LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.11.26 (06) [E]

Wed Nov 26 18:27:20 UTC 2003

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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
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From: Margaret Tarbet <oneko at att.net>
Subject: "Language varieties"

Sam Claire wrote:
>
>Hello all: I am not familiar with the so-called Appalachian.  Can someone
>forward a sample of it with a brief background description of it?  Sid

The Appalachian dialect of English (as with all Lowlands
languages, there's actually more than one, but I'll refer to it
in the singular) is the descendent of the language brought over
mostly from Scotland and England in the 18th c.   The people who
'imported' it settled in the hills and glens of the Appalachian
mountain chain from southwest Virginia to north Georgia.   We
have it on good authority that it remained uncorrupted by the
larger culture well into the 20th c.

In fact, the late traditional storyteller Ray Hicks (1922-2003),
who in 1983 was accorded the US equivalent of Japan's 'living
treasure' honor, took great care to preserve in his Jack Tales
the dialect he had had from his parents on Beech Mountain in
northwest NC.  With its glottal stops and swallowed endings,
uninitiated native speakers of 'standard' English had to work as
hard to understand him as they would someone from 'Zumerzet' or
Loch Tay.

But Ray  was probably the last of those who had learned the
uncorrupted language at home.  Today, it's considerably changed.

If you have a copy of Real Player, you can listen to 3 cuts of
Ray speaking at http://www.appalshop.org/rayhicks/  (Cut 3 has a
piece of a Jack Tale, being told to an audience of children.  Cut
1 has him talking about the appeal of Jack Tales to kids who've
grown up with television.  In cut 2 he talked about the
importance of continuity across generations.)

Here's a transcription of a composed 'sentimental' song
--'Wildwood Flower', ca. 1860 or 1880, I can't remember which--
that has passed into the tradition.  These are the original
words, without the many mondegreens the song has acquired over
the years.  The dialect, however, is Modern Appalachian, not what
you'll hear from Ray if you listen to those cuts.    'aa' is
'ah', but drawn out.

Aa will twaan mid the ranglits o' ma wayvin bleck haar
The lilies so pale en the roziz so faar,
The myrtle so green o' un imeruld hyoo
En the pale arynaytus wi aaz o braat blue

Aa will sang and aa will daynss, ma layf shall be gay
Aa will stop this waald weepin, draav sorrer away!
Tho ma hort nao is breakin, he nayver shall know
That hiz name made me trimble, an ma pale cheeks to glow.

He toat me to luv hiim, he call'd me his flaaer
Thet blossum'd fer him all the braater each aarr
But Aa woke from ma dreamin, ma aadul wuz clay
An ma vizhins uv luv hev oll faydid away.

He toll me he luved me, en promisst to luv
Thru ill and misforchun, all others abuv
Yit anuther has wun him; ah, misry to tayll
He lift me in saalince, no wurd o' faarwill.

Aa will thank o' him nivver, I will be waaldly gay
Aa will chorm ev'ry hort, and the crauwd Aa will sway.
Aa will live yit to see him regrayt the dork aarr
Whin he wun, then niglaycted, hiz frail waaldwud flaaer.

<standard english>

I will twine 'mid the ringlets of my raven black hair
The lilies so pale and the roses so fair
The myrtle so bright with an emerald hue
And the pale aronatus with eyes of bright blue.

I will sing and I will dance, my laugh shall be gay
I will cease this wild weeping, drive sorrow away.
Though my heart is now breaking, he never shall know
That his name made me tremble and my pale cheeks to glow.

He taught me to love him, he called me his flower
That blossomed for him all the brighter each hour
But I woke from my dreaming, my idol was clay
And my visions of love have all faded away.

He told me he loved me, and promised to love
Through ill and misfortune, all others above
Yet another has won him; ah, misery to tell
He left me in silence, no word of farewell.

I will think of him never, I will be wildly gay
I will charm every heart, and the crowd I will sway.
I will live yet to see him regret the dark hour
When he won, then neglected, his frail wildwood flower.

</standard english>

Hope that helps!

Margaret

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Thanks, Margaret!

> Hope that helps!

It sure does help *me*.  In fact, I think we have the basics of a Lowlands
Talk blurb.  ;)

The video clip of the story telling session is great!

Thanks also for the lovely folksong!  I never saw the Appalachian version
before.
Another sung (English) version:
http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden/Wildwood.mp3
Instrumental version: http://absastro.tripod.com/bluegrass/wildwood.htm
Sheet music: http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden/Wildwood.html

Sam, if you go to our homepage (http://www.lowlands-l.net/) and click on
"Language varieties" and "English," you will find an Appalachian version of
our welcome message.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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