Advance ticket sales have ended but plenty of additional tickets remain available at the door.
Profs and Pints Philadelphia presents: “An Introduction to Irish,” on a resurgent language and the basics of using it, with Mike Malloy, Irish Language instructor at Villanova University.
Gear up for Saint Patrick’s Day by taking a whirlwind tour of the Irish language and how to use it with Mike Malloy, an instructor for Irish at Villanova University and a regular teacher for the Irish language organization Daltaí na Gaeilge.
He’ll talk about where the Irish language comes from, whether it is properly called “Gaelic,” and how to pronounce Irish words and names. You’ll learn some basic Irish words and phrases and how to read Irish road signs.
You’ll also gain a knowledge of the language’s place in Ireland’s history and society. You’ll learn how it has been revived and has changed in the process, and how it compares to other languages, including Latin and Yiddish, once thought to be “dead” or in decline.
In the 1840s, on the eve of the Great Famine, there were between three and four million speakers of the Irish language in Ireland. Today, that number is closer to 70,000, but Irish has gone from being a language with few books, low literacy, and low social status to becoming a recognized and supported language in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. It has its own television channels, radio stations, and newspapers, as well as a vast literature of original works and translations, and schools that use the Irish language to teach students are experiencing meteoric growth.
We’ll examine what makes Irish unusual among western European languages, and you might end up unusual among other celebrants of Saint Patrick’s Day in terms of how easily choice Irish words roll off your tongue. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Guests are welcome to arrive any time after 5:30. Talk starts at 6:30.)
Black Squirrel Club offers a full bar with a fun selection of creative and delicious signature cocktails. We do not serve food, but you are welcome to bring your own or have it delivered once you arrive.
Reserve Paid Parking Here (lot 1 block from venue)
There is also free parking available at the Rivers Casino parking lot (3 blocks)
Image: A road sign in Ireland. Photo by Ian Rob / Creative Commons.