Q: I mean is Pat short for Patrick whereas Paddy is more of phonics. I don't see the big deal with it. Words are pronouced or spoken differently across the world. I didn't know that so many irish were that intolerable and protective of THEIR country and THEIR customs. I have read here in Y!A that unless you LIVE in Ireland that you have no claim to being irish. Sounds a bit harsh to me. Thought the irish were friendlier than that? If Patty is disrespectful then so would be Paddy-
A: Because you are saying it wrong - their holiday, their rules. You are being disrespectful (though probably not intentionally) of their culture. They are entitled to be a bit miffed. Your opinion doesn't factor into it. I assume that if you were talking about Chinese New Year or Greek Easter you would accept a correction from a Chinese or Greek person without questioning it? Then why can't you accept that from an Irish or Irish-American person? Though I agree, some Irish folks on YA can get a little preachy with determining "Irishness" - they don't really understand immigration and cultural groups as it applies to countries like Canada, Australia and the US which were built by immigrants. Their culture is not as diverse. The Irish guy above, eorpach_agus_eireannac.. is incorrect. Aussies, Canadians etc...do call themselves Irish. I have some living breathing examples I can introduce him to. When someone says they are Irish within their own country, what they are actually saying is that that is their heritage/cultural background. It is a misunderstanding on the part of the Irish that they think others are claiming that they too are Irish. We are not rejecting our identity as Americans or Canadians at all. We aren't Irish, we are Irish-American with a similar yet different background to the actual Irish. The Irish Americans fought to get to where they are today against very bad odds. Irish-Americans have also contributed back to Ireland in the form of money sent home from those who immigrated and support for the Irish War of Independence. Where do you suppose the cash ($6 million in 1920) to enable Ireland to win it's independence came from? Yes, it came from the grandparents of the same people now labeled plastic paddies. Very gracious, no? The Irish have a point in thinking that Americans distort their culture, but the reverse is also true. That is why the Irish Americans are proud to be "Irish" (again, meaning of Irish-American heritage not Irish from Ireland) Just like the Americans of Russian, Italian, Polish, ...etc..heritage are proud of their culture and it's adaptation to the US. Calling someone "Irish" in the US also can be just about their physical appearance, as we have Indian-Americans, Chinese-Americans etc...It is just a descriptor at times. Ireland is getting more immigrants themselves these days, now that they have a booming economy, so they might start to come around and get the concept. There will be a generation of Polish-Irish children in Ireland soon. Those children will be proud of being Polish ...and Irish.