Language Standardisation in Modern Irish::Complaints sustaining discourse?

Abstract

Language standardisation is the process by which a particular form of languagebecomes the conventional norm – particularly in the domains of officialdom(e.g. in government). It involves conscious intervention, often by the state ora language specific authority, to plan which type of language will function insociety. This usually involves the development of language uniformity, often atthe expense of dialectal diversity. In most cases, it also involves the developmentof modern terminology, and the production of dictionaries and grammars tostabilise the standard language as a definite frame of reference for correctnessand accuracy. This paper discusses that process in the context of the Irishlanguage.Disparities, complaints and disagreements regarding the correctness andlegitimacy of standardised language conventions are investigated. In particular,attention is drawn to the period (1958-2016) during which the Irish governmentpublished three versions of their official guidance document for writing in Irish:firstly in 1958, followed by later iterations in 2012 and 2016. The paper showsthat Irish language scholars played an important role in sustaining discourseregarding language standardisation; despite the vacuum of over fifty yearsbetween these editions