Dennis “Crualioach” Crowley
Abstract
In this report on the Yola people I will be covering the phonology, history, death, and possible revival of the language. This report is largely based on the works of the late Diarmuid O Muirthe, whom this paper is dedicated to. The ability of reviving languages has become more and more possible with the help of the internet, and by following in the footsteps of other revived languages. This begs the question of if the Forth and Bargy dialect of South East Wexford can be revived. In this report, I will hope to answer this question.
Introduction
Yola has been dead for over two hundred years. But this has not stopped linguists from attempting to reconstruct, revive and study the language, as has been done most famously with Hebrew and Cornish. The Yola language, also called the Forth and Bargy dialect, is a mix of Flemish, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, and of course, English. These influences come from the many colonists that have occupied the areas over the many centuries.
Phonology
The major phonological differences between the Yola language and standard English phonologically is its use of the letter V and F and how vowels are pronounced when compared to standard English. Whilst English speakers would say fade, found, or free. This would be replaced by a /v/ in Yola, Where it would be pronounced /vaa-de/ voound/ and /vree/ respectively.(although it would still be written with a F). The great vowel shift, which has been written extensively about, was a period of time from 1400 to 1700 when English vowels started to be pronounced differently. Yola did not undergo these changes due to its secluded nature from other English speaking areas. For example, /i/ would have been pronounced /ee/ during this period. And we would not have the short /i/ that exists in modern English, like in the word bite. Aswell, The way /th/ is pronounced in Yola is more of a /d/ or a /dh/.
Culturally
There are some recovered documents from the time when the Yola language was commonly spoken in the baronies. The most famous of which are the “Yola Hurling Zong” and “The Maiden of Rosslare”. But through these limited manuscripts we are able to understand how the Yoles behaved, and how they were different compared to the rest of Ireland. The Yoles were isolated both linguistically and physically. They praticed many traditions that were not used outside of Ireland including mumming. According to Diarmuid O Murithe, they “rarely married outside of their territory.”⁶ The Yoles had very strong Norman ties, they used “peelers” which was a cooking utensil used for making bread.
History of the Yola language
Through my research on the language. I have came up with an idea about a “Proto-Yola” language. Since it is evdient that languages evolve over time, the most resonable thing to assume is that Yola too evolved. Although it was isolated, the Yola language took up many Irish loanwords over time. The “Proto-Yola” language was first theoretically born when the Norman invasion of the area first started. Over time this new language took on Irish, Welsh, English, and Flemish influences due to its repeated colonization. This is evident through their arcitecture aswell.¹ The language ceased to be a communal one in the baronies of Forth and Bargy sometime in the mid 1850’s, although this is not because of the Irish potato famine and its after effects. The last “true” speaker of the ancient language was a fisherman by the name of Jack Devereux, he was a well respected man in the Kilmore Christmas carolers. A group of men that sang in Yola during the Christmas season. They are still active, but their tradition is nowhere as alive as it was hundreds of years ago. The main modern authority on the Yola language was the famous Irish scholar Diarmuid O Muirithe. Who with singer and songwriter Paddy Berry broadcasted the first well known reconstructed Yola song.² The song in question is about a 1600’s hurling match.
Jack Devereux
The last speaker of this ancient dialect was a man by the name of Jack Devereux as I have said before. He was the leader of the Kilmore Christmas Carolers, and was the last person to have a command of the language. Yola still survives in these carols, but it has been mostly overtaken by English. His descendants are still active in the Kilmore Caroling community. ^4. He was one of the people interviewed by Dairmuid O Murithe for his report on the Yola language. Where Murithe discovered that there were “sub-dialects” within Yola.³ The quote in question is, “The two speakers are not from the same place.” D (Jack Deverux) is from Kilmore Quay and J (Liz Jeffreys) is from Neavestown, 10 miles away. There are differences in pronunciation between the two…” Mr. Murithe then goes on to explain the phonological difference between the two speakers. Mainly /dis/ and /jis/ and how Jack Devereaux uses a dental plosive for /dis/ and Liz Jeffreys does not.
The Normans and the Flemish
The first people to speak a Proto version of Yola were most likely the Normans and the Flemish. After a flood in the 1100’s settlers moved into the South-East Corner of what is now the baronies of Bargy and Forth. This Proto-Yola language was a dialect of Middle English with Irish and Flemish loanwords most likely. It is very obvious that the Yoles are descended from the Normans, common last names like “Devereaux ‘’ and “Roche ‘’. After the Flemish were displaced from their land due to the flood, they quickly assimilated into their society. Adding Dutch words. A theory of why /zi/ and /aɹs/ are so common in the Yola language is because of this. Many traditions from Normandy came to the Yoles, such as the practice of Mumming, which is a type of acting, usually for a holiday.
Revitalization
Language revitalization is an option for the Yola Language. It has already been started by an organization called Gabble Ing Yola.⁵ A “memrise” course is in its early development; it as of August 2022 has roughly 200 words. Although these steps are small, more and more effort is being made to revive Yola language and culture. There was a farmstead in Fiveacre near Tagoat that attempted to reconstruct Yola architecture. The place is still in use as a youth group, exposing young people to their roots.