Regimenting the Gaeltacht: Authenticity, anonymity, and expectation in contemporary Ireland

Abstract

Drawing on the framework of authenticity and anonymity, this article explores the Irish State's mobilisation of these opposing yet interrelated language ideologies in efforts to regiment the use of Irish both within the traditionally Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas and nationwide. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in western Ireland, we examine how non-traditional Irish speakers' understanding of the Gaeltacht and its native speakers as a resource for immersion in the authentic language shapes expectations of how native Irish speakers within these areas not only speak, but also live and act. This discussion highlights the interconnections between linguistic ideology, social action, and political economy.