Ireland & USA Little Differences #7
Irish Fests
There aren’t Irish Fests in Ireland.
Ah you’re just being semantic; it’s like saying we don’t have Irish Stew in Ireland, we just have Stew, the way the English don’t have English Muffins in England, they simply have Muffins. No I’m not, at least not in that sense, but good point. See me later.
No, it is not the use of ‘Irish’ to which I am referring, but that of ‘Fest’.
Fests are German. The practice of using Fest as a suffix in English, attached or detached, is one that was brought to America by German people. Think Oktoberfest, and Trachtenfest.
The Irish on the other hand, gave to the English language in America a propensity for inserting the definite article into places where other speakers of English happily did without. Thus in the classic example, an English person might go to hospital with measles, but an Irish person would go to the hospital with the measles. Or the flu for that matter.
It’s also how Irish people can be affectionate regarding food. Using ‘the’ is more personal. I like the spuds at the Irish Festival, you know. And I like the ould sausages for the breakfast the day after. What character is there in liking spuds at Irish Fest, or sausages for breakfast? See? Too general. Too German.
And while the Gaelicized ‘craic’ is really a synonym for ‘fun’, because its usage is Irish, it is the craic that you like to have. Especially at the Festival. Craic is never mighty or ninety; the craic is.
So in Ireland we don’t go to Irish Fest; we go to the Féile, the Feis, the Fleadh, or in English, the Festival. Because ‘Fest’ is a German word. And that’s why most Irishfests (or Irish Fests) in the world are in the middle of America. It’s where the Germans settled. Where large numbers of the Irish settled, you have Irish Festivals.
Of course, just like Ireland gave Halloween to the world but now increasingly adopts the commercialized version it evolved into in America, it’s only a matter of time before Ireland adopts what German-Americans call Irish Fests. C’est la vie, as we Irish say.
See Also:
• Robins
• A Vegan Irish Recipe
• Tennis Balls
• What Impresses You Most About The United States
• Bangers: Not What Sausages Are Called In Ireland
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
Now… what’s that old debate about language forming thoughts or thoughts forming language?
If you ask me Halloween has been forced underground at home. Bonfires banned? Kids trick or treating without pre-prepared tricks-and in the middle of the afternoon too! Its disgraceful, I don’t give the little buggers any sweets
Thanks for the pointer here, Eolaí. Enjoyed your thoughts on this. It reminds me of something someone I know said near the end of his life: It’s the fucken cancer.