Russian Journal of LinguisticsRussian Journal of LinguisticsRussian Journal of Linguistics2687-00882686-8024Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)2061510.22363/2312-9182-2019-23-1-40-61SOCIOLINGUISTICSСОЦИОЛИНГВИСТИКА社会语言学Research ArticleLanguage Maintenance and Language Death: The Case of the Irish LanguageЖизнь и смерть языка: языковая ситуация в ИрландииPecnikovaJanaПецниковаЯнаPh.D., Assistant Professor at Matej Bel University, Faculty of Arts in Banska Bystrica, Slovakiaдоктор, доцент Университета Матея Бела, г. Банска Быстрица, Словакияjana.pecnikova@umb.skSlatinskaAnnaСлатинскаАннаPh.D., Assistant Professor at Matej Bel University, Faculty of Arts in Banska Bystrica, Slovakiaдоктор, доцент Университета Матея Бела, г. Банска Быстрица, Словакия.anna.slatinska@umb.skMatej Bel UniversityУниверситет Матея Бела15122019231VOL 23, NO1 (2019)ТОМ 23, №1 (2019)406126022019Copyright ©; 2019, Pecnikova J., Slatinska A.Copyright ©; 2019, Пецникова Я., Слатинска А.Copyright ©; 2019, Pecnikova J., Slatinska A.2019Pecnikova J., Slatinska A.Пецникова Я., Слатинска А.Pecnikova J., Slatinska A.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0https://journals.rudn.ru/linguistics/article/view/20615According to the Constitution of Ireland (2018), the Irish language is the Republic’s national and first official language. In 2007 it was declared one of the official languages of the European Union, gaining a new status in comparison with the past when it was regarded as a Treaty language only. Since this adoption many changes have happened and many projects have been initiated in the field of maintenance and death prevention of the Irish language. The article analyses data gained from the qualitative research, the final part of which was carried out in the Republic of Ireland from February to March 2015 at the National University of Ireland in the city of Galway. The research sheds light on the future of the Irish language and reflects the opinions of informants on the topic of language death and language maintenance. Our aim was to obtain a most diverse sample of respondents with different attitudes towards the Irish language revitalization and its potential to be used as an effective tool within various spheres of life, ensuring the language´s vitality and protection from possible death. We highlight some of the most salient preventive measures, which seem to work in the area of language maintenance, including a huge role of particular organizations aimed at the Irish language revitalization. Last but not least, we pay attention to concerns about the language, which must be identified in order to find out which areas should be primarily addressed so as to protect the language for future generations.Согласно Конституции Ирландии (2018 г.) ирландский язык является национальным и первым официальным языком республики. В 2007 г. он был провозглашен одним из официальных языков Европейского Союза и, таким образом, получил новый статус, поскольку ранее был лишь языком, на котором публиковались и юридически заверялись договоры ЕС. С тех пор произошли многие изменения и были начаты многочисленные проекты, нацеленные на поддержание и предотвращение гибели ирландского языка. В статье представлены данные, полученные в результате качественного исследования, последний этап которого проходил в феврале-марте 2015 г. в Национальном университете Ирландии, г. Голуэй. Анализируется будущее ирландского языка и мнения информантов по вопросам, касающимся гибели и сохранения языка. Была сделана выборка респондентов с различным отношением к возрождению ирландского языка и его потенциальному использованию в качестве эффективного инструмента в различных сферах жизни. Особое внимание уделено наиболее значимым мерам по поддержанию ирландского языка, включая огромную роль некоторых организаций в его возрождении, а также проблемам, которые необходимо поставить и в первую очередь решить, чтобы сохранить ирландский язык для будущих поколений.Irish languagelanguage maintenancelanguage deathlanguage revitalizationGaeltachtGaeltachtирландский языксохранение языкасмерть языкавозрождение языка1.Aitchinson, J. (2001). Language Change. Process or Decay? Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.2.Amery, R. (2001). Language Planning and Language Revival. In Current Issues in Language Planning. Routledge, 141-221.3.Bačová, V. (1996). Etnická identita a historické zmeny. Bratislava: SAV.4.Benčiková, D. (2016). Cultural Intelligence in International Organizations. 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