WERE YOU hoodwinked?
With massive uncertainties remaining despite Britain having (finally) left the European Union, a satirical article published by Luxeumbourg's answer to Waterford Whispers News managed to dupe thousands of people with its claim that Irish English would be replacing British English as the working language of the European Union.
I expect to see 'banjaxed' used in official EU papers soon.
— Po-Faced One (@ThePoFace) February 5, 2020
So what did this mean exactly? Most seemed to think that the tone of speaking would be changed, so they did, or perhaps that words like 'ye', or 'yiz' would be used in legislation-- and that it would get confusing when everyone started saying 'I will yeah' when they meant they absolutely would not.
Any move that gets "amn't" the international recognition it deserves is a good move.
— Be Runnin' Up That Dave (@daveabrowne) February 5, 2020
It seems that a lot of people read the headline, saw the official-looking photo and thought 'Yeah, that sounds like something within the realms of possibilities', because reading the article, it's (unfortunately) clear satire.
European Commission president Ursula Gertrund says that the fallout from Brexit will be "grand", and Commission interpreter Gamini Saol says that the switch-over from British English to Irish English will be "gas", and she wouldn't have a problem as she had spent six months working in a pub in Limerick.
So if you meet Barnier you say "we're suckin' diesel" and "story, horse?"
— Declan Varley (@declanvarley) February 5, 2020
But it is the last sentence of the article which-- however much we want it to be true-- proves without a doubt that there's satire at play here, as The Wurst author writes:
"The difference can be seen in a statement that was published on the EU homepage in late January, which referred to the UK leader as “Prime Minister Boris Johnson,” but by Feb.1 the words had been changed to “your man.”"
As the article gained traction on social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter, Irish newspaper The Journal were forced to use their 'Factchecker' section-- normally reserved for politicians' comments during the General Election-- to address the claims that EU politicians would be saying 'I will in me bleedin' hole' instead of 'I won't do that'.
Delving into the claims, The Journal's verdict was that it was 'NONSENSE' and advised readers to "have a bit of cop on and don't get caught out".
But sure look, didn't we have a bit of craic all the same.
