LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.07.04 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 04.JUL.2004 (02) * 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) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: GoodbyColumbus at aol.com <GoodbyColumbus at aol.com>
Subject: Appalachian English (Ap)

Hey y'all,

I like to consider myself an amateur spare-time linguist of sorts, and have
been lurking around this list for about a year now, without ever posting
anything. So, I guess there's a first time for everything.

I'd just like to ask someone, anyone, to point me in a general direction
where I can learn more about the Appalachian dialect of English. And just a
few (hopefully not too idiotic) questions:
What constitutes the "region" where this dialect is spoken? In what I've
read as being characteristic of the Appalachian English dialect, I've found
that a vast majority of vocabulary, grammar, usages, etc. are found as far
west as the Highland Rim in west middle Tennessee, where I grew up and from
where I write this e-mail. Is the infamous "country accent" and "country
talk" which I grew with up a derivative of the mountains? Maybe I just had
false impressions in thinking that it was more of a 'southern' accent. Am I
wrong?

Was there any influence from other lowlands tongues (i.e. Low Saxon, Dutch),
apart Scots by way of Ulster? I've even heard that "clabber" finds its roots
in a Gaelic word,  clabair, having something to do, I think, with the word
for mud.

I'm sort of tone-deaf, so, I ask, phonetically, what would differentiate a
native of southern Mississippi, a native of piedmont Virginia and a native
of central West Virginia?

I guess that's all for now, y'all. I hope I get some answers and that all
this will start up a new debate, and that there's other fellow Lowlanders
out there interested in this.

any help or dialogue would be much obliged,
Brad E. Conatser
goodbycolumbus at aol.com

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From: R. F. Hahn <lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net>
Subject: Language varieties

Hey, Brad!

Welcome among the vocal Lowlanders!  Nice to see two lurkers come forth out
of the shadows in one day.

Happy Fourth of July to you and to all Lowlanders in and from the United
States!

Regards,

Reinhard "Ron" F. Hahn
Founder & Administrator, Lowlands-L
lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
http://www.lowlands-l.net

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