Brian Friel free essay sample

# 8217 ; s Translations Essay, Research Paper Language has been the subject of many arguments throughout history. It is an issue, which can do upheaval and even bloodshed. A modern twenty-four hours illustration of this can be found right here in Canada. A great sum of clip, and emotional input, among other things, has been invested into Quebec # 8217 ; s sovereignty argument. There has been no long-run solution to the job. This may be due to the deficiency of understanding the bulk lingua has of the issues. Language is a portion of one # 8217 ; s individuality. One might even venture to state the most of import constituent. It is the model used to do sense of the universe. Of class other methods are equal to make this, but linguistic communication is paramount. To understand one must construe and internalise. One # 8217 ; s linguistic communication is interwoven with civilization ; accordingly ethical motives, values, and traditions are passed down by linguistic communication to future coevalss. In Friel # 8217 ; s Translations correlativity of linguistic communication and individuality are best exemplified through the character Owen who embraces English, forgets what linguistic communication really means, and in kernel rebuffs who he is. Owen is the Irishman in Translations who seizes English. He believes it to be an component of success. Language is to be manipulated to carry through his demands. The civilization that is a critical portion of the Irish lingua is forgotten, or more handily brushed aside to let for # 8220 ; improvement # 8221 ; . A major job that arises from this is that # 8220 ; # 8230 ; civilization is socially constructed, symbolically maintained and transmitted # 8230 ; # 8221 ; ( Sackney 59 ) . Without Irishmen speech production and sing their linguistic communication it will decease, and necessarily be merely a memory of better times. Equally far as Owen is concerned his female parent lingua is outdated, and for the barbarian. This attitude is highlighted when he speaks to his long clip friends and household members at the hedge-school. # 8220 ; My occupation is to interpret the quaint, antediluvian lingua you people persist in talking into the King # 8217 ; s good English # 8221 ; ( Fr iel 29 ) . The Gaelic lingua is going disused in the aftermath of colonisation. Owen has boarded the ship of # 8220 ; advancement # 8221 ; dissociating himself from his foundation. The linguistic communication and civilization in which he was raised is left secondary to success. In the shuffling his individuality has been unimpeachably watered down. Assimilation is the key to the # 8220 ; divide and conquer # 8221 ; tactic used by settlers throughout the centuries. Owen has been divided from his people. He has become a unidentified face in the battle to predominate. For Owen names seem to be undistinguished. He has lost sight to why they are meaningful. # 8220 ; Owen: Back to first rules. What are we seeking to make? Yolland: Good inquiry. Owen: We are seeking to designate and at the same clip describe # 8230 ; # 8221 ; ( Friel 35 ) . The inquiry that arises is Dun na nGall or Donegal, Muineachain or Monaghan? Congruent topographic point ; hence nil has changed? As Owen states about his ain name # 8220 ; Owen-Roland-what the snake pit. It # 8217 ; s merely a name # 8221 ; ( Friel 33 ) . He does non grok that the primary map of a word is non merely its significance, but besides its impli cation. The importance lies in the significance of those names in a specific context, and being heard from a unique and single oral cavity. It is close impossible to convey indistinguishable significance of footings in any contrasting linguistic communications, because words are specific to a civilization, and that experience. Diverse traditions and civilizations are being assimilated into the English multitudes with the radioactive dust being a devastation of heritage. The effects of this quandary are apparent in the Gaelic League of Austin’s mission statement quoted here. â€Å"We strive to continue the linguistic communication and civilization of Ireland, and experience that with difficult work and dedication, those in Ireland and abroad can do a echt measure towards advancing the beautiful and critical civilization against menaces of standardisation. †¦It [ Irish ] is deserving salvaging and perpetuating for coevalss to come.† Owen is an illustration of the typ e of people who reduced Irish to this degree. He has taken on the English linguistic communication to replace Irish, non merely the Irish linguistic communication, but everything that is interwoven within it. Owen has acquired the English linguistic communication, but does non recognize that he will neer be English. There is a splitter, which prohibits this 2nd linguistic communication talker from wholly being embraced into the linguistic communication. He is the colonized, non the coloniser. Owen will ever be Irish to the British, even though he is their ally. He is an foreigner on the interior, but overlooks this. He is eventually faced with this world when he is merely the transcriber. # 8220 ; Lancey: # 8230 ; get downing 48 hours from now we will ship on a series of evictions and a grading of every residence # 8230 ; Owen: You # 8217 ; re non # 8212 ; ! Lancey: Make your occupation. Translate # 8221 ; ( Friel ) . Owen believed he was identified with Lancey and his military personnels where in realization he was nil more than a pawn. He had no influence over the British who he called # 8220 ; friend # 8221 ; . English could neer dissemble his true individuality. Irish is a por tion of his very being, and nil can alter this fact. Language is a portion of one # 8217 ; s individuality no affair how abundantly it is denied. It provides the foundation with which one views the universe. Languages and people are single ; they may see the same effects, but in different and alone ways. This is what makes the universe an interesting and complicated topographic point. It is the same old proverb about life being everyday if everything was the same. The impairment of the Irish linguistic communication may hold begun centuries ago, but the battle for saving and verve still lives on. One should non so easy accept fortunes and embrace the result, sometimes contending for what is worthwhile and right is indispensable. Identity, cognizing oneself, is a ceaseless enterprise that must be contemplated by all. Conradh na Gaeilge. # 8220 ; Mission Statement. # 8221 ; Gaelic League of Austin ( 1999 ) . Available hypertext transfer protocol: //www.dobywood.com/austincng/ Friel, Brian. Translations. London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1981. Walker, W, R. Farquhar A ; M. Hughes explosive detection systems. Advancing Education: School leading in action. London: Falmer Press, 1991.