Languages of Ireland
Overview of the languages spoken on the island of Ireland / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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There are a number of languages used in Ireland. Since the late 18th century, English has been the predominant first language, displacing Irish. A large minority claims some ability to use Irish,[2] and it is the first language for a small percentage of the population.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2017) |
Languages of Ireland | |
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Main | English (98%)[1] Irish (RoI: 39.8% claim some ability to speak Irish)[2] Ulster Scots (0.3%) Shelta |
Immigrant | Polish, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Lithuanian |
Foreign | French (20%), German (7%), Spanish (3.7%) |
Signed | Irish Sign Language Northern Ireland Sign Language |
Keyboard layout | |
Source | ebs_243_en.pdf (europa.eu) |
In the Republic of Ireland, under the Constitution of Ireland, both languages have official status, with Irish being the national and first official language.[3]
In Northern Ireland, English is the primary language for 95% of the population, and de facto official language, while Irish is recognised as an official language and Ulster Scots is recognised as a minority language under the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.[4][5]