Big Apple Big Onion

[George Thompson]

Regarding the use of Irish in NYC in the early 19th century.

There is a chapter by Kenneth E. Nilsen called "the Irish Language in New York, 1850-1900" in The New York Irish, Ronald H. Bayor & Timothy J. Meagher, eds., Johns Hopkins UPr., 1996, pp. 252-74.  This indicaties that there is little documentation that the Irish who immigrated to America before the famine were Irish-speakers, although many of them must have been, since it is known that Irish was very widely spoken in Ireland.  "In 1800 about half of the Irish [in Ireland] were Irish-speaking."  (p. 254)  But he has only assorted anecdotes about immigrants who later made some name for themselves who described themselves as Irish-speakers when they arrived over here early in the 19th C.

However, I was reading in the newspaper just the other day. . . .  (My children have learned that when I begin a statement with this preamble to look doubtful and ask "and just exactly when what this newspaper published?  So be warned.)

1821:   John Downs and Elizabeth Downs, assault and battery, did not appear, fined $5 and costs.
In the last mentioned case, of Downs and his wife, the trial was attended with some laughable occurences.  The charge was for an assault and battery of a mild character.  Mrs. Downs, a corpulent lady, being called, laid aside her cloak, bonnet and shawl, and, coming forward, made a low courtesy to the court, crossed herself devoutly, and declared that she intended to tell the truth.  She then proceeded, most vehemently, in her justification; threw her arms around the District Attorney, and gave him a close hug, to illustrate the manner of the assault; and at length, getting warm in argument, she commenced speaking Irish.  Counsellor Swanton, being against her, commenced also to speak in Irish.  A ludicrous scene ensued; and the whole examination progressed in Irish, to the infinite amusement of the court.
National Advocate, October 15, 1821, p. 2, col. 3

I don't know who the judge was in this case, though it is probably possible to find out.  Presumably he didn't understand Irish himself, and seems to have allowed Counsellor Swanton to provide whatever translation of his cross-examination was wanted.

I've been hoping for some years to find a loving home for this paragraph.  Perhaps Prof. Cassidy will take it in.

I'm staying far far away from the question of the origin of the "big apple", however.

GAT

George A. Thompson
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998.