Brian O'Shea
Question:341 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of new words which have come into the Irish language in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11162/99]
Written Answers. - Irish Language.
The Deputy will be aware that in Irish as in all living languages there is a constant process of growth. New words are composed and gain recognition in Gaeltacht areas where Irish is the vernacular long before they find their way into dictionaries or textbooks. Sometimes words are composed by writers and journalists, based on their own linguistic skills, in response to their own needs.
There is no central record of such words; therefore I am confining myself to the Irish words, or terms, introduced by the one relevant body which comes within my remit as Minister and is based within my Department, that is an coiste téarmaíochta.
The numbers of new terms, which sometimes are combinations of words already in the language, introduced during the last five years by an coiste téarmaíochta are as follows: 1994: 1163, 1995: 1143, 1996, 1495, 1997: 1421, 1998: 1932.