Top ten reasons why some Irish have no real clue about America

This is amusingly silly.If you are an American and you want to strat learning bout Ireland. Look for a field with sheep in it - and a collie. Step through the gate. Welcome to Ireland, it will take 2 hours to get the dog off dog you.

Joyce does NOT issue the strings of crudities that kinvara thinks he uses. But kinvara also claims to know Irish. Before I rate his Irish I’d need to know if he is American or Irish. If he’s an American who has struggled to learn the language, his effort is pretty good. Lean ar aghaidh leis an dea-obair. If he’s Irish, and the effort he shows us is product of a dozen years exposure to the language, he’s pretty bad. For example, he is prone to Anglicisms in syntax such as “Cad a cheapann tú faoi Máirtín Ó Cadhain?” (should be—Cad é do mheas/bharúil…) or “Cád atá tú ag leabh?” (ignoring the silly misspelling, should be Cad tá á léamh agat?). Use of prepositions is a tricky topic in most languages, and kinvara sure hasn’t mastered it for Irish—“ Tá suim agus eolas agam ar ghnéithe…” (preposition should be faoi). A specific problem for learners of Irish is the copula, and again kinvara shows he hasn’t mastered it ---“ is é litríocht na Gaeilge ar ceann…”. There is no “ar” in that construction. (I think he stupidly “corrected” me on that a while ago—he doesn’t understand the damn rule!) Also, “ceann de na traidisiúin” is wrong, should be ceann des… Similarly “le an t-údar” is wrong, should be “leis an t-údar” or maybe even “leis an údar” since it’s dative case, but perhaps that’s being picky. Might also be picky to reject his “ag léamh an t-úrscéal staire”, since it could be argued that “úrscéal staire” already contains a genitive, hence doesn’t need a double genitive (ag léamh an úrscéil). I would defer to Irish language experts (and that doesn’t include kinvara) on that one. Anyway, kinvara, this is the last time I’m going to spend 15 minutes analyzing your mistakes in Irish.

Gobshite.I see you hate the Germans and the French too.I guess it's anyone who stands up to the American fat ass.Actually the next Chinese President of China Xi Jinping is in Ireland this weekend.Don't they now own your country ~The Useless Snakes.Great bunch of lads the Chinese.We can do business with them.

Paddy displays no gratitude, just like the French. The United States saved europe from Adolf. For decades, its own people/government unable to support them, Ireland has exported its problems to the US, the UK, Australia etc. When Patrick makes a mess of things due to incompetence they put out the damp, wool cap for a few USD or CAD or GBP, ECU or EURO. This weekend they are seeking a few remimbi. Patrick doesn't care so long as somebody is throwing a few bob into that begging bowl. Indeed Patrick might now be better off had Adolf set his sights westward. He may have culled some of the backward stupidity/gombeenism, 'Goerhing, fire up ze ovens, zeez pepil are too stupid to be part of ze master race'. Germany today is a vibrant, wealthy economy. Patrick might be living in a very different enviornment than its present predicament. I wonder would Ciara and Peter have made the cut with Adolf.

Gobdaw, you cant even bring an apple into the US! Plus you can send vaccuum packed meats to the US from Ireland so your 'point' is pointless.

Well look ye here! Im just back from a surf trip to co.Clare. The number of obnoxious Americans there at this time of year was unreal! Loud, false and insincere! Most even chatted during a mans speech in regards to the famine! How disrespectful was that! The swearing was pretty bad too. I didnt mind the swearing but it was the loud conversations and lack of respect to the natives that I found irritating. Oh and the groups of them taking up entire paths AND roads so drivers and ourselves couldnt get passed was pretty irritating too! So annoying and self absorbed!

kinvara 11.11 EST, what might be offensive in my contribution? I made a very serious observation about hygiene issues and lack of social skills in relation to Irish natives. The USDA refuses to allow passengers on flights from paddyland to bring Irish sausages, bacon etc. because of poor standards in your slaughter houses. I have witnessed first hand the toilet humor that the natives in Ireland find hilarious. My reference to the odors that were exposed in you bars after the smoking ban was introduced was garnered from your own media reports. It would appear that Patrick can't handle the truth about his uncouth behavior/lifestyle.

I could think of worse things than speaking the German language.We could be speaking the American language.Oh!Hang on.You don't have a language of your own either.No culture,no language.The only culture ye have is on your ass.German hamburger and french fries!!And the American contribution"SUPERSIZE ME".The truth hurts as you say Gobshite.LOL

'Without Ireland and it's culture ye lot would be nothing' Without us. 'ye lot' would be speaking german and wiping your ass with grass.

I guess the truth hurts Sirp. Now go back to your room and enjoy annudder slab or 2 of bulmers.

I think that the main reason that many Irish are ignorant of America is that they have never travelled in and through it. In ALL of my 56 years, I have never met a single Irish tourist coming through Central Texas. They seem to only visit NYC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Disney World. That would be like going to Dublin and saying you understand Ireland. Another reason for the ignorance of America is that they generally do not have any political understanding of 1/2 of the body politic of America: Republican/Conservative or Libertarian . When I was in Ireland last summer people raved on and on about how much they loved President Obama, and when I pressed them to tell me why, they couldn't tell me one thing he had done that they liked or approved of. Several people actually told me that they understood that our "poor" were dying in the streets of untreated medical conditions and hunger. They did not know that ANYONE who goes to a hospital in the USA must be admitted and treated regardless of financial resources, and that over 51% of all Americans get money each month from the government in some form (some of it earned and deserved like our Social Security). Lastly, concerning Irish-Americans, many Irish do not understand our feeling that Irish culture is in part our own. They forget that our ancestors lived in Ireland for thousands of years, and we have spent only a couple of hundred years here at most. Many here have an antiquated view of Ireland because that is what Hollywood has sold us, and I might add that Hollywood has sold the Irish a weird distorted view of America. When I was at language school in Donegal last year, dozens of people seemed stunned and puzzled that I had an interest in learning to speak the Irish language. They couldn't understand how I consider much of it my own culture. I found that strange.

@Joycean: The fact remains that for a time the book was banned in the US on obscenity grounds, presumably you would have opposed that because of your username? It sounds as if you wouldn't. Could you explain the difference (in the context of literature) between 'content' and 'words/ language'? What is the diference between saying a short four letter word and writing an entire paragraph using 'proper' language to say something offensive or obscene? What are we 'protected' from? Words or meanings? As I have explained, Irishmen can use four letter words to convey humour and comradery; we are not afraid of words. You say only the most vulgar people use 'it' in conversation, and I have to disagree. You should be careful about judging Irish people based on what you deem appropriate language. Finally, Fairytale of New York, is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs ever written, yet look at the lyrics. The song has a bitter, artistic honesty; it has an emotion which makes it more meaningful. Would it be the same without the 'bad' words?

Tá mé ag cur mo anama amach ag gáire! So, George you said a person could 'scour' the works of Joyce and not come across any offensive language. As I have read Ulysess, I had to laugh at your silly claim. Furthermore, Joyce contains more than just the 'standard' F word, George and if you read the book you would know that; read my previous post again. How do you respond to having your ignorance exposed yet again? You blurt out: "You know absolutely nothing about James Joyce." Really George? is that your comeback? Weak. Dúirt tú go raibh Gaeilge agat, ach ca bhfuil sé? Cad a cheapann tú faoi Máirtín Ó Cadhain? Tá mé ag léamh an t-úrscéal staire 'Fontenoy' le an t-údar Liam Mac Cóil. Tá sé níos fearr ná Peig! Tá suim agus eolas agam ar ghnéithe de litríocht na Gaeilge. Mar a dúirt mé roimhe seo, is é litríocht na Gaeilge ar ceann de na traidisiúin liteartha is sine san Eoraip. Tá litríocht na Gaeilge faoi bhláth agus tá spéis faoi leith agam i Nua-phrós na Gaeilge. Agus tú fein? Cád atá tú ag leabh?

Georgie Boy.So you are wrong again.haha."Your mind clearly has a policy akin to 'manifest destiny'"Excellent!!!.Joyce would be proud of that line.

joycean.Last time I looked Washington wasn't part of any Indian reservation.What business does American Indian artifacts have in the Smithsonian?White Americans steal them from the natives or just take them? How does it feel to know that Geronimo would love to shoot every one of ye with his gun that was stolen from him and now sits in the Smithsonian.Who hacked off his head and boiled the flesh from his skull in 1909?Who then stole his skull?Who then used the code name "Geronimo" for the raid that killed Osama bin Laden but its use upset native Americans.What people in 2003 have an unemployment rate of 69% in Montana?I guess if the Native American kids or whats left of them save up enough food stamps they might be able to trade them in for the cost of the 3000 mile journey by school bus to see their stolen artifacts.Joycean.Of course Irish women prefer shopping in America.What woman whats to see a history of violence and genocide and slavery? They wouldn't be going to see the Book of Kells now would they?Space junk and the first coke bottle doesn't hold much interest for women either.Do you want more American "culture"?