Languages of Northern Ireland

Languages of Northern Ireland
Sign in English, Irish and Scots at Derry Guildhall
Official	English, Irish
National	English (99.17%)[1]
Vernacular	Ulster English, Hiberno-English, Ulster Irish
Minority	Irish (0.3% main usage, 12% knowledge), Ulster Scots (8% knowledge) [2]
Immigrant	Polish (1.1% main usage), Lithuanian (0.5% main usage), Romanian (0.3% main usage)
Signed	Northern Ireland Sign Language
Keyboard layout	QWERTY

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English is by far the most spoken, and the "de facto" national language of Northern Ireland,^{[citation needed]}; it occurs in various forms, including Ulster English and Hiberno-English. Irish is an official language of Northern Ireland since 2022,^[3] and the local variety of Scots, known as Ulster Scots, has official minority status, with services in the language provided by public authorities.^[4][5] Northern Ireland Sign Language and Irish Sign Language have also been recognised with minority status since 29 March 2004.^[6][7]

Before legislation passed in 2022 that allowed the use of Irish in courts, the Administration of Justice (Language) Act (Ireland) 1737 also officially prohibited the use of languages other than English in legal proceedings, though this act is now repealed.^[8]

The Irish used in Northern Ireland is primarily of the Ulster Irish dialect, with An Caighdéan (the standardised written Irish of the Republic of Ireland) rarely encountered.

Under the Good Friday Agreement, Irish and Ulster Scots (an Ulster dialect of the Scots language, sometimes known as Ullans), are recognised as "part of the cultural wealth of Northern Ireland".^[9] Two all-island bodies for the promotion of these were created under the Agreement: Foras na Gaeilge, which promotes the Irish language, and the Ulster Scots Agency, which promotes the Ulster Scots dialect and culture. These operate separately under the aegis of the North/South Language Body, which reports to the North/South Ministerial Council.

The British government in 2001 ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Irish (in Northern Ireland) was specified under Part III of the Charter, with a range of specific undertakings in relation to education, translation of statutes, interaction with public authorities, the use of placenames, media access, support for cultural activities and other matters. A lower level of recognition was accorded to Ulster Scots, under Part II of the Charter.^[10]

The earliest linguistic records from what is now Northern Ireland are of Primitive Irish, from about the 5th century AD. Languages spoken in Iron Age Ireland before then are now irretrievable, although there are some claims of traces in toponymy, including in Northern Ireland.^[11] Shelta, a mixed language spoken by Irish Travellers (Rilantu Mincéirí), is also native to Ireland.