The first impression you may have when landing in Ireland is that you are listening to a totally unfamiliar language, but very close to English. When you experience this, keep calm, because you just had contact with the Irish accent.
It turns out that the English spoken in Ireland is a derivation of the Scottish accent and British English. Moreover, Gaelic is also the official language in Ireland and influences the pronunciation of some words.
That is to say, Irish people incorporated in their way of speaking English diverse characteristics of the Gaelic language, modifying the way of pronouncing several words, the way of its use and even the grammatical structure of sentences. It all helps to make the Irish accent often more difficult to be understood.
–
READ MORE: 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD STUDY IN IRELAND
–
In addition, there are some variations of the language throughout the country; the English spoken in Dublin is a bit different from the English spoken in Cork, for example. Some expressions are local and they don’t apply to other places.
Although Irish English has all these variants, learning the language depends on the application, dedication and personal commitment.
CHECK OUT SOME TIPS FOR YOU TO BEST ADAPTED TO THE IRISH ACCENT:
Watch Irish movies: try not to follow the subtitles. Watch the same movie over and over, until you get used to the Irish accent and understand the various forms of its pronunciation and its slang words;
Listen to local radios: gradually, the pronunciation of the announcer begins to become clearer and it starts making more sense. It will sound better;
Attend to pubs and shops: talk with locals is an excellent way to train your listening and learn the pronunciation of several new words and expressions;
Follow Irish youtubers: no matter what subject is covered in the video, be aware of the movement of the mouth and the sounds produced;
Listen to traditional music and follow the lyrics: when reading the lyrics, listening to music and singing, pronunciation, vocabulary expansion, a greater understanding of the language take place;
Search for region-specific terms: buy a book of phrases and expressions. It’s important to become familiar with colloquialisms and idiosyncrasies of the Irish accent;
Listen to podcasts: enjoy your time on the bus, walking, or resting, listening to audios with the Irish accent in order to further enhance your listening skills.
The experience of learning the English in Ireland is unique. It’s an opportunity to acquire knowledge in a modern, lively city with many traditional festivities, which in addition, welcomes people from all over the world.
Finally, they say that if we are able to fully understand the English spoken in Ireland, we will understand any other language accent. English is English, anywhere in the world.
—
Do you want to learn English online with native speakers? Check our online platform and go for it!
