PC and Dialects in fiction

[Wilson Gray]

On Aug 13, 2004, at 4:45 PM, Patti J. Kurtz wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Patti J. Kurtz" <kurtpatt4 at NETSCAPE.NET>
> Subject:      PC and Dialects in fiction
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> In addition to being an English professor, I also write fiction.  One
> critique group I belong to raised the question of the representation of
> dialect in fiction and whether or not such representations are now
> considered non-politically correct.
>
> Has anyone heard anything about this?  Is there a sort of move against
> using dialect in fiction because it's deemed "non PC"?

I certainly hope not! However, I, as a black person, have found some
presentations of Black English annoying. For example, Piri Thomas, a
one-hit-wonder from about 40 years ago, was famous for fifteen minutes
for his novel, "Down These Mean Streets." In this work, whites and his
fellow Puerto Ricans simply speak idiomatic English. However, *all*
blacks speak a version of the old vaudeville-stage "Negro eye-dialect"
that a script writer for Amos 'n' Andy would not have stooped to use.

But that was then. These days, based on current fiction that I've read,
my only suggestion is that, if you're not a member of the particular
group whose dialect you're using, would it hurt to have a member of
that group vet your version of the dialect for accuracy before you
start sending your work out to publishers? Just as a courtesy.
Otherwise, knock yourself out, to use a BE expression of yesteryear
that somehow has risen from the dead to find a new home for itself in
the laptops of contemporary Hollywood and TV writers.

-Wilson Gray

>
> Thanks!
>
> Patti Kurtz
> Assistant Professor, English
> Minot State University
> Minot, ND
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