:D Nah...we call it An Ghaoluinn

Repeatedly when I tell people here in NYC that I am studying Irish, they say, "You mean Gaelic?"

At the outset of my studies I read quite a bit on the terminology, and my understanding is that in Europe people generally use the term Irish for the language, and that Gaelic can be Irish or Scottish or Manx and is therefore ambiguous. Irish just seemed like the best choice all around, even though I am in the U.S.

My audience for my blog is global, but I do have far more readers in the U.S. than anywhere else. It seems it is rare enough in the U.S. to use Irish (although the Irish Arts Center here in NYC does, for its language classes, and they should know!) that I am wondering whether I should try something different, just for the sake of clarity.

I guess an alternative would be Irish Gaelic; I was happy with just Irish and would prefer to stick with that.

What do you think?

Agreed, WFM. I think all three are correct in their own contexts.

The distinction of using "Irish" versus "Gaelic" for Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic, respectively, is very academic, and possibly political as well. This academic distinction struck me as odd when I first started learning the language. After all, it is called Gaeilge not Éirinnis*

And besides, why should the Scots have a monopoly on the term "Gaelic".

On a lighter note...

I think I may be a bit of a bore about the whole Irish language thing. A couple of years ago I was at a church choir party (we get together for gin and tonic every week after rehearsal) and a new member had joined us. We were talking about our interests, and I mentioned that I was learning Irish. Just as the new person started to say "Top 'o the mornin'" (which would have been made even more ridiculous by the fact that it was about 9:30 at night) the entire rest of the choir chorused "It's a LANGUAGE!"

Redwolf

Do bhuaileas lena lán cainteoirí dúchaise i gCorca Dhuibhne agus dúradar "Gaelic" agus "Irish" i mBéarla.
Is minic a deirid "Gaelic" nuair 'táid siad ag caint le daoine ó Mheiriceá nó ón Mór-Roinn. Dúirt mo sheanathair
agus mo sheanmháthair "Gaelic" leis agus deireann cuid mhaith desna daoine dá lucht comhnaoise "Gaelic" fós.

Tá dhá nós ann, is cuma cé 'cu a deirir (im' thuairim), fé mar a dúradh thuas.