LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.10.16 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 17.OCT.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Szelog, Mike <Mike.Szelog at CITIZENSBANK.com>
Subject: History

Hello all,

On Wednesday 16 October 2002 13:12, Ed wrote:
> In the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire they still speak a
> very ancient Anglian dialect. ?A popular expression in the mountains when
> strangers stop for directions is "You can't get the-ah from he-ah." ?The
> rest of what they have to say is usually pretty unintelligible to
> flatlanders.

I live in NH and have been to some pretty rural places in the state as well
as Vermont and Maine.

I've never thought of our "accent" as an ancient Anglian dialect. I believe
our speech to be more of an accent than true dialect, though there are
certainly true "dialect" words.

One feature of our speech which is usually universally quoted is our
"post-vocalic r deletion"; the preceding vowel tends to become lengthened
and in a two (or more) syllable word, can actually "evolve", if you will,
into a pure glide, either a front or back  glide depending on the
surrounding vowels. For example, 'there' can become 'THEY-ah' and 'door' can
become 'DOH-ah'. Syllables in caps indicate stress.

We do indeed have a very lilting, somewhat sing-song quality to our speech
(if spoken very broadly) and it is VERY difficult for people "from away" to
imitate. People can learn how to properly pronounce a word in our accent,
but when it comes time to say an entire sentence, well, let's just say if
you weren't born here, you'll never quite get it! I'm really not sure where
this sing-song/lilting quality comes from, though I strongly suspect it's a
sort of remnant/carry-over from the very early Irish/Scots settlers in New
England. Generally, the further "Down East" you go (that is, the further to
the north east, particularly in Maine), the broader the accent becomes.

When spoken fast, it can seem pretty unintelligible to those not accustomed
to it!

Mike Szelog
Manchester (Manch'stah), NH

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