THE PEOPLE AND THE LANGUAGE

The cultural differences that underlie many of Northern Ireland's contemporary social problems have a long and troubled history. The province has had lasting links with parts of western Scotland, strengthened by constant population movements. After the Tudor invasions and particularly after the forced settlements, or plantations, of the early 17th century, the English and Scottish elements were further differentiated from the native Irish by their Protestant faith. Two distinct and often antagonistic elements--the indigenous Roman Catholic Irish and the intrusive Protestant English and Scots--date from that period, and they have played a significant role in molding the province's development. The intrusive element dominated former County Antrim and northern Down, controlled the Lagan corridor toward Armagh, and also formed powerful minorities elsewhere.

This situation contributed to the decline of spoken Gaelic, and it is reflected in the contemporary distribution of religions. Gaelic is now only occasionally heard at a traditional entertainment, though it is taught in secondary schools and at universities. The accents given to English, however, are regionally distinctive. The northeastern dialect, dominating the former counties of Antrim and Londonderry and parts of Down, is an offshoot of central Scots dialect and reflects the latter in almost all its features. The remainder of the province, including the Lagan valley, has accents derived from England, more particularly from Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and southern Lancashire, as well as the West Country counties of Gloucestershire, Avon, Somerset, and Devon. The towns show more of a mixture and an overlay of standard English.