From Shibboleths to Shared Terminology? The Divisive Place Names of Northern Ireland
Date
2014
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Advisor
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Swarthmore College. Dept. of Linguistics
Type
Thesis (B.A.)
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
en_US
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Full copyright to this work is retained by the student author. It may only be used for non-commercial, research, and educational purposes. All other uses are restricted.
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Terms of Use
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
In Northern Ireland, a region that has experienced longstanding ethno-political conflict,
terminology has become a veritable minefield (Mitchell 1999). In accordance with the work of Cordula
Hawes-Bilger (2007), this paper will view such terminological differences as linguistic aspects of the
Northern Ireland conflict and will support the idea that the language in Northern Ireland has become a
war zone unto itself by means of the metaphorical conception WORDS ARE WEAPONS (based on the
work of Lakoff and Johnson (1980)). However, this paper will look specifically at place names as a
battleground for ethno-political ideology, based on work done in the field of Critical Toponymies (see
especially Berg and Vuolteenaho (2009)). I will be limiting myself to the terms 'Londonderry,' 'Northern
Ireland,' and 'the Republic of Ireland' and their variations. These variations include 'Derry,' and
'Derryl Londonderry'; and 'Ulster,' 'the Six Counties,' 'the North (of Ireland)'; and 'Eire,' 'the South (of
Ireland),' 'Irish Republic,' 'Free State' and 'the 26 Counties,' respectively. In particular, I plan to look at
the ways in which the use of geographical terminology pertaining to the Northern Ireland conflict has
changed over time and across the ethno-political divide to determine if the relative peace throughout the
last 15 years has resulted in less use of politically charged place names among the main actors in the
Northern Ireland conflict, namely the Republicans and Unionists within Northern Ireland itself. This work
should be of interest to those involved in Peace and Conflict Studies, Sociolinguistics, and Critical
Toponymies.