Varieties of English: varieties of literature. Some notes on Irish English and ELT

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show that the use of texts written in non-standard varieties of English, such as Irish English (or Hiberno-English), could be a valuable complement to language teaching and language learning. The paper concentrates on a number of linguistic features which are characteristic of this variety of English and which appear in the works of Irish writers. Special attention is paid to the work of Donegal author Patrick MacGill, and excerpts from his early novels are used as an example of Irish English writing.