2018 is turning out to be a really important year in the history of Bitesize & the Irish language learning community. If you read our newsletters, blog posts, watched our YouTube videos or listened to our Podcast episodes, you noticed a few changes.
Today, we’re happy to announce that one of these changes is to go back to our original name “Bitesize Irish”.
You probably noticed this change over the past few months. We decided that it’s better to identify as Bitesize Irish instead of Bitesize Irish Gaelic.
Why did we change our name to Bitesize Irish?
By using “Irish Gaelic”, that label was excluding people in Ireland from appreciating what Bitesize Irish does. “Gaelic” or “Irish Gaelic” is seen as a touristy or foreign word by people in Ireland, generally. So we’ve renamed back to Bitesize Irish, true to the name we launched with in 2010.
In the recent Bitesize Irish Podcast – episode 82, Eoin talks in detail about this change, and why Irish language names matter.
As you may recall, we recently asked our community a few questions with the help of the Bitesize Irish 2018 survey. We were already discussing going back to the simpler, easier to remember name “Bitesize Irish” and after going over your answers it was clear to us that you valued authenticity and that allows us to help you connect to your Irish heritage.
What does this mean for the Irish learning community
Having a simpler, but authentic name shows our commitment to do our utmost to keep the Irish language alive. As a member of the Irish learning community, this won’t affect your learning journey or the online courses you’ve signed-up for.
2018 brought a lot of new tools for people wanting to learn the Irish language, such as: video lessons, learning-enhancement quizzes, live practice calls, new audio & video resources and more. We’re excited to let you know that we’ll be launching new products in early 2019.
What do you think about the name change? Please use the comments section below and share your feedback. Do you think “Bitesize Irish” is better than “Bitesize Irish Gaelic” for us?
Want to learn more about “Gaelic vs Irish Gaelic”? We recommend you to watch this video from our blog.
7 thoughts on “We’re Bitesize Irish”
Love your blog. My husband and I are going on a trip to belfast and want to learn some of the language, you have been a tremendous help.
Neutral on the name change, but maybe the “gaelic” vs “irish” label for the language can be seen as how diaspora Irish and, for lack of a better word, insular Irish label the language. The two groups developed differently with differing pressures for, and types of, assimilation. I suspect that most of tourists that generated the “touristy” link to the label “Gaelic” were diaspora Irish (and, not a few of them stereotypically “ugly” Americans). My understanding is the emigration was most common from the Gaeltacht (sp?)
Hi Sean,
Thanks for your take on the name change! We are hoping the it will result in more people connecting with us and our goals to help people all over the world speak Irish, and definitely don’t want to exclude anyone – especially not the Irish diaspora!
– Gabrielle
Maith thú! Is fearr liom é agus dea-adh leis!
Go raibh maith agat, a Brian! Nice to hear that you prefer that we’re going back to our roots.
Ceart go leor.
If writing in English, the language is called “Irish”.
Má tá tú ag scríobh i nGaeilge, is “Gaeilge” an ainm!
Sin é!