University of Galway is inviting families living in Gaeltacht areas to take part in a new study focused on everyday life in multilingual households. The researchers are particularly interested in families raising children with languages other than Irish or English.
The initiative, titled Gaeltacht Families and Multilingualism (GAELFAM ), is led researchers in the University’s School of Education Dr Cassie Smith-Christmas, Dr Verena Platzgummer and Paul Finn, and aims to explore how families navigate multilingual life in Irish-speaking communities, including languages such as Polish, German, Ukrainian, Japanese, and more.
Dr Cassie Smith-Christmas said they want to hear from families who are creatively nurturing Irish in their homes, especially those where parents have moved from other parts of Ireland or abroad.
“Even if Irish isn’t their first language, these families are shaping rich multilingual environments. Our aim is to understand the variety of language practices and experiences within Irish-speaking communities where other languages also play an important role.”
“We are interested not just in what languages people speak, but why, how, and what they mean to them. By understanding what’s happening in homes and communities, we hope to inform better policy and support for an increasingly multilingual Ireland.”
Dr Verena Platzgummer said there is a really strong commitment to Irish across many of the families they have met.
“What’s striking is how different every household is. One parent told us, ‘We’re all under the same roof, but each of us has a different view of how we use the languages.’”
Participation is fully confidential, and interviews are arranged to suit each family’s availability.
To find out more or to take part, please email [email protected].
