Maggie Bonsey on endangered-language advocacy, minority-language planning, and the pleasures of pleasure reading.
What is your field and level of study?
I will be starting my Ph.D. in Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics in September.
Tell us why you decided to pursue your chosen field of study.
I did my undergrad in Celtic Studies at UC Berkeley, but I was more invested in modern Irish than I was in the medieval topics everyone else was drawn to. After I graduated, I read an article by Máiréad Moriarty outlining new roles for endangered languages and it all kind of fell into place, and I’ve been obsessed with the interaction between minority language media and language planning and policy ever since.
What have been your most rewarding experiences during your studies? Your most challenging?
The most rewarding moment so far was probably as toss up between when I met with my supervisor at UL before I had even applied and she told me that she was looking forward to working with me, and handing in my master’s dissertation. I poured my heart and soul into that document, and I’m happy to say it paid off.
My most challenging experience was probably duration of the year-long master’s in Irish Studies at NUI Galway. Everyone warns you that one year master’s programs are absolutely exhausting, but I don’t think anything can quite prepare you for the just how exhausting they actually are.
What are you currently working on?
I’ve recently finished the behemoth Irish Research Council application, which took a lot of time, but now that is out of the way, I’m trying to get a couple things from my dissertation published while I still have time before I go back to Ireland and start taking courses again. I am also taking full advantage of the very conveniently located Flann O’Brien collection at Boston College to help with an article I’m working on looking at language and class in The Third Policeman and The Cruiskeen Lawn.
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading all sorts of things! Basically anything from Dion Boucicualt’s Irish melodramas to minority language planning and policy and sociolinguistics, with a little Flann O’Brien thrown in on the side for fun. I’m trying to read as many nonacademic books as I can during what is ostensibly my year off, which has been great. I definitely missed pleasure reading!
How do you hope to contribute to Irish Studies?
As a language revitalisationist, I’d be happy if my work highlights just how dynamic Irish really can be. I’d love for more people within Irish studies to take an interest in the language, and if my future research makes Irish language media more popular among speakers with various levels of understanding, I feel like that could be counted as a success.
What are your future plans?
I’m currently focusing on getting through the Ph.D. program! I’m really excited to see what the next four years have in store for me.