Subscriber OnlyLetters

Can we have Irish public information with English translations?

At least 80 per cent of our population are not proficient Irish speakers or readers

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Sir, – I think it is good that more people are being exposed to the Irish language in their daily lives through the use of Irish language public information posters and videos, but there is a problem.

At least 80 per cent of our population are not proficient Irish speakers or readers, and these notices are to inform the public of some necessary information, which we don’t really understand purely through the Irish medium.

Would it be possible to have the Irish-language posters and videos subtitled in smaller script in English, so we can understand the public information message being given?

The opposite could be done where the main script is in English, to have smaller subtitles in Irish?

Doing the above might also increase our vocabulary of Irish words by our gentle but persistent exposure to them. – Yours, etc,

DAVID DORAN,

Bagenalstown,

Co Carlow.