The Five Types of Irish English

By Sarah-Claire Jordan

Despite the fact that practically everyone in Ireland speaks Irish English fluently, it was not the first language of the country. Much like other areas of the world where English was not a native language, Ireland was colonized by England, and as a result the natives of the area were forced to learn and use English. Of course, it wouldn’t be the same English as the colonizers, as the Irish language and other things would end up influencing the dialects spoken in Ireland.

As of today, written Irish English and British English are very similar, with a few differences in vocabulary. What really sets them apart is pronunciation, which, again, is a result of the influence of the Irish language. Here are the five major dialects of Irish English, according to linguists:

Local Dublin English

This dialect of Irish English is that spoken by the working class of Dublin, and is seen as a more traditional dialect. Interestingly enough, it is the only type of Irish English that switched from being non-rhotic (not pronouncing the /r/ in words unless followed by a vowel) to slightly rhotic. Local Dublin English also includes some unique vowel pronunciations, as well as “vowel breaking”, where certain vowel sounds that normally take up one syllable are divided into two syllables.

Non-local Dublin English

As opposed to the local dialect, non-local Dublin English is made up of all of the varieties of “new” Dublin English, including some associated with the middle class, the avant garde/youth movement of the 90s, and a variety from the 70s that was a way for some Dubliners to distance themselves from traditional Irish ways.

West and South-West Irish English

The varieties that make up the West and South-West Irish English dialect come from the same regions in Ireland. The accent is a strong one, and includes some differences in vowel pronunciation. For instance, the “ou” in “about” sounds more like the “oa” in “boat”, and the diphthongs in words like “throat” and “chase” become monophthongs, making them sound as if there were only one vowel letter in each. The most notable characteristic, however, is the melodic way speakers tend to talk.

Supraregional Southern Irish English

This is an interesting dialect, as it refers to a type of Irish English spoken in all parts of the Republic of Ireland except the north. It has many characteristics of other dialects, but is generally a bit softer and neutral. Words like “art”, “fight”, and “south” all sound similar to their British English counterparts, for instance. The whole dialect is a bit of a new thing that older generations don’t tend to use.

Ulster English

Also known as Northern Irish English, Ulster English includes all varieties from Ulster and neighboring counties as well as Northern Ireland. These varieties tend to sound more like Scottish English than other Irish English dialects, and have some interesting defining features. For example, many times a sentence that is not a question will end in a rising intonation. The “oo” sound, as in “loose”, is pronounced in the very front of the mouth, making it sound more Scottish. However, Ulster English shares some characteristics with other Irish English dialects.

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Category: Foreign Language