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John M. Kirk & Dónall P. Ó Baoill (eds.), Travellers and their language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2006

PETER BAKKER
PETER BAKKER
Affiliation:
Research Centre for Linguistic Typology, LaTrobe University & Institute for Anthropology, Archaeology and Linguistics, Aarhus University, Nordre Ringgade, DK 8000 C, linpb@hum.au.dk
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Extract

John M. Kirk & Dónall P. Ó Baoill (eds.), Travellers and their language (Belfast Studies in Language, Culture and Politics, no. 4). Béal Feirste: Cló Ollscoil na Banríona [Belfast: Queen's University], 2002. Pp. 196. Pb £19.50.

The language of the Travellers in Ireland is in many respects shrouded in mystery, and its study filled with dilemmas and contradictions. It is a secret language, but quite a bit is available in print about it. Some speakers consider the mere existence of the language as secret, and they would deny having a language of their own. Whereas secret languages are mostly used to convey messages to other group members in the presence of outsiders, some of these Travellers would not use it in the presence of outsiders at all. Yet however secret it may be, or may have been, language researchers are welcomed today as the speakers see the use of the language declining. The present book is the result of cooperation between academics and Travellers. Six contributors are Travellers and eight chapters are written by academics, with no overlap.

Type
BOOK REVIEWS
Information
Language in Society , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , July 2006 , pp. 429 - 432
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

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References

REFERENCES

Macalister, R. A. Stewart (1937). The secret languages of Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (several recent reprints).
McCann, May; Ó Síocháin, Séamas; & Ruane, Joseph (1994) (eds.). Irish Travellers: Culture and ethnicity. Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University of Belfast & Anthropological Association of Ireland.