2) Could you continue the list of language facts? Share your suggestions with the class.

LISTENING 1. Languages in Conflict: Irish and English

1. In the small country of Ireland, two languages are used by the people: Irish, which is the native language, and English, which is the language that was brought to Ireland by the invading armies of England in the twelfth century.

• What do you know about Ireland? Its size, location, population?

• Do you know anything about the present day status of English and Irish in Ireland?

Discuss with your partner.

2. You are going to listen to the lecture about historic struggle and conflict between Ireland's two languages: Irish and English. Before you listen, preview the content of the lecture.

PREVIEW OF CONTENT

In the small country of Ireland, two languages are used by the people: Irish, which is the native language, and English, which is the language that was brought to Ireland by the invading armies of England in the twelfth century. While English is the dominant language of the country today, some Irishmen have struggled to keep alive their national lan­guage. In this lecture, you will learn something about the historic struggle and conflict between Ireland's two languages: Irish and English.

The lecturer opens up his presentation by giving some information about the location, size, and population of the tiny country. He also alludes to the political and national division that exists between Northern Ireland, which is part of the British Commonwealth, and the Republic of Ireland, which is not.

The rest of the lecture is organized chronologically. First mention is made of Ireland’s cultural importance in the early Middle Ages After this, the lecturer jumps ahead to the Norman-English invasion of the country in the 1100s. In the sixteenth century, the country was subjugated and brought under English domination. Hard times followed up through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Failure of the potato crop due to poor weather conditions brought death from hunger to the population and forced a million Irishmen to leave their homeland for the U. S., Canada, and other countries. The lecturer notes that in the nineteenth century, use of the native language declined drastically, with only a small proportion of the Irish people speaking the national language. An effort was made, however, in the early twentieth century to reestablish use of the national language in the country. The speaker will give specific examples of these attempts and will finish up his presentation with the remark that, perhaps because of these measures, Ireland's national language will continue to exist in that small country.

3. Before you listen, preview the vocabulary you will hear in the lecture.

1) Fill in the blanks with the appropriate vocabulary items.

Fill in each blank with the appropriate item.

exploitation barbarians The Norman-English

1. Invaders of the ancient Roman Empire, whose way of life is considered primitive, are known as ... .

2. … is the unfair use of someone or some country for personal or national profit.

3. … were the French people who conquered the island of Ireland in the twelfth century - in the 1100s.

Persecution coffin Great Potato Famine clergy

4. The religious officials who conduct Christian services are referred to as the … .

5. A … is a box or case in which a dead body is placed.

6. … is the term that describes the refusal to permit people to act and believe as they want to.

7. The period of great hunger and death in Ireland resulting from the failure of the potato crop, which was the major source of food for the Irish, is termed the … .

starvation decree extinction lack

8. … entails causing something to be destroyed or done away with.

9. To be without or to need is to … that which is needed.

10. To issue an order which must be obeyed is to … something.

11. Death from hunger is … .