from the poster above (jimshortz), is not realistic. Many Irish people speak with 'received pronunciation' just like in parts of Scotland and Wales.

Edited May 16, 2009 by garro

[PeaceBlondie]

Yes, my well-educated Irish daughter-in-law speaks RP. So did her priest.

[EndofDays]

This may seem trivial and petty, but it does seem to influence conditions offered when applying for jobs in Thailand. In other countries Republic of Ireland is usually listed when indicating native English speakers, but it is never listed in Thailand. Many teachers are not even aware that Ireland is a native English speaking country. In most schools where I have worked it is the western teachers who are responsible for drafting advertisements so I wonder why this omission. Is it a type of snobbery? Even South Africa is often listed despite the fact that many there do not speak English.

The Irish speak English?

[Texpat]

While many Irishmen may be difficult to understand at times, on whole, they are far more eloquent, and have more to say than any of their neighbors.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

My school does not differentiate between the various native speaking countries. We have hired Irish, Scottish, South African and Kiwi teachers. If an accent makes the person unintelligible to anyone but people from his region, we won't hire the teacher. We've had good teachers from Ireland, if you overlook their drinking habits.

[rott]

While many Irishmen may be difficult to understand at times, on whole, they are far more eloquent, and have more to say than any of their neighbors.

Totally agree. I blame the British colonial opressors.

[garro]

While many Irishmen may be difficult to understand at times, on whole, they are far more eloquent, and have more to say than any of their neighbors.

Totally agree. I blame the British colonial opressors.

Ireland was never a colony of Britain. For a long time it was part of the the United Kingdom, and prior to that it had its own parliament.

[chiangdan]

Do they know where Ireland is, have they heard of it.

[Jingthing]

I would prefer my child to be taught by an irishman than an american. Just look at how the americans have changed the english language and the spelling. There is American english and there is english. I want my child to learn english not american

I know exactly what you mean! Look what those cheeky modern Greeks did to butcher ancient Greek which was a perfectly good language. As far as US English, best to blame it on the coloured people and the Hebronics (sic), bunch of schmucks ...

Edited May 16, 2009 by Jingthing

[alant]

are the irish native english speakers? do they not stipulate gaelic (?spelling) for some of their jobs as the welsh often do?

[garro]

are the irish native english speakers? do they not stipulate gaelic (?spelling) for some of their jobs as the welsh often do?

As 95% of Irish people only speak English as a first language the answer is obvious. Official statistics show that less than 15% of Irish people speak Gaelic with anywhere near fluency. Far more people in England speak English as a second language than in Ireland. Welsh is far more widely spoken than Irish Gaelic - which some would say is a shame. English literature would be much poorer without the addition of Hiberno-English; Wilde, Joyce, Swift, Yates, Shaw, Becket, and so on.

The requirement for people to have passed Gaelic at leaving certificate for some civil service jobs is now hardly ever required. Up until a few years ago educated English people were required to speak French for many positions.

Edited May 16, 2009 by garro

[Jingthing]

Interesting. Why wouldn't you wish to learn the more popular version of the same language?

USA > 300 million people

UK > 60 million people

Could it be that poofters don't breed?

BTW, I used to translate documents from British English to US English for international publication. The work dried up when the employers realized that Indians could be trained to do the same job for much less. US English is by far the more popular international standard.

Edited May 16, 2009 by Jingthing

[marsteele]

That is just like saying your thai is better that that os a thai. My son had an American english teacher pulled him away from the american real fast so did a number of other parents he was soon dismissed from the school as he was teaching the american version and not correct english.

Would you like to try that again?

Never mind.

Speaking like you've got a mouthful of marbles does nobody any favors. I'll take Obama's diction over Brown's any day.

Who is Obama? Is he that colored guy or coloured guy I am not sure. If he is the one with the dad from Kenya then I guess he is the coloured guy. Nice guy by the way.

[Jingthing]

From the African American point of view.

When he is doing well: He is the first African-American president!

If he messes it up: Who the hel_l is that half-white guy?

(Credit, Wanda Sykes)

[garro]

I sometimes think that it is a shame that English is called "English". After all, it is a Gremanic language which belongs as much to the Irish, Scottish and Welsh as anybody else.