#137 | Fadúda Fadilah – Proper and Improper Multilingualism with Fadilah Salawu

Eid al-Adha shona daoibh!
Why are some bilingual teenagers seen as a triumph of aspirational middle-class parenting, but others are treated as a problem to be solved? This is a matter that strikes to the heart of discussions around the Irish language as it forces us to think about what monolingualism and multilingualism really tell us about intelligence, culture and community.

In today’s episode, Darach talks to writer and law student Fadilah Salawu. She talks about balancing her Muslim, Nigerian, Dublin and Gaelach identities. She tells Darach about Ireland and Nigeria’s shared colonial heritage and the conflicts with colonised people articulating their experiences with an imposed language. She shares the experience of Yoruba-speaking parents using English in the home with their children in Ireland, and watching Catholic rites of passage from the outside (but also from the inside – inside the classroom). She also tells Darach about her enjoyment of learning Irish and why Islam cautions against translating the Quran.
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