Re: Re: putative bidialectalism

[RonButters at AOL.COM]

In a message dated 10/22/04 5:15:32 PM, wilson.gray at RCN.COM writes:


> On Oct 22, 2004, at 4:27 PM, RonButters at AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       RonButters at AOL.COM
> > Subject:      putative bidialectalism
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > --------
> >
> > In a message dated 10/22/04 3:47:34 PM, wilson.gray at RCN.COM writes:
> >
> >
> >> FWIW, he is the best bi-dialectal speaker that I've ever heard,
> >> including myself, and that's saying a taste. He's in a class with
> >> Leonard Brezhnev's nameless personal interpreter, who's the best
> >> bi-lingual speaker that I've ever heard.
> >>
> >
> > Does this refer to Allan Metcalf or John Rickford? Both are very
> > talented
> > guys, and I THINK I know them both quite well. I've never heard either
> > one speak
> > in anything other than what I have always taken to be the same dialect,
> > fundamentally, that he spoke at age 16 or so. The idea of Allan
> > Metcalf doing rap or
> > John Rickford doing Frank Sinatra is delightful, though, and I hope we
> > can
> > get them together for a duet in San Francisco in January. I'd
> > particularly like
> > to hear John's rendition of "My Way" and Allan's "Me So Horny."
> >
> 
> My reference is to John Rickford. Once upon a time, I had a speaking
> acquaintance with John, but that was a while ago.  If you mentioned my
> name to him, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he replied that he had
> no idea who I am. IAC, I have heard him speak before various audiences
> and I've also chatted with him on a personal basis. I know nothing at
> all about Allan Metcalf. His name means nothing to me. I've never heard
> him speak a single syllable under any circumstances nor have I read
> anything by him. As a consequence, I am unable to voice an opinion of
> any kind regarding Mr./Dr./Prof. Metcalf.
> 
> Now, what is the point of your reply? That only your opinions based
> upon your experiences are the only valid ones? Or is it your claim that
> Rickford is unworthy of such praise?
> 
> -Wilson Gray
> 

My point was first of all to find out if it was REALLY John Rickford who was 
being referred to here. My experience with John--formed over the past 20 or 
more years--is that I have never heard him speak with anything other than an 
identifiable Caribbean accent. (Walt Wolfram has never strayed too far from 
Philadephia accent, either, and Bill Labov would never be mistaken for someone from 
Atlanta). 
John is an extremely talented guy, and perhaps he has a non-Caribbean 
register that I have never heard him use, but no, my experience is certainly not the 
"only valid" experience, and even if I thought that that would scarcely have 
been the "point" of my e-mail. However, because my experience with John 
stretches over a long period of time (during which I have been reasonably attentive, 
if only because I admire him so much), I personally would be at least a bit 
surprised if there were not some other explanation for Mr. Gray's memory (e.g., 
perhaps it was actually John Baugh, not John Rickford, whose accent he is 
recalling). But if I am wrong, well, it would be a delight to hear Dr. Rickford 
actually do it!

Being able to imitate another dialect is certainly not unpraiseworthy, but it 
is far down on the list of praiseworthy accomplishments that a linguist might 
aspire to, in my book. John Rickford's career speaks for itself: his work is 
brilliant and has been consistently brilliant for over two decades. There only 
a handful of living American linguists that I can truthful say I admire as 
much as I do John.