Hi! My name is Natasha Mata. I am a student at City College of San Francisco. This blog is for an assignment in the class Intercultural Communication taught by Dr. Jennifer Kienzle. If you have any questions or comments about this project, please contact Dr. Kienzle: jkienzle@ccsf.edu.
Intercultural Communication within Irish Culture
My ispiration for this blog topic came from my current job, I have worked at for the last 4 years. I work at a family and Irish owned restaurant in San Francisco called Johnny Foleys Irish House. It has been such an experience to work with such diversity and tourism that this city brings. Since I have been working here I have gotten to know the Irish culture pretty well due to working with a group of them. I went from not understanding a word they were saying when I first started working here, to sometimes finding myself talking in an Irish accent. I guess working with Irish 5 days a week for the last 4 years will do that. Part of my good experience of working at this Irish pub is learning about their culture.
Irish culture is something that has intrigued me since I have been working here. I would describe them as humerous and traditional. I have learned that Irish cultural environment is laid back and comfertable because of there traditions that include, music, sports, dance, food and drinks. Along with many more.
I feel that this is an important topic for me at the moment because I will no longer be working at this Pub any more due to moving, but I feel that there culture has put a stamp in my heart that makes me excited to visit Ireland one day.
Irish History
Ireland was a pagan country until the time of St. Patrick in 432 AD. The arrival of Christianity brought schools, recording on manuscripts thousands of years of folklore and traditions, brilliant gold and other metal works, as well as the great monastic settlements that were to “save civilization” in Western Europe during the Dark Ages. About 900 AD, Vikings began to invade Ireland, plundering and looting treasures from the monasteries along the east coast. (Crowly.com)
From 795 AD Ireland was under regular attack by Viking raiders who targeted the rich monasteries and caused their eventual decline. Raiding in the ninth century was followed by settlement. The Vikings founded trade outposts in Ireland which later developed into major towns and cities such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. (eu2013.ie)
After a period of guerrilla war, an agreement was reached with England about Irish independence in 1921. The only condition was that the six counties in the north (Ulster) were to remain in the union with Great Britain. This was of done because the majority in the north was Protestant and wanted to keep the bond with Britain. In Ireland this decision stirred strong feelings and disagreement threw the country into a civil war. Many Irish felt that giving up the North would mean to betray that region. The civil war did not change the decision. Ireland was liberated, but divided in two. Now, more than 85 years later, the situation is still unresolved. (cultural atlas.sbs.com)
Irish Communication Challenges
- Do not refer to those from the Republic of Ireland as ‘British’. Be mindful that many in Northern Ireland will be offended if referred to as ‘Irish’.
- Similarly, do not refer to Ireland as the United Kingdom and vice versa. These are two distinct countries with differing cultures.
- Avoid stereotyping your Irish counterpart. Referring to stereotypes or clichés will not be well received, particularly stereotypes relating to alcohol and drunkenness.
- Try not to dominate a conversation, be aggressive or overly direct. This can be interpreted as being pretentious and impolite.
Irish Communication Tips
- The most common greeting is the handshake. The Irish usually shake hands when being introduced or when greeting a friend or work colleague.
- In formal situations or with people of higher status, titles and last names are used.
- Among close friends and family, the Irish may hug and kiss each other on the cheek.
- Women will kiss both male and female friends, while men kiss only female friends.
- When addressing friends, family and acquaintances, the Irish will generally use first names.
- In more rural areas, people will greet each other when passing on the street.
- People in urban areas reserve such greetings for neighbours and people they know.
- Common phrases that accompany greetings are, ‘Hello,’ ‘How are you?’ and ‘What’s the craic?’ (‘craic’ refers to news, gossip and conversation).
- The Irish usually hold eye contact when greeting someone.
- When being introduced to family, it is customary to shake hands with older children as you would with adults.
Verbal
- Communication Style: In Ireland, how you speak implies a lot about you. Telling stories, jokes or being witty is very common for the Irish. Moreover, public displays of emotion are common. They tend to be quite poetic in their expressions and sometimes embellish their stories. At times, they may relay a point they are trying to make through anecdotes. There is also a tendency to be modest. Bragging about yourself or constantly exaggerating will be looked on with suspicion.
- Indirect Communication: The Irish tend to be indirect communicators; they often try to avoid creating conflict and will go to great lengths to remain polite throughout the discussion. For example, if you offer to buy your Irish counterpart a drink, they may say ‘ah, no’ despite wanting to accept. Thus, you may have to offer a couple of times before they will accept. The Irish may also avoid bluntly expressing dissatisfaction or disagreement. Instead, they will give subtle cues, such as changing the subject or using humour or sarcasm.
- Irish Gaelic: Irish Gaelic is one of the official languages of Ireland (alongside English). Although many Irish can understand some of the Irish languages, English is more widely spoken.
- Profanity: It is not uncommon to hear the Irish say “God”, “Jesus” or swear words in daily conversation. It’s not considered profanity for many Irish people, nor is it ill-intended.
- Humour: In Ireland, humour is used for various purposes. Generally, humour is used to create laughs and a warm spirit among people. It may be used as a defence mechanism, in a self-deprecating or ironic way, or as a way to show a sense of acceptance and attachment between those engaged in the conversation. Humour is also used if a person transgresses social norms to lighten the situation. Most Irish enjoy witty humour, as well as sarcasm and ‘slagging’ (insults and teasing). Such humour is well-intended and is not meant to be perceived negatively.
- Soft Voices: The Irish tend to speak in softer tones. Being overly loud or disruptive is considered poor etiquette and off-putting.
- Ingressive Sound: Some Irish people may inhale or inject short breaths while saying “yes” during a conversation to show agreement. It sounds similar to a gasp accompanied with the word “yes.” This linguistic mannerism may be unfamiliar to many Australians, so don’t be alarmed if you hear your Irish counterpart make this noise (nor ask them if they have a problem with breathing).
Non-Verbal
- Physical Contact: The Irish tend to have a warm and friendly disposition, but will restrain themselves from showing a great deal of physical affection in public. Men are usually less tactile than women, but a friendly slap on the back and other gestures are still common.
- Personal Space: Irish people tend to maintain an arm’s length’s distance between themselves and others when speaking. They also avoid pushing each other in public spaces such as queues or on public transport.
- Eye Contact: Maintaining consistent (but not constant) eye contact is the norm. For many Irish, consistent eye contact reflects trust and engagement.
- Gestures: Excessive use of hand gestures is not common, but neither do the Irish keep their hands entirely still when conversing. Some older Irish people who are Catholic will often make the sign of the cross when passing a church, funeral procession, cemetery or when an ambulance passes with its sirens on.
- Pointing: Sometimes, an Irish person may nod or jerk their head or chin in the direction of what is discussed rather than point with their finger.