NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN DIALECT SOCIETY

2 5 NADS (0 H 15.3 O r > VoL 15, No. 3 September 1083 0) Report on our Journals...... Page 2 (0 Last Call: Nominate a S tudent...... 2 Seeking a Pacific Secretary...... 3 Nominations and Appointments...... 3 The Library of Congress Has an Aid...... 3 Calendar of Fall M eetings...... 4 Rocky Mountain Region. October...... 4 South Central Region, October...... 4 3 South Atlantic Region, October...... 5 Northeast Region Premiere, October ... 6 Midwest Region, November...... 7 NOTE, Novem ber...... 8 ADS Annual Meeting December...... 9 Special Guide to the Big Apple...... 11 A Grimm Tale...... 13 Acres & Princes: Presidential Address... 15 Our New Books...... 19 An English Language Exhibit...... 20 DARE Queries No. 18: Leftover B-Cs . . . 21 Public Questions, New and O ld ...... 21 Here's Our Constitution...... 25 And Bylaws...... 26 Gigantic Sale...... 28

NADS is sent in January, May and September to all ADS members and subscribers. Send ADS dues ($20 per year), queries and news to the editor and executive secretary, Allan Metcalf, English Department, MacMurray College, Jacksonville. Illinois 62650. Page 2 NADS 15.3 September 1983 PUBLICATIONS COMING, SLOW BUT SURE Publications of the American Dialect Dictionary of New Words and Labov’s Society Nos. 70 and 71, promised to ADS Locating Language in Time and Space, members for 1983, will be coming out later and a Miscellany article on spelling errors by than planned. Estimated publication date James Sledd. for No. 70. Norman Heap's Word List from No. 4, Winter 1983: “The Intensive Prefix Bucks County, Pa., Is January 1984; No. 71, ker-" by F.G. Cassidy, “The Relationship of Raoul Smith’s Jonathan Fisher, Early Gullah and Bahamian” by John Holm. American Linguist a substantial volume, "Origins of Even-Stephen" by T.G. Hahn, will not appear until the latter half of 1984. “Linguistic Survey of the Ottawa Valley" by Both, however, will automatically be sent to Ian Pringle and Enoch Padolsky, 1983 members when published. In linking "Unexpected Byproducts of Fieldwork" by these volumes to 1983 membership, your Roger Shuy, and “Among the New Words” by secretary underestimated the complexities Mary Gray Porter and I. Willis Russell. of production. Our publisher, Alabama LAST CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Press, Is giving Its usual efficient attention to manuscripts when we manage to get OF OUTSTANDING STUDENTS them ready. Do you have a promising student, graduate or undergraduate, whose Interest A m erican Speech, meanwhile, remains on In American English should be encouraged? schedule. Vol. 58, No. 2 was sent out at the If so, you can nominate that student before end of July, and No. 3 should go out late next the October 1 postmark deadline for one of month. No. 4 will appear In January — and the three new Presidential Honorary then In 1984 we return to being fully on Memberships In the ADS. to be awarded for schedule. the first time in 1984. To whet your appetite, here Is a partial As of Sept. 1, there were no nominations, menu for those forthcoming Issues; so your candidate might have a good No. 3, Fall 1983: “The Lecturer’s OK" by chance. Just send a letter explaining the Harry Levin and Deborah Gray, “Black and candidate's virtues to ADS president A White Speaking in the Rural South: The Murray Kinloch,, English Dept., Unlv. of New Pronominal System” by Patricia Nichols; Brunswick, Bag Service No. 45555, “Movie Words” by Fred Shapiro; “Informant Fredericton, N.B., E3B 6E5, Canada As Selection In Dialectology” by Michael Linn; authorized by the Executive Council last “A 19 th Century Illinois Dialect” by Charles December, he will make the selections. Fenno; reviews of the Second Barnhart Samples of the student’s work and other supporting materials may be attached. ADDITIONS TO THE DIRECTORY See NADS 14.2 for the latest full directory of Individual ADS members. BENABDI, Linda C., 1413 N. Jefferson St., Arlington, Va. 22205 BENSON, Morton, 219 Myrtle Ave., Havertown, Pa. 19083 (Univ. of Pennsylvania) BREWSTER, Seward B., Edson Drive, Augusta, Maine 04336 CREAMER, Thomas, 6619 Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park, Md. 20912 GILE, Mrs. W.E., 875 Donner Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108 JONES, Nancy N„ Dept, of English, North Lake College, 5001 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, Tex. 75062 KATO, Kazuo, Iwate Medical Univ., 16-1 Honcho-dori 3-chome, Morioka-shi 020, Japan KLEIN, Richard M., Dept, of Psychology, Adelphi Univ., Garden City, L.I., N.Y. 11530 LEDERER, Susan Marietta, 45 East 74th St., New York, N.Y. 10021 NEUFELDT, Victoria E„ Gage Publishing, 164 Commander Blvd., Agincourt, Ont. MIS 3C7, Canada PERANTEAU, Paul M., John Benjamins North America, One Buttonwood Square, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 PICKENS, William G., English and Linguistics Dept., Morehouse Coll., 830 Westvlew Dr., Atlanta, Ga. 30314 PICKERING, Stephen, The New York Times, Tenth Floor, 229 West 43rd St., New York, N.Y. 10036 RICHARDSON, Gina, 3004 Lee Highway, Apt. D-321, Arlington, Va. 22201 SCHIFFRIN, Deborah, Dept, of Linguistics, Georgetown Univ., Washington, D.C. 20057 THOMAS, Irene D., 474 Nyes Place, Laguna Beach, Calif. 92651 September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 3

PACIFIC SECRETARY SOUGHT NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT Maiy Ritchie Key, Pacific Coast Regional With ADS officers serving two-year terms Secretary, is stepping down from her ADS continuing in 1984, the Nominating position to devote more time to her eye- Committee (Virginia McDavid, chair; Marvin opening studies of vocabulary correspon­ Carmony, Mary Ritchie Key) had only one dence between widely separated languages. nomination to make this year Executive The ADS Executive Council will therefore Council member 1984-86. Their choice is this December be appointing a successor to Thomas Creswell, Chicago State University, the Pacific Coast regional secretaryship, emeritus (author of Usage in Dictionaries encompassing the territory from Vancouver and Dictionaries of Usage, PADS 63-64). to San Diego. A Regional Secretary’s chief Additional nominations may be made assignment is to arrange an annual regional with the signatures of at least ten current meeting, often but not necessarily in members, the nominating petition to reach association with the regional affiliate of the the Executive Secretary by Dec. 15. MLA. Nominations and suggestions will be Elections will take place at the Annual welcome; please send them to ADS Business Meeting Dec. 30. Executive Secretary Allan Metcalf. CRIES, CHANTS. & PITCHES AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Come on, folks, find it here: Street Cries, Auction Chants, and Carnival Pitches and happen to be at the Library of Congress, Routines in the Recorded Collections of the however (for example at the 1984 ADS Archive of Folk Culture, 15 full pages from Annual Meeting), you can listen for free. our friends at the Library of Congress, is NEW APPOINTMENTS yours free for the asking. Just write Archive Consulting by U.S. and Canadian mall, of Folk Culture, Library of Congress, and with the advice of the relevant Washington, D.C. 20540 and ask for LC Folk committee chairs and editors, the Executive Archive Finding Aid No. 1, compiled by Council and President have recently made Amanda Daigan. Also available is a Guide to the following appointments: the Collections of Recorded Folk Music and Chair of the Committee on New Words, Folklore in the Library of Congress. Maiy Gray Porter, Univ. of Alabama; vice The Finding Aid lists recordings made chair, I. Willis Russell, Unlvl of Alabama, between 1937 and 1979, in places like emeritus. Charleston and Edlsto Island, S.C.; Shreveport, La.; Murray, Ky.; Pettigrew, Ark.; Vice chair of the Committee on Non- State College, Pa., and Leeds, England. English Dialects, Anthony B. House. Univ. of New Brunswick. It includes street cries: “Get your Journal paper,” "Rag, any old rag," “Now I got shad, Members of the Committee on Usage: ain't you glad,” “Shark’s head don’t need no Dennis Baron, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana; gravy,” “Fresh peanuts is the best of all.” Marvin K.L. Chlng, Memphis State Univ. Barking: “Hey cauliflower cheap today,” Assistant Editor of American Speech “Come on girls a little alive today,” “Come 1983 and 1984-85, replacing Murray on, Vava, juicy oranges.” Klnloch: Charles Clay Doyle. Univ. of Also of interest are the technical Georgia. Editorial Advisory Board of definitions of auction chant, barking, American Speech 1984-86: John Algeo, inside lecture, pitch, and street cry on the Univ. of Georgia; Donna Christian, Center first page of the Finding Aid. for Applied Linguistics; A. Murray Kinloch, Getting copies of the actual recordings is Univ. of New Brunswick; Riley B. Smith, a more expensive proposition. The copying Bloomsburg State Coll. rate is $35 per hour of actual recording time ADS Delegate to the American Council of plus a half hour for setup time, so a 90- Learned Societies 1984-87: John Algeo, minute cassette would cost $70. If you Univ. of Georgia. Page 4 NADS 15.3 September 1963 CALENDAR OF ADS MEETINGS October 20*22: Rocky Mountain and lexicon of standard American English, but with Regional Meeting in association with different semantic rules and applications. RMMLA. American Graduate School of □ "Code-Switching in Cajun French." Jill International Management, Glendale Brody and Janelle Jackson, Louisiana State Campus, Phoenix, Arlz. Univ. As the matrix language within which Cajun Chair: Cordell A. Briggs, Loma Linda Univ., French Is spoken. English has had great Influence Riverside, Calif. Regional secretary: Grant W. upon this Louisiana dialect of French. Work on Smith, Eastern Washington Univ. code-switching has contributed to a typology: 1) situational, 2) metaphorical. 3) conversational 3.1) Papers: Intimate, and 3.2) emblematic. This typology Is □ New Mexico dialects of English. Lynn revised and refined In view of data from switching Beene, Univ. of New Mexico. Into English from Cajun French. The category This paper organizes data and adds more recent emblematic. In which single nouns and tags are Information about lsoglosses In the state lumped together, Is further subdivided Into the □ “Frontier Dialect In the Novels of Conrad categories 3.2.1) transitional, consisting of transitions and connectives; 3.2.2) single word, Richter." Paul Frlesen, Rockmont Coll. further subdivided Into word classes: and 3.2.3) The dialect of the American frontier Is effectively expletives. reproduced In Richter’s 15 novels. □ “The Jefferson Jlmplecute: How a □ "The Angllclzatlon of Spanish Loan Scottish Dialect Word Became the Name of a Words in Texas English: Evidence from Texas Newspaper." Fred Tarpley, East Texas Place Names.” Gary N. Underwood, Univ. of State Univ. Texas, Austin. The Jlmplecute was first published In 1848. The vast majority of Anglicized pronunciations by Random coinage is Implied in the story that the Anglo Texans can be accounted for by a small editor picked up a handful of pled type and spelled number of normal phonological changes common to Jlmplecute. It has been suggested that the letters almost any borrowing situation. represent the town motto: “Join Industry. □ “The South Carolina Pee Dee: Regional Manufacturing, Planting, Labor. Energy. Capital, and Local Folk Speech." Catherine D. Hurst, (in) Unity Together Everlastingly." Arkansas dialect Univ. of South Carolina. studies have recorded Jlmplecute as the name of a Examines phonological, grammatical and lexical mythical animal. However, citations In Scottish features of the folk language before the mld-20th dialect dictionaries Indicate that the name was century. based on a new American meaning given a word Imported from northern England ana Scotland. October 28: 8outfa Central Regional □ Business session: election of officers. M eeting in association with SCMLA. Hyatt □ "Switches to English or Spanish: Does it Regency, Ft. Worth, Tex. Matter?" Rodolfo Jacobson. Univ. of Texas, Chair: William Evans, Louisiana State San Antonio. Univ. Regional secretary: Scott Baird, Trinity The Mexlcan-American bilingual engages In Univ., San Antonio, Tex. lntrasententlal and lntersentential code-switching 7:30-1000 p.m., Texas Ballroom A. when embedding words, phrases or clauses into Program: sentences and sentences into larger units of □ “Amblglossia: Linguistic Variation discourse, Spanish Into English or English Into Spanish. This paper describes the frequency of Among Afro-Americans.' Doris O. Ginn. these two directions of lntrasententlal code­ Jackson State Univ. switching and examines the messages conveyed as Afro-Americans are speakers of an ethnic dialect one language Is chosen as frame for the other. Code­ unique in the United States. The social structure switching seems to suggest the presence of two and domains of the dialect represent a particular registers dependent upon specific intra-ethnic variety of language that is understandable and settings. relevant only to sharers of the experiences and □ “Dialect Stutfy in the Mass Media: settings generating that variety. The unique situation of language use to deceive, conceal or Problems and Procedures." Merrell alienate without shifting to another language has Knighten, Louisiana State Univ., been Identified and coined by the writer as Shreveport. amblglossia. All expressions reflect the structures Successful treatment of dialect study through a September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 5 newspaper column requires a careful balancing of □ “Introspection — Yea” Jam es Sledd. light tone and scholarly methodology: but the result can be a broadening of the scholar's audience, Univ. of Texas. Austin. unusual opportunities for community service, and In the Journal Language In 1955 and again In access to a diverse body of Information otherwise 1966, I presented materials from some Southern unobtainable. dialects under the rubrics of breaking and umlaut Though the materials helped to destroy the grossly October 28-30: South Atlantic Regional schematized Trager-Smlth phonology, traditional M eeting In association with SAMLA. dlalectologists otherwise generally Ignored my Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta findings, creollsts (led by J.L. Dillard) misrepresented them, and Labov was later to use (For SAMLA membership, registration them as an example of the dangers of Introspection. and housing information write Donald Kay, What In fact the materials prove Is that the executive director. Drawer CA. University, methods of traditional dialectology are not adapted Ala 35486.) to discover such systematic phonetic conditioning Chair: Karl Nicholas, Western Carolina and that refusing the evidence of Introspection handicaps the Investigator quite unnecessarily. In Univ. Regional secretary: Jeutonne P. this paper. I return to the subject with additional Brewer, Univ. of North Carolina Greensboro. evidence. Nominating committee: Crawford Feagln, □ “Southern American English: Yet a Part Univ. of Virginia Falls Church Regional of the Whole." Juanita Williamson. LeMoyne- Center: Michael Montgomery, Univ. of South Owen Coll. Carolina Carole P. Hines (chair). Old On a recent national television show (April 1983). Dominion Univ. Sen. Ernest Holllngs of South Carolina was asked whether he thought he had any chance of being Papers: elected when so many people (presumably non- □ “The Present Tense of Be in Southern Southemers) couldn’t understand his Southern Black Speech.” Guy Bailey, Texas A&M Univ., speech. Hie attitude indicated by the questioner is and Natalie Maynor, Mississippi State Univ. one that Is widespread In the United States: that Scholars who claim a creole origin for black somehow Southern speech Isn't quite English and speech claim that black speech uses unconjugated that It couldn't really have sprung from British or Invariant be to mark a distributive aspect, and English as Northern and Midwestern speech surely that this Invariant be contrasts systematically with have. Is, am, are and zero forms. Further, they claim that Like all other varieties of American English. distributive be does not exist In white speech. Southern American English has Its roots In British Recent research on Southern speech (e.g. Bailey and English, even most of the forms assigned to the Marvin Bassett. "Invariant Be In the Lower South." speech of Blacks, which, having been used first by forthcoming In Language Variety In the South, U. of those who settled the South and later by their Alabama Press) has demonstrated that the second descendants, "rubbed off” on the slaves In their claim Is false. The first claim, however, remains a midst. This can be clearly shown by examining a matter of some debate. number of phonological, morphological, and Scholars have tended to Isolate and analyze syntactic features, among them the loss of final particular features of the present tense system (e.g. consonants in final consonant clusters, the -s less deletion and be) rather than the system as a whole. third person singular form, the 0 possessive form, This paper attempts to rectify these shortcomings the use of be finite, the use of the 0 copula, the by analyzing the function, meaning, and person- question order In embedded questions. Some of number distribution of all Instances of all forms of these remain in standard Southern speech; others the present tense of be (am. Is, are, be,0) in 20 tape- have lost their acceptability In educated speech. recorded Interviews with blacks In Texas and □ “The Southern Drawl as a Research Mississippi. These Interviews, which provide about Problem.” Michael Montgomery, Univ. of 2500 tokens of the various forms of be, tentatively South Carolina suggest that the contrast between be and other The "Southern drawl," the appearance of an present forms has been overstated. offgllde or offglldes after stressed vowels, has long While Invariant be Is often used for actions been Identified popularly as a prominent feature of distributed in time. It Is also used for momentary Southern speech. Despite this, It has been the actions and continuous states and actions; further, subject of very little linguistic analysis (only Wise other present tense forms are used In the same 1933 and Sledd 1966 come to mind). Standard ways. What Is more remarkable Is the scarcity of are sources such as PEAS provide little evidence for It In the data, replaced tty invariant be and zero forms. and no evidence at all for the extreme degrees of the The higher percentage of be in place of are Is much drawl Wise and Sledd describe, despite the like wnat Bailey (1981) found In Early Modem extremely fine phonetic notation recorded in the English. Page 6 NADS 15.3 September 1983 Linguistic Atlas Interviews. On the other hand, most New York's Catskill Mountains are generally Southerners agree intuitively on the three degrees considered part of the Hudson Valley dialect area of the drawl Wise describes: bed /bed/-*lbj»d], While some similarities In lexical Items support this [b«Jsd], (btljadl. Why Is there no systematically view, my research indicates the possibility of a clear recorded evidence for this? distinction. The best evidence, so far. of this This paper hypothesizes that the Southern drawl distinction Is the use of prepositions by Catskill Is a feature not of typical speech but of a special native speakers. Throughout the northeast, register we might rail (after Richardson 1982) speakers use to rather than at and double "exaggerated Southern" that Southerners can prepositions such as over to to Indicate both choose to adopt to assert a regional Identity when direction and motion. Catskill speakers seem to speaking to a person from another region. have generalized this northern feature to produce Linguistic evidence for this comes from the almost double prepositions that do not denote direction universal appearance of the drawl In exaggerated and motion. contexts such as anecdotes and popular press books My study Is based on analysis of 13 taped on Southern English for non-Southemers. This conversations made for a regional folkllfe project paper proposes that a speaker’s use or non-use of □ ‘‘The French Language of New England.” the drawl can best be explained by the Robert N. Rioux. Unlv. of Maine, Orono. soclopsychologlcal point of view known as accommodation theory. Inspired by the work of Gaston Dulong of Laval Unlverslte. I began. In 1974, with the help of six O ctober 3 9 : N orth a—t Ragkm al M eeting. Franco-American students, a long-rage stucfy to And the first in years. CUNY Graduate Center. out what Is really said by the speakers of French in 42nd Street between Fifth and Sixth New England. Some 47 tapes, concerning the vocabulary of the exterior and Interior of the house, Avenues, New York City. There will probably were made over a two-year period. Three years were be a small registration fee. For further spent listening to these tapes and making a Information write David K. Barnhart, ADS phonetic analysis of them. The tapes also contain Northeast Regional Secretary, Lexlk House free conversations, folklore, anecdotes. Jokes, and Publishers, P.O. Box 247, Cold Spring, N.Y. songs. Classification on 3x5 cards and a computer 10516, phone (915) 265-2822. program supplied the following Information and 100-320 p.m. conclusions: Papers: 1. The French of New England Is regional in that It □ “An Approach to Reconstructing Is not standard French; not classical French; not a pure patois, and not a corrupted form of standard Colonial English.” Jacob Bennett Unlv. of French. Maine, Orono. 2. It has borrowed from the American language. Very little. If Indeed anything at all. Is known 3. Many of the pronunciations, words and about the English language as It existed originally expressions are or were used In the western and In this country. To get at the origins I propose a northwestern provinces of France. twofold approach. First there should bean In-depth 4. In certain respects, this French appears archaic synchronic study of our relic areas before much and dialectal. more levelling takes place, and second, the origins in 5. Conclusion: This French of New England Is England should be carefully examined. nothing more than a regional variant of standard I have worked rather Intensively with the dialect French. situation In what is perhaps the richest relic area In the country, that Is. Maine. This paper consists 2 0 0 p.m.: 20-m lnute break chiefly of a demonstration of my approach to □ “Gender Clues In Selected Print reconstructing Colonial English. For “Informants" I Advertisements.” Judith I. Schwartz, will use the Maine reglonallst George Savary Queens College, CUNY. Wasson (see American Speech Summer 1974 and Twenty-two print advertisements, half directed to Summer 1979), and also a 15th century men and half to women, of personal grooming lexicographer, the author of the Promptorlum products were analyzed qualitatively and Pawulorum. the latter from Norfolk, a stronghold of quantitatively for differences In the ways the English Puritanism. Surprisingly, many of the language of the ads signals female and male gender. dialectal forms found In the Maine writer are also Differences were found In the frequency of gender found In the 15th century Norfolk writer, and both pronouns and nouns, surface syntactic features, works contain forms listed In the Linguistic Atlas oj and the presence of words and phrases Judged by New England. raters to signal gender. The complex nexus of □ "Double-preposltlonlng In New York’s phonological, syntactic and semantic cues that Catskill Mountains.” H. William Blms, denote and connote gender In English Is adroitly yet Indiana Unlv. of Pennsylvania unobtrusively employed In advertisements to attract either a male or female audience. September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 7 □ “Black English. Gullah, and Bahamian.” the final vowels In sundae and Missouri and the John A. Holm, Hunter College. CUNY. Initial vowel In egg(s). □ "Slang of Union Soldiers from Bucks □ “Sayings About a Person Who Seems to County. Pa During the Civil War.” (A You Very Stupid." Luanne von preview of PADS 70.) Norman A. Heap. Schneldemesser. DARE, Univ. of Wisconsin. Trenton State College. Madison. The letters and diaries written by these soldiers In answering DAREs two questions about “a are full of the Impressions of young men suddenly person who seems to you very stupid," the first one cast Into a situation where society seems to have asking for completion of the phrase "He hasn't reversed Its requirements. Rural Bucks County. Just sense enough to — the second one for "He doesn't north of Phlaldelphla. provided security and know —," informants give over 500 different flexibility In dally life within a clear pattern of moral responses. Including variants. Everything from standards. The Army imposed physical hardships "nothing' to ‘‘anything’ was reported. To the first and regimentation with a complete lack of moral question well over half of the Informants responded standards. Fighting, drinking, gambling, stealing, with some form of removing oneself from the rain. swearing, and disrespect for authority assume more To the second question responses with "beans,” Importance than does the combat training. used by close to one-third of the Informants, were Service slang enriches the vocabulary and gives the most numerous, ranging from the simple the diary and letter writing the desired air of dash answer to those with extensions such as "beans and worldliness: bite the dust bull pen, cuss In, when the bag Is open,” "split beans from coffee," and cuss out doughboy, doughface,fizzle,fracas, grub, “beans from apple butter.” half seas over, hell knappy, mum, nussln, ossifer, Whereas In our region we may not have sense parly, peace commissioner, calico, red tape, rowing enough to “pour or pound sand down a rathole," up, salt hoss, shooting Iron, short order, skedaddle, south of us they don’t have enough sense to “pour slapJack, snooze, sweat box, tight toaT, tote, traps, piss or water out of a boot" Not all of the turn In, Uncle, Uncle Sam, Yank Some terms are expressions for these two questions are regional, of standard Army vocabulary for that time: bounty course, but a surprising number are. Jumper, bunk (v.), double quick forage, gum □ "Literary Dialect as a Characterizing blanket musket ranche, sutler, uncar. Device” Jules Zanger, Southern Illinois November 3: Midwest Regional Meeting Univ., Edwardsville. In association with MMLA Leamington Literary dialect has as one of Its functions the creation of the Illusion of actual speech patterns of Hotel, Minneapolis. real speakers. Another function of literary dialect For Information on MMLA membership, and one generally overlooked, is its effect as a registration and housing, write MMLA, 423 characterizing device, linking the dialect speakers EPB, Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City 52242. to broad social stereotypes, and consequently attributing to them qualities and characteristics Advance reservations requested for the not dramatized in the fiction. This linkage dinner. See below. establishes their relationships to other members of Chair: Beverly Olson Flanigan, Ohio Univ. the fictional community and to the reader. Regional secretary: Donald W. Larmouth, □ “Usage Panel Notes in the A m erican Univ. of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Heritage Dictionary, Second Edition 1:30 p.m. Papers: (1982).” Virginia McDavld and Thomas J. □ “Some Sounds of St. Louis: A Social and Creswell, Chicago State Univ. This second of three papers (see NADS 15.2, p. 7 Stylistic Appraisal.” Thomas Murray, Ohio for the first) begins with a comparison of the State Univ. numbers of notes in the AHD1 and AHD2. Editorial Dialect geographers frequently position St Louis claims for AHD2 are that there are over 400 new as occurring exactly on the boundary separating the usage notes. Actually, In AHD1 there are a total of North Midland and South Midland dialect areas. An 502 Usage Notes; In AHD2 there are 388. In AHD1 analysis of almost 500 hours of tape recordings there are Usage Panel votes on 247 questions. In (gathered largely through ethnographic means, and AHD2 on 122. Of these 122 votes In AHD2, only 20 encompassing all socioeconomic levels and age are new, that Is, deal with questions not dealt with groups) suggests that at least soclolingulstlcally by the Panel in AHD1. Some editorial modification Is and stylistically, most St. Louisans identify more present, but essentially there are the same strongly with the North than the South. I will Judgments on the same problems for approximately discuss the often-homophonous vowels in, for 100 notes. example, lord and lard, the intrusion of r Into wash, The paper then proceeds to a study of the actual washer, and so on, the popular s/z alternants In votes on the 122 questions, analyzing these by grease and greasy, as well as mention more briefly number of notes and number of problems. The Page 8 NADS 15.3 September 1983 number of votes is broken down by medium and by style. The questions on which there are votes are 7 p.m..- Dinner at Pronto Ristorante, Jive then analyzed by type of problem: diction, Idiom, blocks from the Leamington. Please make grammar, word formation. Differences In the ways advance reservations by writing Donald W. of reporting Panel opinions are presented, including Larmouth, Communication Processes, Unlv. the use of percentages as opposed to words like of Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wls. 54302. He "majority" and the presence or absence of comments by Panel members. needs to notify the restaurant a week in □ “The Moralistic View of Usage." Gaiy N. advance so we can be sure of a dessert by Underwood. Unlv. of Texas, Austin. Milan’s premier pastry chef. (Same abstract as for “Three Perspectives on The Pronto is a top-quality northern Italian Usage” presented at the ADS-DSNA Summer restaurant (Bolognese cooking with light sauces, Meeting. For text see NADS 15.2. p. 4.) not spaghetti with meatballs), with an excellent range In both selection and prices. On the low-cost □ “On the Nature of American Dialectal side, with a pasta as the main course, the cost Theory.” Jay Robert Reese, East Tennessee would be around $16 per person, Including State Unlv. antipasto, dessert and wine. With another entree American dlalectologlsts have perceived their (veal, scampi, eta), the average price goes up to principal role to be the gathering and presentation about $20. A full Italian meal with antipasto, of data therefore they have been more concerned pasta, meat course, salad, wine and dessert would with methodological than with theoretical cost about $26. The chef. Vittorio, will prepare a questions. But with the completion of the linguistic special dessert for the group. Ordering will be a la atlas studies, the availability of large quantities of carte, so thefull range of possibilities Is open to all unanalyzed material and the restriction of funds for large-scale field projects, the future role of the 9:15 p.m.: Informal social hour In honor of dlalectologlst must shift more and more from the Harold Allen, Leamington Hotel, Donald gatherer of data to its analyzer. It now becomes Larmouth’s suite. All in attendance at the Important that we as dlalectologlsts engage In meeting are invited. vigorous debate on the theoretical principles underlying our discipline. Nov. 19: NCTE annual meeting. Denver This paper explores some of the major aspects of Convention Center, Denver. For information the linguistic theories underlying current dialectal on membership, registration and housing, thought and Investigations, especially In regard to write NCTE, 1111 Kenyon Rd., Urbana, 111. how such principles Influence methodology, analysis of data, and dialect classification. It first 61801. establishes the roots of current dialect theory in pre- ADS-sponsored session: No. B 21, descrlptlve linguistics. Second. It examines the Saturday, 10:15-11:30 am. theoretical and methodological modifications of Chair, Bethany Dumas, Univ. of linguistic-geographic thought by social Tennessee, Knoxville. Associate chair, Allan dlalectologlsts. Third, It examines the strengths and limitations of dialect investigations founded on Metcalf, MacMurray College, ADS executive such principles. Fourth. It shows how modem secretary. dlalectologlsts could benefit from a closer Program: “American Dialects in the New relationship with current analytical linguistic English Curriculum.” theory, especially In terms of phonology and syntax. 3:30 p.m.: Break □ “Southern Mountain Dialects.” Jay 3:45 pjn.: Invited paper Robert Reese. East Tennessee State Univ. □ “Sex Differences In the Dialects of the □ “Black English.” Geneva Smitherman, Upper Midwest: Structures and Attitudes.” Wayne State Univ. Harold B. Allen. Unlv. of Minnesota, emeritus. AN HONORARY DEGREE, Doctor of 4:30 p.m.: Break Humane Letters, was awarded by the 4:40 p.m.: Symposium University 'of Alabama in May 1982 to ADS □ “Problems In Selection and member, most recently PADS managing Classification of Informants in editor, James B. McMillan. In presenting Dialectology.” Virginia McDavld. Chicago him, I. Willis Russell said, “Dr. McMillan’s State Unlv., and Michael D. Linn, Unlv. of bibliography is able evidence of a mind that Minnesota, Duluth. never ceases to ask questions, to unsettle 5:20 p.m.: B usiness meeting common assumptions.” 5:30 p.m.: Adjournment September 1983______NADS 15.3 Page 9 ANNUAL MEETING 1983 □ Non-English Dialects: Jueigen Elchhoff, Dec. 27-30: ADS Annual Meeting In Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison. association with MLA. Hilton and Sheraton □ Computer Needs: William A. Center Hotels, New York City. Kretzschmar, Jr., Univ. of Wisconsin, There is no ADS registration fee. For MLA Whitewater. membership, registration and housing (1:45-3:00 p.m.: “Linguistics and Literary Information write MLA, 62 Fifth Ave., New Onomastics," American Name Society, MLA York, N.Y. 10011. Session 473, Hilton 549.) Luncheon: Friday, Dec. 30, 1.00 p.m., □ 3:30-4:45 p.m.: ADS Annual Meeting I: Escargot Restaurant 47 West 55th S t The Papers (MLA Session 530). Hilton 504. cuisine is essentially French. Price $18, all Chair: Marvin Carmony, Indiana State inclusive, for a meal of soup du jour, beef Univ., ADS past president bouiglgnon or chicken, vegetable, potato, □ “A Discriminant Analysis of the Field dessert coffee, tea or milk: and a glass of Records of the Linguistic Atlas of the Upper wine. December 10 is the deadline for Midwest.” Michael D. Linn, Univ. of sending reservation requests (with Minnesota Duluth. payment and choice of beef or chicken) to: Traditionally, linguistic geographers have not David K. Barnhart Lexlk House Publishers, been concerned with classifying Individual speakers P.O. Box 247, Cold Spring, N.Y. 10516, office but have Instead drawn lsoglosses and phone (914) 265-2822. heteroglosses of Individual Items to establish dialect boundaries. This method was used effectively on the Luncheon speaker Allen Walker Read, on East Coast, but as speech boundaries have been “Personalities that Guided the Study of extended westward, they have tended to break down. American English, 1926-1945.” Houck, reporting on the speech of Johnson County, Iowa, asserted that “while dialect mixture occurs, MLA has arranged with American Airlines there is no central tendency for Northern or Midland for Super Saver rates with no minimum stay response items to occur more frequently, thus requirements. Call the AA Convention Desk, indicating once again dialect homogeneity” (Folia (800) 433-1790, in Texas (800) 792-1160, Lingutsttca U1967): 91). In response, Allen argued that “the fact that on and request MLA star number 5183. both sides of a boundary there are persons whose Thursday, Dec. 29 pwn idiolects manifest dialect mixture does not □ 8:30-9:45 am.: ADS Executive Council. render Invalid the Inference that the boundary Hilton 534. (Open to members.) exists. At most it raises the possibility of another definition of dialect based on the distribution of □ 12 noon-1:15 p.m.: ADS-sponsored Individuals rather than on the distribution of Special Session on Needed Research in language features" (Linguistic Atlas of the Upper American English (MLA Session 434). Midwest, VoL I [Minneapolis, 1973), p. 124). Hilton 549. (Third in a series held every 20 This paper examines the speech patterns of the years; see PADS 41 for reports of the first Upper Midwest in light of Allen's suggestion. The responses of the 208 Informants in Allen's field two.) records are examined by means of a discriminant Chair: Thomas L. Clark, Univ. of Nevada analysis. The results, by creating a composite of Las Vegas, ADS vice president. Idiolects, support Allen s placement of the major □ Linguistic Geography: Raven I. McDavld, Northern-Midland dialect boundary in the Upper Midwest Further, it, provides a list of phonological, Jr., Unlv. of Chicago, emeritus. lexical and syntactic items that economically □ New Words: I. Willis Russell, Univ. of classify individual speakers. Alabama emeritus. □ “Linguistic Jargon: Its Relation to □ Reglonallsms: Frederic G. Cassidy, Specialists' and Non-specialists' Perceptions Dictionary of American Regional English, about the Structure of Language." Kathryn Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison. Riley, Louisiana State Univ. □ Proverbs and Proverbial Sayings: Kelsie The terminology used in Chomskyan B. Harder. State University Coll., Potsdam, transformational syntax is of Interest for several reasons: 1) the technical vocabularies in “Standard N.Y. Theory” and “Extended Standard Theory” differ □ Usage: John Algeo, Univ. of Georgia significantly from each other in their predominant Page 10 NADS 15.3 September 1983 features; 2) the different lexicons used in these two cardinal vowel system. If analyzed from the theoretical frameworks reveal Insights Into how perspective of another taxonomic system, AE linguists working within ST and EST view their quickly loses Its unity, since different phonemic respective goals: and 3) the technical Jargon of both systems must be postulated for various groups of theories affects the way non-linguists perceive speakers. If the analysis of AE presupposes the claims linguists make about the structure of existence of underlying systematic phonemes, language. different lects have to be recognized, since different 1) The ST lexicon consists largely of terms phonological rules must be formulated for variant associated with process, movement, and growth; Its realizations of a single systematic phoneme. predominant feature Is its organic quality. For Perhaps most significant is the fact that given the example, terms such as kernel, tree, pruning, and conventional analysis of AE vowels, the dalm of node suggest biological forms. In contrast the EST uniformity Is not true, since all speakers do not have lexicon, though retaining many terms associated Identical vowel Inventories. with ST. abounds with Jargon related to stasis and (6:30 p.m.: American Name Society dinner, restriction (e.g. condition, binding, barrier, Warwick Hotel.) government). Friday, Dec. 30 2) The organic terms In ST reflect that framework's rejection of the taxonomic structuralist □ 8:30-9:45 am .: ADS Annual Meeting II: approach. The vocabulary of ST Is congruent with Business Meeting (MLA Session 638). the view that language Is a complex psychological Chair: A Murray Klnloch, Untv. oj New phenomenon whose features cannot be adequately Brunswick, ADS president captured by surface forms, EST. on the other hand, □ This is not Just pro forma! Reports of which Is largely an attempt to characterize the universality behind this complexity, has as a officers, committees, regional secretaries prescribed goal the restriction of an all-too-powerful provide a comprehensive review of the year. grammar. Its use of static and restrictive terms There will be opportunity for response and reinforces this reorientation. discussion. 3) Researchers In fields such as composition, (10:15-11:30 a.m.: American Name literary criticism, and anthropology have often Society, MLA Session 665. Hilton 504.) analogized from ST to their own disciplines. In doing so, they have tended to misinterpret ST (12 noon-l:15 p.m., American Name vocabulary and hence the ST model. The most Society. MLA Session 6189), Hilton 504.) pervasive example of such misinterpretation is the □ 1:00-3:00 p.m.: ADS Luncheon use of generate as a synonym for create or produce. Speaker: Allen Walker Read, emeritus, Another misconception is that the term deep Columbia Univ.: "The Personalities That structure describes some universal level of meaning, which progresses through transformations to a Guided the Study of American English, language-specific level of surface structure. Non- 1926-1945.” llngulsts. In short, tend to view the ST as a model of human language production, quite possibly because NHC SEEKS SUGGESTIONS the ST lexicon draws upon organic terms that have In its five years of existence, the National counterparts In non-technical fields. While EST has not yet Altered down Into many non-llngulstlc fields, Humanities Center at Research Triangle we may predict the continued (mls)use of Its terms Park, N.C., has developed a successful by non-llngulsts. fellowship program and sponsored □ "The Question of Uniformity in conferences and seminars on topics in the Australian English Phonology.” Gary N. humanities. It also distributes a radio Underwood, Univ. of Texas, Austin. program on the humanities to over 250 The most persistent theme In the description of commercial and public stations nationwide. Australian English is Its uniformity. The dalm of In an effort to continue to be responsive to uniformity, however, has been maintained only by disregarding as Irrelevant all evidence of variation the needs of humanistic scholarship and to In vocabulary, morphology, and syntax, by establish closer relations with members of disregarding the speech of Aboriginals and learned societies, the Center invites scholars "migrants" (Australians of non-Anglo or non- in the humanities to suggest activities that Aborlglnal ancestry), and by specifying that In order to be recognized as variation, phonological might complement its programs. differences must be phonemic. Please write to John O’Connor, Assistant AE has consistently been subjected to a unitary Director for Programs, NHC, 7 Alexander Dr., phonemic analysis derived from Daniel Jones' Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27709. September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 11 THE NEW YORK SCENE: A DIALECTOLOOISTS GUIDE By Arthur J. Bronstein (These notes on the host city of the 1983 and their stores, talking their own Annual Meeting were specially prepared languages as well as many “flavored” for ADS visitors by Professor Bronstein of varieties (at least for first-generation the Ph.D. Program in Linguistics, Graduate immigrants) of NYC English. School, CUNY.) Many gravitate to the varied ethnic New York City continues to be the place to centers of their native compatriots visit. It has abundant theatre opportunities throughout the city — small, concentrated (Broadway, off-Broadway, off-off-Broadway); communities of Japanese, Puerto Rican, some of the country’s most famous German, Armenian, Jewish, Russian. Museums (Art, Natural History, Modem Art, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese -Americans Primitive Art, Frick, Guggenheim); two with grocery stores, shops and restaurants magnificent Botanical Gardens; all kinds of “transferred” from elsewhere. If you keep In restaurants (some world famous), counted mind that over two million NYC residents in the thousands; the New York are forelgn-bom (over one-quarter of the Philharmonic, the American Symphony, the total), you will realize what such figures Metropolitan and the New York City Operas; mean to a school system that must educate the Joffrey, American, and NYC Ballet all the city’s children (Including those who companies, among others. arrive speaking different languages), the NYC Is still the largest retail outlet In the social services that serve all residents, and country (Macy’s on 34th Street is the the other public, business, industrial and country’s largest store); It is the home of retail organizations that cater to a city's over 35 colleges and universities, the center needs. of the garment, clothing design, publishing, So — If you want to hear many foreign printing, and financial Industries. languages and practice languages spoken by Four of the city’s five boroughs have over a your neighbors or your grand- or great- million residents each (Brooklyn has grand- parents or studied In schools, New 2,600,000 at present). We’ve the cbuntry’s York City can be a very large and effective largest (and noisiest?) subway system, the Berlitz School, an incomparable chance for most hospitals, hotels, movie houses, your ears and articulatory systems. schools, taxis, parks, bridges, and tunnels in It can also be a dlalectologist’s any one city, as is expected. dreamplace. NYC remains the one major If all this leads to a "So what!” on your subdlalect area in the Northeast corridor. part, then please know that NYC is also a You will recall It was the sixth subarea of the linguist’s and dlalectologist’s paradise. You Northeast In Kurath’s and Kurath & can hear, in this one city, more native McDavid’s Atlas volumes on the geography speakers of languages other than English of words and pronunciation. Continued than in any other city In the world. NYC study corroborates the city’s uniqueness in remains a major gateway for large numbers the Atlantic states, the only metropolitan of permanent visitors as well as college and area so Identified. I note for you some Items university students from Europe, the that make NYC’s dialect unique. The Subcontinent, Africa, the Middle East, the sources listed at the end of this essay will Orient, Central and South America, and the provide much more. islands of the Atlantic Ocean. Students First, throw out the idea that most New come to our many colleges to study English Yorkers sound like the stereotypes made (as a second language) and to enroll in famous in earlier movies and books — the undergraduate and graduate programs in uneducated, vulgar, nonstandard speakers all disciplines. All these arrivals to our city whose grammar, limited lexicon, and ride our buses and trains, and shop In our distorted vowels suggested that most New Page 12 NADS 15.3 September 1983 Yorkers were poorly educated or almost Frank). Where post-vowel /r/ Is lost, it Is Illiterate people who had never heard of typically replaced by non-syllable schwa Thomas Wolfe, Ernest Hemingway, Eugene [kas. foa, pval; preconsonantly its loss may O’Neill, Wiliam Shakespeare, Jean Paul lengthen the previous vowel [£>3:d, k»:d, Sartre, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud. fcuml. Recall that NYC Is the cultural harbor of this Law and lore are homonyms. Hard and country. It Is not so only because of tourists hot, cart and cot charm and John have who visit — New Yorkers are the students In contrasting vowels for many, who retract the colleges; New Yorkers attend the ballet and lengthen the vowels in the first words of recitals, theatre; they read the country’s each pair while the vowels In the second largest newspaper and the New York words remain lower and slightly fronter. Not Review of Books; they write the columns all NYC speakers so retract of course, but all and essays In major magazines and, and, r-less speakers will lengthen or offglide the and. . . . vowels in those words. If you walk through our neighborhoods, Many NYC speakers raise (and offglide) you may hear (and see) that our children the long vowels In bag, half, sad, dance, so play potsy on the sidewalks (for your that we've a clearly different vowel In each of “hopscotch”); they call your “dragonflies” the pairs bag-back, half-hat cab-cap. darning needles (shades of the garment grass-wrack. The vowel In the latter words Industry!); their mothers never buy “dear- of each pair Is not only shorter. It is lower in seed peaches” (these are freestones to us), the front vowel system. Thus bad and bared and our supermarkets sell us cottage can be homophones for many In NYC. cheese or pot cheese — never “curd —,’’ We will marry merry Mary with three “Dutch —,” or "dabber — different vowels; the /o/ of note and so is If you eat in your hotel restaurant order often fronted when we speak (not sing); and pancakes or string beans; if you tell your as In other r-less areas of the East (or waiter you want “flannel-cakes” or “snap London) you will hear an unhistorical /r/ In beans,” he’ll stare at your Ignorance. Tell idear of or lawr and order, cot and caught him you like your eggs pan-fried (we don’t contrast; oral and aural do not; we don’t eat use “spiders”). [orind3»z] In the [forest], since we find such If you travel to Queens (Kurath and pronunciations [haridll] strange. McDavld shouldn’t have left it out of Don’t wince if you hear an occasional metropolitan NYC in their PEAS) to some of [3t<3] for turn orfirst; that form Is really not the snowy sliding ponfdjs (your “slides”), peculiar to NYC anyway. It appears In you’ll see our children IhArivgl, not [h3rU$j, Newark and Jersey City as well as in upstate to get on line (not “in line”) to go belly- New York (in middle-class as well as lower- wopplng (we don’t “belly-bump” outside the class speech, and even in upper-class older Turkish, Greek, or Armenian restaurants). speakers), although it is becoming a relic And If you visit our elementary schools, form. If you’re from certain sections of the you’ll note that NYC teachers use oaktag on South where it Is not uncommon, It won’t bulletin boards (F. Cassidy's DARE will show seem at all strange. The shift to [3U, making it). Boyd and bind almost homophonous (the NYC has some special pronunciations, range can be [3i-ot-At-t>i]), is probably too. The City is historically, typically r-less, traceable to early modem English forms and like much of eastern New England and the not to speakers of uneducated English, as South. We have, however, begun to notice a any educated dlalectologist knows! steady Increase in the use of postvowel /r/ Come to the annual meeting In NYC this forms, especially among younger speakers. winter; delight In the language and dialect Labov noted such in his detailed study of varieties you will hear; eat some of the best the social strata of NYC speech, as have prepared French, Italian, Spanish, others (Bronsteln, Hubbell, Austerlitz, Hungarian, Czechoslovakian, Russian, September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 13 Chinese, Thai, Jewish, Soul food in the Grimm scrutinized his treasure; his world, while you hear so many languages outwardly Indifferent companions were and dialects. Go to all the concerts, operas, equally intent ballets, recitals, museums you can (in It was a gleaming medal, engraved on one between papers); and after your visit, plan side with a large ornate O it, surrounded by another to hear and do all you couldn’t in the legend "American Dialect Society * 1983. We love having you visit! Enjoy! 1889.” Turning it over, Grimm traced reflectively with his ungloved finger on the YAKO GRIMM, ADS DETECTIVE other side a curiously angular and distorted The Sidewalks of New York map of the United States circled by the Tongues of cloud licked at the upper floors legend, "We DARE * To Study American of skyscrapers in the December matinee English.” gloom. Tongues of children echoed shrilly Before he could slip the medal back in his from distant sliding ponds and games of pocket, the tall man behind him moved potsy. Tongues of the world’s five continents swiftly and tapped his shoulder. “Will you floated in animated excerpts to the ears of a hold my coat and let me borrow that coin, small man in a large gray coat standing buddy?" he asked, and suiting his action to quietly on a Manhattan street. From time to his words, left Grimm with his arms full of time he would smile at a particular overcoat and his hands empty. exchange, extract a notebook and pencil Grimm stared. Beneath the overcoat, the from an inside pocket, and write a line of tall man wore a T shirt depicting a larged phonetic symbols. winged insect “Buzz, buzz,” said the Behind him a younger, taller man, in an borrower, with a wild smile, and heedless of even more capacious gray coat read the gold the cold he stepped out In the street Jostling lettering on the notebook’s black leather both Grimm and his fellow watcher. cover Facing the queue, whose faces had turned YAKO GRIMM towards him, the tall man began tossing the FAD.S. golden medal from hand to hand with the The observer nudged a pudgy companion ease of an experienced juggler. From a and nodded towards Grimm. The pocket he drew one ball then another, then companion moved only his eyes, closed them yet another, and tossed them too. The medal once in acknowledgment, then resumed idly and the balls seemed to float In the air under looking up at the black letters on the yellow his deft handling. theater marquee; Then the balls vanished one at a time; the A MUSICAL COMEDY medal came to rest in the tall man’s MY WORD! outstretched hand. He gestured with it BASED ON THE DICTIONARY OF towards Grimm — but before returning It to AMERICAN REGIONAL ENGLISH him and claiming his coat he took a bite out A long tongue of a waiting line extended of it. Beneath the golden surface this medal from the theater door, incorporating Grimm was chocolate. and his two watchers before turning the “But It was bronze!” Grimm said, comer out of sight frowning at the smiling juggler. “It’s the Pending from the cloud overhead, a Great Seal of the American Dialect Society, snowflake detached itself and fluttered awarded with my elevation to Fellow of the down to land conspicuously on Grimm's American Dialect Society this afternoon. notebook. He brushed it off, put away the Tradition and lore of the FADS demand that notebook, glanced with another smile at the the medal be bronze. This — this edible — sign above the theater, and reached absently has taken a bite out of my honor.” in a capacious coat pocket pulling out a “Tradition and law indeed!” laughed the large golden object — a disk about three tall man. “The law of fads says that medals Inches In diameter. With a broad smile now. will be chocolate now. Page 14 NADS 15.3 September 1983

“Ladles and gentlemen!" he continued, Walt till I get that travel agent who sold me turning to the Increasingly attentive crowd. on the friendly Big Apple!" “I admit that I found an Irresistibly delicious “Another Imposter!" exclaimed Grimm. morsel In the hands of this gendeman. I “Another New Yorker in disguise! admit I love chocolate. And I hereby offer my “It’s remotely possible that an Oklahoman last $5 In payment for the bite I took. would speak of a paper bag Instead of a “I am an unemployed actor, a newcomer to sack,” he declared grimly, pulling the your town from the mesas of East Texas. I September 1983 NADS from his pocket and wear this darning needle on my T shirt to waving it at the astonished criminal, "but assert my determination to buzz about until only a New Yorker would stand on line.” I attract the attention of an employer. “He’d be tough as brass If he’s telling the Standing outside this theater, I was seized truth about his lunch,” agreed the by the Impulse to demonstrate my talent — policeman. “This bag lunch of his Is nothing if not by playing Chinese handball, then by but a brass flannel cake.” juggling. I reached for the nearest shiny "My word!” exclaimed Grimm, staring at object; you know the rest. I deserve not your both policeman and criminal as the latter accusation, but your applause.” was led away In handcuffs. Recovering “Officer!” called Grimm to an armed man himself, Grimm smiled at his medal, In blue who had been edging nearer. “There pocketed it carefully, and walked Into the goes a gross imposter. A Texan? A Texan warm theater. might call a dragonfly a snake doctor or ADS PUBLICATIONS BASK mosquito hawk, but not a darning needle. IN ALABAMA ACCORD Texas has mesas, but not In the east. (For Contributors to American Speech will get this, see E. Bagby Atwood, The Regional free offprints instead of having to pay for Vocabulary of Texas, U. of Texas Press them. Readers of NADS will learn the 1962.) Only a New Yorker (or a reader of contents of forthcoming Issues of American NADS) would know of Chinese handball. Speech and the latest word on the Only a New Yorker would think I meant law publication schedule for PADS. ADS when I said lore. members can buy Dialect Notes and back ‘You want to be clapped, do you? Officer, issues of PADS at tremendous savings. clap that man In irony!” These are some of the early results of the But before the policeman could respond, June meeting of ADS editors Ron Butters the tall man had leaped and dodged his [American Speech) and Jim Hartman smiling way around the comer. Grimm (PADS) and executive secretary Allan looked glum. Metcalf in Tuscaloosa at the new offices of At that moment the line began moving the University of Alabama Press. Equally towards the theater doors. Sensing a Important will be the long-range benefits of movement behind him, Grimm turned to mutual acquaintance with the Alabama see his stolid neighbor take a step In the staff, including Director Malcolm opposite direction, a conspicuous parcel In MacDonald, Business Manager Linda his hand. Taking no chances this time, Sandford, Production Manager Mike Grimm lunged at the short man and held Burton, Marketing Director Dan Ross, him tightly by the collar. Promotion Assistant Rubye Taylor. “Look in that container, officer," he called. The Alabama Press provided warm “That’s my sack lunch,” the man Southern hospitality. So, as an added protested as tide policeman approached. “Is benefit did distinguished ADS members there any law that says you have to wait on Jim McMillan, long-time managing editor of line If you change your mind about seeing a PADS, and I. Willis Russell, known for new show? words. Also Joining In the discussions was “I’m Just a newcomer from Oklahoma. the new on-the-spot managing editor of PADS, Virginia Foscue. September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 15 THE AD8, ‘ACRES OF DIAMONDS/ AND THE PRINCES OF 8ERENDIP By Marvin Carmony life It Is not necessary to leave one’s (Remarks at the first annual ADS surroundings to make a contribution to Luncheon, Los Angeles, Dec. 30, 1982) society: look about you; find something at Five years before the American Dialect hand to do. Their Interest was in Society was founded In Boston In 1889. a understanding the American language In its distinctive new university was established richness and variety, and In preserving a in another eastern city. This new school. It Is record of Its progression as the country grew said, was built upon an unusual foundation, and changed — a worthy goal and one more a single characteristically American radical a near-century ago than It seems message that embodied the Impulse and today. raised the money to start a quite American Even a casual pre-centennial glance at the institution. results of ADS-insplred work Is enough to In this motivational classic, the story was demonstrate that the field of American told of a poor farmer who had worked his English scholarship has been cultivated own field without much success for years vigorously during the past nine decades, and who had finally given up and left In particularly since World War II. Harold despair to seek his fortune In a far land. Allen’s discussion of regional dialect studies Another farmer came along who gave more from 1945 to 1974 in American Speech for attention to the soli, noticing In particular Fall-Winter 1977 and Lee Pederson’s the bright pieces of a strange substance that examination of American pronunciation lay in the fields. That glittering material was since 1945, appearing In the same Issue, tell diamonds. The defeated farmer had been much of the Impressive story. The work of walking and toiling over acres of diamonds, the past eight years not covered and the a virtually Immeasurably valuable field — present vitality of the Society are known to and had not realized It all of ua It Is apparent that we have been As you perhaps know, the lecturer who and still are in a period of substantial told this story was Russell H. Conwell of productivity In American English studies. Philadelphia, the founder of Temple With 1983 at hand, however, the year for a University, which opened in 1884 as a fresh consideration of needed research [in working people's school. The message of the Special Session at the 1983 Annual "Acres of Diamonds” was plain enough: the Meeting], I want to raise two questions people of Philadelphia and of every about our future work and then think about Phlaldelphla in the country should cultivate their answers with you for a little while. their own fields. Opportunity was where one First what is the larger meaning, what Is was. Wealth — intellectual, spiritual, the larger purpose of our past work and of financial — was on every hand and need not that which we may be undertaking In the be sought elsewhere. rest of the decade and the century? Out of Whether the founders of the American that consideration can come the second Dialect Society were "touched" by Russell question: What alteration of course, If any. Conwell and "Acres of Diamonds” Is a might make sense? matter of speculation as far as I am What indeed is the larger mealng of our concerned. It is likely. I think, that they were work? One answer that comes to mind is more Influenced by other equally American Implicit In another question, one posed and better-known advocates of the some 200 years ago by J. Hector S t John de contributing, active life — Ralph Waldo Crevecour, In his Letters fiom an American Emerson, say. and William James. Farmer. "What then Is the American, this It seems clear, however, that the founders new man?" The past and present members of the Society understood the point that of our society and profession have Conwell hammered at for much of his adult contributed generously to the mountainous Page 16 NADS 15.3 September 1983 response to de Crevecour's question. And and then become connoisseurs of some one significant place where that aspect of one of them. Both words are rooted contribution appears, not surprisingly. Is In In knowing, but knowing In different ways. the field of cultural geography. It is here, I Any linguistic geographer, any student of think, and In the broader field of American American English not familiar with cultural studies that de Crevecour’s question and geography beyond his own part of It, will the larger purpose of our work are being find plenty of Interest to reeonnolter. A good answered In a most Interesting way. place to start is Wilbur Zelinsky’s Cultural It should not surprise us that linguistic Geography oj the United States. This stuffy geography occupies a prominent and crucial was the first of its kind, Is brief but place In cultural geography. It must be so. comprehensluve. and comes with both a Perhaps the reason is suggested by Charles substantial theoretical base and a very F. Hockett’s laconic and provocative useful bibliography. Zelinsky points to basic comment In his book. Man's Place In works in geography and cultural geography, Nature: “Linguistics without anthropology and a follow-up of his annotated list of Is sterile; anthropology without linguistics references will provide a great deal of Insight is blind.” Into the general field. Zelinsky Is Interesting We might agree that “anthropology and vigorous. (We could profit from Inviting without linguistics Is blind" and with its him to present a paper to the Society.) transfer to our discussion: “cultural Both his book and Raymond Gastil’s fine geography without linguistic geography is Cultural Regions of the United States blind." But the other part of Hockett’s delineate and discuss the regions of the observation — “linguistics without country and the components and reasoning anthropology is sterile” — does it carry over utilized In arriving at the demarcations, with full force into the relationship between including settlement history (where we are linguistic geography and cultural relatively strong), dialect geography (where geography? the geographers need better Information), It seems to me that the connection Is and the geography of political affiliations, strong enough to suggest 1) we ought to do religion, economics, social well-being, place our work In the context of an enlarged names and so on. understanding of Its significance in cultural Most of all, both books provoke, geography and with a solid understanding encourage, compel further studies. They of cultural geography Itself; and 2) we represent only a start. I should add here should consider using our broadened mention of a new work that I have not as yet comprehension and appreciation of read, one that demonstrates this point. It is American culture as the basis for research This Remarkable Continent An Atlas oj projects In cultural geography at large. U.S. and Canadian Society and Cultures, I realize that many of our members may edited by Zelinsky. already have come to this conculsion. I hope There are dozens of works mentioned that you who have will be tolerant and either in Zelinsky or Gastil or both or in supportive of my tardy remarks. And works that they themselves mention that perhaps others will come to agree with us. are worthy of study. One little gem was The steps by which we might gain the written by an author familiar to the many understanding and do the work just members of the Dialect Society who are outlined are natural enough. The first is interested in place names. If you haven’t suggested by an observation that Martin already done so, read George Stewart’s Marty of the University of Chicago made American Ways of Life. And Stewart’s U.S. recently about the educative process, In 40, a pictorial and written essay on the which he made use of two words with the National Road. same root. Our students, he said, should I recommend as well one work mentioned reeonnolter several different fields of study In none of these places, a relatively new. September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 17 popular treatment of American cultural assessment of the culture of the state gave geography. Joel Garreau’s The Nine Nations me confidence that only the Southern oj North America. Imitative of John quarter of the state — probably not all of It Gunther's Inside U.SA. and making use of — should be considered South Midland. Gunther-llke trips to and analyses of the There were also anomalies and subtleties various regions of the country and of Daniel and questions of various sorts. Elazar’s work and a good many other So It was that a few years before I sources barely footnoted. The Nine Nations encountered much If any of the rest of the of North America shifts criteria at will to field of cultural geography, I was at work establish a cultural geography of the trying to make better sense of Hoosler country and the continent that Is more dialects and to gain a better understanding forced than forceful, more sensational and of Hoosler culture. I had moved into cultural sophomorlc than sound — but It is, above geography without realizing how much had all, Interesting. And Its many readers have been written that I could have been bringing demonstrated that the American public Is to bear upon my own projects. Though still Interested in such an approach to our left with much to learn and much to do, I culture. can express confidence in the value of doing I remarked earlier that the steps outlined our work — all of it — in an awareness of to implement the proposal suggested here cultural geography. were quite natural. I think so. For example, Before I try to buttress this observation before long In your reading you will with a few details, I want to consider two recognize what you have known all along, other matters briefly. First I don't want to that you have an Inexhaustible diamond- leave the Impression that dialectology field to work In. And at about the same time appears to be theoretically and you may very well begin to use some of the methodologically moribund. It Is not Like resources you’ve come upon to assist you In some of you, I know something about and getting at problems and projects that you am appreciative of the potential and real are already at work on. This has been my place of computer-assisted analyses of experience. dialects, which have been utilized for more I had been working toward an .than a decade. I am also aware of the understanding of Indiana's spatial interesting and valuable work represented patterning of dialects and settlement by William Labov’s Locating Language in history for a considerable time, obtaining Time and Space, in which the emphasis Is some answers and raising not a few upon establishing boundary conditions. questions. The situation was something like Becoming familiar with and competent in this: Probably the most authoritative study such methodologies and their results Is our of American dialects had assigned the lower privilege and obligation. Regardless of the two-thirds or so of Indiana to the South direction our own projects take, such work Midland, most of what was left to the North will need to be a part of our ongoing Midland, and a narrow band of top tier preparation. counties to the Northern dialect Since these This Is the place for a second boundaries were extended from the east and parenthetical observation. It Is evident that were continued through Illinois, they the states (and the provinces) are arbitrary seemed to carry special weight in Indiana. masses of land in some ways and are not My own study of Atlas records, focused except in an Instance or two. actually only on Indiana items, pretty well cultural entitles. This fact didn’t prevent our substantiated these assignations. But a colleagues in place names from doing their flne-meshed large-checklist survey and a work state by state, and not without reason. number of small studies were somewhat at Even if rarely so culturally (Utah is close to odds with this Interpretation. And, more it), the states are historically, legally, Important for my remarks here, my constitutionally, statistically o rg a n tc Page 18 NADS 15.3 September 1983 entitles. Howard Odum has called them “the presence and popularity of certain foods warp and woof of the federal fabric . . . the such as grits, and responded to a number of multiples of the cumulative nation. . . questions about Hoosler character and They are. he said, “articulate Individualists, manners, dialects, vernacular regions, best Jealous of their rights, prideful of their and worst features, needed changes In state heritage, conscious of their autonomy.” policies and attitudes, and a number of All In all, it makes sense to use these other matters. attributes and the wealth of available In a subsequent questionnaire, some 30 Information to plot the development and of the most active participants were present geography of state cultures — and provided with an Indiana map showing the smaller units, even counties, incidentally, counties and were asked to draw in their doing so would be a way of using and own impressions of the breakdown of the improving upon the remarkable state state into sections (if such be the case) guides produced during the Great where the people’s ways seemed clearly to Depression under the WPA Federal Writers differ. They were also invited to explain their Program. State and regional cultural mapping, if they wished. The lines that the geographies would be a natural for one of participants drew and the explanations that the current NEH programs, which “supports they offered demonstrated a noteworthy projects that foster understanding and degree of awareness of the notion of cultural knowledge of the history and customs of variation. regions and communities in the U.S., Where are these lines? Was the most particularly projects which draw upon frequently drawn line about two-thirds the various disciplines In the humanities.” way up from the Ohio River, matching an But to return to the Indiana story. A bit authoritative linguistic view of the state, or about one part of the project will serve as the was it on or near U.S. 40/1-70, supporting coda of my remarks today. The available the long-held notion that there are two scholarship that can be applied to a cultural Indianas, northern and southern? Neither geography of a state comes from many fields place. and Is sufficient in itself to account for The first choice was a line in the shape of much of the information needed. But doing a shallow v drawn across the state from such a project necessitates having firsthand Vincennes to Ohio- County, close to Information as well. Cincinnati. Evidence offered in support of Part of the answer is to get around the this line was largely Impressionistic but not territory at every opportunity, something unimpressive, and it is complemented by that my work permits too little of. I have more solid evidence, as I have already traveled the state partly by car, partly by suggested. The Calumet area was electronics, using the amateur radio bands. recognized, and there was some support for An additional approach has been to enlist a boundary line perhaps 60-75 miles south the help of others in doing some of the from Lake Michigan, running eastward to legwork and fieldwork and in serving as Ft. Wayne. participants. As in my research on Indiana No one drew a boundary line across the place names some years ago, my colleagues middle of the state along 1-70 and U.S. 40, an in amateur radio In virtually all of the 92 omission which suggests that the central counties have made a telling contribution to part of Indiana, with an Indianapolis rising the development of significant data about higher and higher above the cornfields and their state. In pursuing the spatial growing steadily in influence, is increasingly distribution of various cultural felt to be something more than the point components, they have counted bams by marking the backwaters of Northern and roof types (Glassie), ascertained the setting Southern cultures. of present and past courthouses (Kniffen), All this would be useful enough. But one surveyed restaurants and menus for the reaction was quite unexpected. A somewhat September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 19

apologetic respondent from southwestern NEW BOOKS BY ADS MEMBERS Indiana, claiming not to know the state as a If you have recently published a book, whole, drew a highly detailed map of send pertinent information to Executive southwest Indiana culture and provided an Secretary Allan Metcalf (address on cover), explanation of it that Is so compelling as to and we’ll mention it here. suggest the value of trying out a The ADS’ publisher. University of microanalysis as a follow-up to the initial Alabama Press, has sent out an aproach. announcement of new books In linguistics, This pleasant experience of looking for language and dialect studies, with a half- one thing and finding — In this instance — price sale of older books ending Nov. 11, something else of value has a familiar name, 1983. If you didn't get a copy, write them at serendipity. You may recall that Horace P.O. Box 2877, University, Ala. 35486. See Walpole coined the word from the title of an also the advertisement in tills Newsletter for old fairy tale. The Three Princes of Serendip. Alabama's special Back Issue Sale of Dialect As these royal people traveled about, they Notes and PADS. seemed always to fall into situations and Charles-James N. Bailey and Karl circumstances that turned out better than Maroldt. Grundzuge der Engllschen they had In mind at the outset. Their good Phonetologie: Allgemeine Systematlk. fortune grew out of two qualities: first, they Working Papers in Linguistics, Instltut fur went to the trouble of leaving comfortable Llngulstlk der Technlschen Unlversitat and familiar surroundings and set out on Berlin 16. (Order from Unlversltatsblb- Journeys. This is the opposite principle and llothek der Technlschen Unlversitat Berlin, one complementaiy to that Invoked by Abteilung Publlkationen, Strasse des 17. Russell Conwell’s “Acres of Diamonds." It Juni 135, D-1000 Berlin 12, West Germany.) may well be as powerful a truth. In getting August 1983. ca. DM 16. Tested In class use away they made for themselves an for eight years. Ch. 5 gives a complete set of environment far richer in creative ordered rules for varieties of English possibilities than staying at home provided generally spoken by cultivated speakers In them. Second, they had sense enough to see the Anglo-Saxon countries. Designed to be chances for the Improvement of their suitable for Southern States English. situation In the unexpected turn of events. Charles-James N. Bailey. Wrights (sic] For us to travel the short distance and Wrongs In Teaching English: a through the field of cultural geography and Vademecum. Working Papers . . . der of American studies will surely enrich the Technlschen Unlversitat Berlin 17. (For environment in which we labor, teach, and address see above.) August 1983.417 pp. ca. write. And good and desirable things are DM 25. Chapters include: Disadvantages of just as certain to happen to us if we keep our Inadequate phonetic transcriptions In eyes and minds open. dialectology, phonetologlcal explanation, If my emphasis here has seemed parochial and language teaching; Markedness reversal or at best nationalistic, take heart: perhaps and the pragmatic principle of reading one of the effects, serendipitous or no, of between the lines In the presence of marked working along these lines may be that as we usages; Diagnosing knowledge of English. become more and more acquainted with John J. Bergen and Garland D. Bills, eds. and understanding of our great country, we Spanish and Portuguese In Social Context may find ourselves increasingly attentive to, Georgetown University Press (Intercultural at home in, and in love with the world. I Center, Room 111, Washington, D.C. 20057), think so. I pray so. As Norman Cousins summer 1983. Includes studies of the social remarked in his Human Options, “Such a contact of Spanish and Portuguese with world as ours needs all the thought and English in the United States. attention it can get.” Lawrence M. Davis. English Dialectology: Page 20 NADS 15.3 September 1983 An Introduction. Unlv. of Alabama Press, techniques and materials. Gathered from 1983. 192 pp. Cloth $19.75, paper $9.95. A standard reference books and auction survey of major works In regional and social catalogs. With a descriptive bibliography of dialectology In the 1970s, Including sources. linguistic atlas projects In the United States Urdang, Laurence and Frank R Abate, and Britain, Labov's work In sociolinguis­ eds. Llteraiy. Rhetorical and Linguistics tics and its Influence, and the controversy Terms Index. Gale Research Co., 1983. 305 over Black English. Includes critical reviews pages. With a descriptive bibliography of of statistical methods employed. sources. Winfred P. Lehmann and Yakov Malklel, eds. Perspectives on Historical Linguistics. THE ENGLI8H LANGUAGE Amsterdam: John Benjamins (One Buttonwood Square, Philadelphia, Pa. ON EXHIBIT 19130, USA), 1982. xli & 379 pages. Bound A Linguistic Atlas field record, a DARE $40. Papers from a 1979 conference, map, illustrations from How to Speak emphasizing semantics. Authors Include Southern, Talkin and Testijyln: The ADS members William Labov and Language oj Black America, and Elizabeth Traugott (Hawaiian) Pidgin To Da Max, with books Mish, Frederic C., ed. Webster’s Ninth New like the Linguistic Atlas oj New England, Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, Mass.: The Social Stratification of English in New Merriam-Webster, June 1983. 1,568 pages. York City, Africanisms in the Gullah Hardbound $13.95, $14.95, $15.95. 160,000 Dialect, A Dictionary of Canadtanisms on entries. Gives dates of first recorded use of Historical Principles — 27 items in all — words; usage essays for words often comprised just the North American section misused, confused or disputed. of an exhibition at the University of Urdang, Laurence, ed. Idioms and Bamberg, West Germany, In May and June. Phrases Index. Detroit: Gale Research Co., This may be the first time in history that 1983. 3 vols., xxll & 1,691 pages. $150. Over the English language has been accorded an 400,000 entries for over 140,000 exhibit of Its own. The exhibit’s title expressions of two or more words, referring (translated) was “English: Forms and readers to definitions In more than 30 Functions of a World Language,” and it was English-language dictionaries. put together by ADS member Wolfgang Urdang, Laurence, ed. Loanwords Index. Vlereck (professor and holder of the Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1983.482 pages. Lehrstuhl fur Engllsche Sprachwlssen- Entries for 14,000 words, referring readers schaft und Mediavlstlk) and Sebastian to definitions in 19 dictionaries. A separate Koppl of the Bamberg university library. section lists loanwords according to the 80 For those who could not attend the languages of origin. exhibit (and who can read German), a Urdang, Laurence, ed. -Ologles & -Isms, A handsome profusely Illustrated 190-page Thematic Dlctlonaiy. 3rd ed. Detroit: Gale catalog is available. With its essays, exhibits Research Co., 1983. 368 pages. and bibliographies. It Is a useful Urdang, Laurence, ed. Mosby’s Medical & introduction in Its own right to the study of Nursing Dictionary. 3rd ed. C.V. Mosby Co., English. The chapter on English In North 1983. America is written by ADS member Edgar Urdang, Laurence and Frank R Abate, Schneider. eds. Fine and Applied Arts Terms Index. Gale Copies of Englisch: Formen und Research Co., 1983. Terms used by Funktionen einer Weltsprache are available museums, art galleries and auction galleries in paper covers at DM 15 from In the English-speaking world, and by Universitatsbibliothek Bamberg, Franz artists, artisans and designers, covering"art Ludwig-Str. 7a, D-8600 Bamberg, West objects, styles, periods, production Germany. September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 21

DARE THIRSTS FOR BUG JUICE using "any convenient wall” the other played on the sidewalk with some kind of A VERY few leftovers In the letter B and countdown using “king.” “queea” “Jack.” some In C; we can still get these into galleys etc. Does anyone still play them? Where and now being corrected. As before, please send how? comments to Prof. F.G. Cassidy, D ictionary coodle — Evidently a variant of cooter, a of American Regional English 6125 Helen White Hall, 600 North Park St.. Madison. turtle. Our only example is from Green, Wls. 53706. And thanks for the many former Virginia Folk Speech 1899. Is it known contributions! elsewhere or still current anywhere? buckeye — A type of cheap candy. Is this a creep — A stool from Farmer, 1889, who reference to the nut the tree, a native gives it as a Pennsylvania word. We have Ohioan, or something else? Where and when been unable to trace it otherwise, but it’s the was it in use? kind of word that may still be in daily use, seemingly too commonplace to notice. budge — A fit of nervousness; used 1904 by Ellen Glasgow. A Virginia expression, by creep-mouse — A tickling game played her good authority, but we have no other with a small child, making it laugh by evidence for it Is it known otherwise or moving the fingers rapidly on its body as if a otherwhere? Still used, or remembered? mouse were running over it We have only bug Juice — A word hovering between folk one example: Green, Virginia Folk Speech 1899. and slang use, and developing new applications, but of uncertain regionality. chicken ndn — We have one good quote We have some evidence but need much from southern Indiana: it’s a light rain that more. It originally referred to bad whiskey does not last. Why this name? How does rain and has been transferred to cheap soft affect chickens? Or is that a false track? drinks and to gasoline for Jalopies, all non- THE ENQUIRING PUBLIC literal meanings. Literal meanings are the The last N ew sletter had scarcely any room Innards of bugs (grasshoppers, etc.) for answers to the questions from the public squeezed out by experimenting children, (and ADS members) published in January. and, more recently, the mess of squashed Here the answers are, with thanks to the Insects that builds up on windshields and ADS members who provided them and headlights. Most recently: sprays used on agricultural crops or to keep mosquitoes apologies for the delay in publication. and other pests at bay. It goes back to the 0 1. “I am writing a book, and would like 1850s and flourished in the 1920s. What is to know how to write English with a black or its status now? Negro dialect and also Spanish (Cuban) buttermilk land — We have two quotes dialect.” from Indiana, 1843. It was a type of marsh or A First question: Who is the intended "spouly” land — presumably resembling audience? Children? Adults? Blacks and buttermilk in some way. Is the term still in Cuban Americans? Or a general adult use or still remembered? What was the audience? The writing must be understood significance of “buttermilk”? by that audience. candy rice — Used by Julia Peterkin for Second: Is the writer writing as I, in the “pink and white candies that looked like rice voice of this dialect, as Twain did in grains” and were scattered all over cakes. It Huckleberry Finn? That’s the hardest Job of sounds like sp rin kles orjim m ies. Is this still all, and I would strongly discourage any but in use? a pro from attempting it. Chinese handball — We have only two Third: Is this a dialect the writer is utterly reports, both from New York City, but familiar with? It’s easy to condescend, easy apparently of two distinct games. Both are to misunderstand. played outdoors, one like regular handball Fourth: Look at some masterworks and Page 22 NADS 15.3 September 1983 best sellers. Great and even good authors do Pijf-pajf-poom and other words and phrases unexpected things to get the effect of dialect. in the vocabulary of amateur and They are never literal. Twain, for example, on professional magicians and prestidigitators: Page 1: “It was rough living in the house all “Now you see it, now you don’t.” the time .... so when I couldn’t stand It no The list of hits written by Cole and the longer. . . .” He uses the typical double Johnson Brothers (probably a black group, negative couldn't— no. But he writes living, circa 1900-1910) includes “The Countess of although Huck and most Americans Alagazam.” (Edward B. Marks, They All pronounce it livin'. And Huck probably Sang, New York 1934, p. 100). didn’t pronounce the d in couldn’t In American Speech 6.4 (April 1931): 312 In sum: Take care. — Ethel Grodzins is a linguistic note by C.P. Mason from the Romm, Roosevelt Island, N.Y. New York News of March 2, 1930: Q 2. “Do you know of any published “According to News Investigator William source of information on the preparation of McGarth. it means ‘Good Hunting, eh, linguistic maps?” what?’ ’’ and is used in "the numerous local I think the best course is your own medicine shows which are taking in large observation of how other people have wads of sucker money in exchange for small presented their work. If you are using packages of cheap laxatives, or small symbols such as o, *,+ to mark the location pamphlets on sex, psychology, character of particular items, keep the symbols simple; analysis and the stars. . . .” limit your symbols to no more than three. If With a sexual meaning, from the San you have three related items and they all Francisco Call-Bulletin, April 24, 1951, p. come together In some location, do three 13: After 1-Night Stand Elmer Sitts Alone maps, one for each symbol. In my (headline). The whirlwind courtship of Vocabulary Change (1971), Map 13, p. 323, Elmer Sitts ... with Elmer and Gladys it was you will see that I tried to use a clear disc, a Just slam, bam, Alakazam! Timber! This is it! black disc, and a half black half clear disc, and so on. this latter to show where two items occurred Movie advertised in the San Francisco side by side. The half black half clear disc is Examiner, Aug. 25,1961: "Wham! Bam! Here a mess at the scale used. Instead of come the 13 fabulous, hilarious miracles of individual symbols, you can use shading to Alakazam the Great! Full-length Cartoon mark the general area in which items occur, Feature in Color,” a film that was popular or you can use labeled lines. See Vocabulary with children. — All citations by Peter Change, pp. 356-7. The word geographies of Tamony, San Francisco. various parts of the United States will give And in the ADS’ Dialect Notes 4 (1916): ample instances. 271, “A Word-List from Nebraska" by Louise Draw your own symbols using plastic Pound: templates which you can find in stationery alagazam, adj. “fine, excellent.” “The jelly or art stores. Do not use the plastic symbols was alagazam.” — John Algeo, Univ. of that are sold in sheets. They are easy to stick Georgia. on and they pop off with just as much ease. Q 5. What’s the best grammar of If you plan to publish your maps, consider Southern American? your versions as working sheets; let a A, It does not exist, if you consider the professional cartographer do the final copy problem as a descriptive linguist might for you unless you have had considerable write it. That is, you would need a grammar experience as a draftsman (-woman). — with at least a phonemic range that Gordon R Wood, Collinsville, 111. accounted for the differences between Q 3. What is the origin of alakazam ? Southern mountain and Southern plain- A As a vaudeville stage and carnival piedmont as well as among the Negro (Camy) usage it appears to have been speakers. It would contain something of the analogous with Hocus-pocus, Abracadabra, difference in vocabularies between the you- September 1963 NADS 15.3 Page 23 uns and you-all groups. A sketch of that School of Education, U.W.I., S t Augustine, grammar Is Raven McDavld’s “American Trinidad W.I. (F.G. Cassidy, DARE, Univ. of English Dialects” in W.N. Francis, The Wisconsin, Madison.) Structure of American English (1958), pp. Q 9. “My company is Interested in finding 521-7. — G.R. Wood. sample tapes of American English dialects, 0 6. “Has anyone done any research into for purposes of computer speech the way Yiddish has permeated American recognition development” speech?" A I have some tapes made a decade ago of A The questioner should be aware of the native white speakers in parts of Tennessee, work of two scholars: Sol Steinmetz, who is Georgia Alabama and Mississippi, using currently preparing a book on the subject the Pictorial Linguistic Interview Manual. (address Clarence Barnhart, Inc., Box 250, That means there are extensive samples of Bronxville, N.Y. 10708), and David Gold, the pronunciations of single words and whose output on the subject will ultimately short word groups as well as samples of be extensive (see e.g. the December 1982 extensive conversation. — Dr. Gordon R. issue of Comments on Etymology) (address Wood, 12 Briarcliffe Dr„ Collinsville, HL 1610 Eshkol Tower, Univ. of Haifa, Mount 62234. Carmel, Haifa 31 999, Israel, — Gerald Q 10. References on so-called Cohen, Univ. of Missouri, Rolla. "Elizabethan dialects” spoken in isolated For an overview of the Yiddish coastal areas along the Atlantic coast contribution to American English, see the A See Grace Tomklnson, “Shakespeare in section titled “The Jews” in I hear America Niewfoundland,” Dalhousie Review 20 Talking by Stuart Berg Flexner (1976). But (1940): 60-70. — W. Klrwln, Memorial Univ., if you’d like to become a mavin on the Newfoundland. subject and have a delightful time doing so, Q 12. Information about DARE. get The Joys of Yiddish by Leo Rosten A Write the DARE office — address on (1968). Both books are available in Page 21. paperback. — Richard B. Murto, Fuchu-shi, Q 13. Legal language. Japan. A I write a bimonthly column on writing A big brouhaha when Rosten’s Joys of for California Lawyer, published by the Yiddish came out that it was a bad book California Bar Assn, for its members. ... A about Yiddish, but Rosten explained it was a very good book on the history of legal book about the English language. Veiy very language is David Mellirikoff, The Language funny. For specific words, send $5 for a of the Law, 1963. — E.G. Romm. subscription to Gerald Cohen’s Q 15. Information about “Arp talk,” a compulsively readable Comments on disguising language that Inserts “arp” after Etymology (Humanities Dept, Univ. of the first consonant of a word, or at the start Missouri, Rolla, Mo. 65401), covering all if the word begins with a vowel: “talk and” languages, with items on Yiddish. — E.G. becomes “tarpalk arpand.” Spoken in Port Romm. Washington, Wis. in the 1950s. Caveat: Scholars of Yiddish hold Rosten’s A I never heard of Arp talk, but it’s formed work (including his more recent HoorayJor exactly like Obby Dobby Tob’alk (Talk), used Yiddish) in very low esteem, occasionally in by teenagers in the 1950s, maybe late 40s, in sheer contempt. — G. Cohen. Springfield, Mass. My kid sister was fluent Q 7. Are there similar organizations to in it. That is, Mob’y kob’id sob’is-tob’er ADS in other English-speaking countries wob’as flob’u-ob’ent ob’in ob’it — E.G. like Australia, England. Jamaica, Scotland? Romm. A For the Caribbean there is the Society Q 16. “Toogoodoo,” name of the home for Caribbean Linguistics, with members plantation of Francis Yonge on Yonge’s from the entire Caribbean, Britain. United Island (ex-Orange Island) in the 1730s. States. Write Dr. Lawrence Carrington, Page 24 NADS 15.3 September 1983 A. This was a hapax legomena. The Q 24. A simple checklist of features inquirer’s script actually read Toogooloo, a distinguishing one region of the country well-known name that graces a famous from another, for use by a non-expert in college, and that is said to be Cherokee for identifying where a person comes from. “Forks of the River.” — ed. A If readers know of a list that is Q 17. “I am tired of hearing people, often comprehensive, precise, and easy to use. the Easterners, refer to Middle Western speech editor would be grateful to hear about it with terms like ’flat’ or 'twang,' which are This is one of the most frequent inquiries. almost always used disparagingly. Can you Some features that come to mind are: refer me to a book or article or an ADS 1. The r after vowels, as in park, bom, member so that I can learn more about further. Most of the United States neutral ways to describe a Middle Western pronounces this r, but not eastern New or Massachusetts or Alabama accent or England, New York City (sometimes), and pronunciation?” the deep South. A. Read the essay on American 2. The long “I” sound as in I, like, time, pronunciation in Vol. 1 of DARE, to be rise. In most parts of the country this is an published next year. In the meanwhile, get “ah-ee” diphthong, but in the Southeast and in touch with the author of that essay. Southwest the ”-ee” is lost. James Hartman, English Dept., Univ. of 3. Short e before n, as in pen, men. If it Kansas, Lawrence. Kan. 66045. — F.G. sounds the same as the short i in pin, the Cassidy. DARE. speaker is from the Southeast or Southwest You are caught between the devil of 4. The last consonant in greasy. In the custom and the deep blue sea of linguistic North and West, it has an s sound; in the jargon. If you want to use such terms as middle and southern parts of the country glottal stop, then linguistic Jargon has to be east of the Rockies, it has a z sound. your choice. Otherwise you’ll have to content 5. Y'all in talking to one or more person yourself with the fact that people who speak indicates the Southeast, extending into one dialect (New Joisey for instance) look Texas. Northerners may say “you all” as two down on the Southern drawl. — G.R. Wood. distinct words, but it's not the same thing. Q 20. Recordings of Gullah. More detailed lists appear in Roger W. A Albert H. Stoddard, Folklore of the Shuy, Discovering American Dialects United States: Animal Tales Told In the (Champaign, 111.: National Council of Gullah Dialect, ed. Duncan Emrich. Library Teachers of English). of Congress Division of Music Recording Q 25. “What acid tests may be used to Laboratory, AAFS L44, LC Catalog No. R55- distinguish a highly proficient non-native 457. — Charles Clay Doyie. Univ. of Georgia speaker of any dialect of English from a Other Library of Congress recordings native, proficient or not? This writer would Include AFS 11,475: Gullah tales, spirituals appreciate help in collecting such tests for a and street cries from Charleston, S.C., 10" special study of the term native speaker. reel of tape accessioned June 1959. Contributors will receive a copy of the Q 22. "I am researching the families of complete bibliography or collection when Free People of Color in North Carolina assembled.” Thomas M. Palkeday, 1776 through 1864. During the reserarch, I have Chalkdene Grove, Mississauga, Ontario L4W encountered the terms Free People o f Color, 2C3, Canada. Free Issues, and Mustee. I am interested in the varied meanings of these terms. . . HALF A CENTURY AGO (in December 1932, Q 23. “I am especially interested in the to be exact), the first speaker a t the Annual methodology in compiling regional Meeting of the American Dialect Society was dictionaries and wordllsts. Can you Allen Walker Read. His talk, “British recommend any readings?” Recognition of American Speech in the Eighteenth Century," appeared in the ADS September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 25 Journal Dialect Notes (VI: 313-34) exactly 50 V. OFFICERS years ago. At that time Read became Dialect 1. The officers of the Society shall be a Vice Notes' most prolific author, following his President a President and a Past President first article with “Boucher's Linguistic Each shall hold office for two years Pastoral of Colonial Maryland” (VI: 353-60) beginning at the conclusion of the annual and “Noah Webster as a Euphemist" (VI: meeting at which the Vice President is 385-91). reporting Webster’s omission of elected. such words as womb, stink, suck in his 2. The Vice President shall serve as the version of the Bible. chairman of the program committee for the In this year of 1983, who is the speaker at annual meeting, shall perform the functions the ADS annual luncheon? Allen Walker of the President during the latter's absence Read, of course, telling us of the or inability to serve, and shall succeed to the personalities that guided the study of Presidency. American English, 1926-1945. 3. The President shall preside at the ADS CONSTITUTION annual meeting and at meetings of the Executive Council. The President, or an I. NAME appointed delegate, shall represent the The name of this association Is the Society in appropriate official functions. American Dialect Society. The President shall work with the Executive II. PURPOSE Secretary to promote the interests of the The American Dlalet Society Is organized Society, and shall succeed to the Past in the interest of the academic community Presidency. and not for profit Its object is the study of 4. The Past President shall act as the the English language in North America, liaison officer between the Society and the together with other languages or dialects of regional secretaries and at the annual other languages Influencing It or Influenced meeting shall report upon their activities. by It VI. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL III. MEMBERSHIP 1. There shall be an Executive Council 1. Membership is open to all pesons composed of the three officers, the Executive Interested in the object of the Society. Secretary, the delegate to the American Members are In good standing If they have Council of Learned Societies, and four paid dues for the current calendar year. members-at-large. each elected by members 2. Dues are established by the Executive in good standing present at the annual Council and are for the calendar year. meeting, for a term of four years, one post 3. A person may become a life member by falling vacant each year. paying an amount set by the Executive 2. The Executive Council shall convene at Council. A life member shall be exempt from the annual meeting and at such other times further payment of dues. as may be desirable and convenient No 4. After retirement, a person who has been member of the Executive Council may be a member of the Society for 20 years may represented by a proxy. Five members shall become an emeritus member with the constitute a quorum. privileges of voting, presenting papers, and 3. When necessary, vote upon an receiving the Newsletter. Immediate matter may be taken by means of IV. ANNUAL MEETING a mall ballot to be distributed by the The Society shall hold an annual meeting Executive Secretary. For a mall vote five at such time and place as the Executive affirmatives shall be required for passage. Council shall determine. The Business 4. The Executive Council shall direct the Meeting shall be held during the annual activities of the Society within the general meeting. Those members in good standing policies determined by the membership. present at the Business Meeting shall 5. The Executive Council shall appoint an constitute a quorum. Page 26 NADS 15.3 September 1983 Executive Secretary under such members of the Executive Council or arrangements as the situation may require. submitted in a petition to the Executive The Executive Secretary shall have the Secretary 60 days prior to the annual functions of a secretary-treasurer and shall meeting. The petition must be signed by at serve as secretary of the annual meeting and least ten members in good standing. The of the meetings of the Executive Council. amendment shall be discussed and may be The Executive Secretary shall hold office for amended at the annual meeting and then two years, and may be reappointed. An audit submitted to a referendum by mail of the of the Executive Secretary's financial members in good standing. A majority of records shall be made annually by an those voting shall prevail. auditor appointed by the President and the results reported at the annual meeting. At BYLAWS the annual meeting the Executive Secretary I. PUBLICATIONS shall propose to the Executive Council a 1. The Executive Council shall appoint the budget for the succeeding year, which the editors of the Society's publications. EXch Council shall approve with such shall hold office for two years, and may be modifications as it deems appropriate. reappointed. After consultation with and 6. The Executive Council shall fill any upon the advice of the editors, the Executive vacancy occurring between business Council may appoint associate or assistant sessions. editors. Each shall hold office for two years, VII. ELECTIONS and may be reappointed. After consultation 1. The Nominating Committee shall with and upon the advice of the respective consist of the two immediate Past editors, the Executive Council shall appoint Presidents, and one member elected by the a publications committee for the Society at an Annual Business Meeting for a Publication of the American Dialect Society two-year term. The senior Past President of three members serving three-year terms, shall chair the Nominating Committee. one to be appointed each year, and an 2. Not less than 90 days before the annual Editorial Advisory Committee for American meeting the Nominating Committee shall Speech of twelve members serving three- report to the Executive Secretary its year terms, four to be appointed each year. nominees. Within 30 days of receiving this 2. Copyrights and reprint rights are report the Executive Secretary shall Inform covered by contracts drawn up by the the Society membership by mail or through Executive Council and executed jointly by the Newsletter of the Committee’s the editor and the Executive Secretary. nominations. Additional nominations may 3. Each editor shall make an annual be made by a petition signed by at least ten report in person to the Executive Council. A members in good standing, to be received by written copy of such report shall be filed the Executive Secretary not later than 15 with the Executive Secretary. days before the annual meeting. Elections II. COMMITTEES shall occur during the annual meeting. 1. The standing research committees of VIII. RESOLUTIONS the Society shall be as follows: Reglonallsms Any resolution on political or social and Linguistic Geography, Usage, Non- matters not clearly and immediately related English Dialects, New Words, and Proverbial to the purpose of the Society shall be Sayings. Members and chairs of these submitted to a referendum vote of the committees shall be appointed annually by members in good standing. A majority of the President with the advice of the those voting within the time limit set by the Executive Council. Chairs of standing Executive Council shall prevail. committees shall report on the committees' IX. AMENDMENTS activities at the annual meeting. Proposed amendments to this 2. Ad hoc committees for the execution of constitution must be approved by five particular tasks may be set up by vote of the September 1983 NADS 15.3 Page 27 Executive Council or the annual business Societies. Such a delegate may not serve two meeting. Members and chairs of such consecutive terms. committees shall be determined as are those 2. The Executive Council may appoint of the standing committees. delegates to other learned societies whose III. REGIONAL MEETINGS purposes are consonant with that of the 1. The Executive Council may authorize American Dialect Society. Such delegates the holding of regional meetings of the shall hold office for two years, and may be Society. Such regional meetings may be held reappointed. during the conventions of the regional V. AMENDMENTS associations affiliated with the Modem These bylaws may be amended by a Language Asssociation or of the Canadian majority of members in good standing Linguistic Association or upon such other present at an annual meeting. occasion as may seem desirable. 2. To facilitate the holding of regional meetings the Executive Council shall 90 YEARS OF THE ADS appoint regional secretaries, one for Canada What was the American Dialect Society and one for each region in which there is an doing in its first 90 years? Much the same affiliate of the Modern Language as it is doing now — reporting and Association. Regional secretaries shall hold analyzing the variety of the English office for two years and may be reappointed. language in North America They shall have the responsibility of Now you can have the fruit of those 90 providing liaison with the Canadian years’ labor in your hands at an Linguistic Association, the regional Modem astoundingly low price, thanks to the Language Association affiliate, or any other University of Alabama Press special back appropriate organization in their region, issue sale for ADS members only. (Full liiey shall plan the program for the regional details on the back cover of this NADS.) meeting with the assistance and counsel of There is, first, the complete hardbound the regional chairs or they may initiate, or reprint of ADS’ first publication. Dialect cooperate in, such arrangements for a Notes, in six indexed volumes, for onfy cosponsored meeting as regional $32.50 including postage. circumstances may require. Vol. 1 (1890-96), 497 pp.. reports on the 3. At the regional meeting the Society Society’s founding, and Includes Babbitt’s members in good standing who are present “English of the Lower Classes in New York shall elect a chair whose responsibility will City," Hempl’s "Grease and Greasy," be to preside at the next annual meeting Emerson’s "Ithaca Dialect” and to assist the regional secretary in Vol. 2 (1900-04), 479 pp.. Includes planning the program. Babbitt’s “College Words and Phrases,” 4. At least 30 days before the annual Hempl's “Stovepipes and Funnels,” meeting each regional secretary shall report Northup’s “Language of the Oil Wells.” to the Past President the regional program Vol. 3 (1905-12), 656 pp., has the first of and other relevant information. The Louise Pound’s contributions, “Dialect Executive Council may invite regional Speech in Nebraska,” and word lists from secretaries to report in person at a Council Aroostok to Wyoming, Eastern Maine to meeting in order to consider matters of East Alabama. regional import. Vol. 4 (1913-17), 498 pp., has Klaeber’s IV. DELEGATES TO OTHER ‘Word-List from Minnesota,” Wamock’s ORGANIZATIONS “Terms of Approbation and Eulogy," 1. At the appropriate time the Executive Hayden’s “Terms of Disparagement," Council shall appoint a member to serve the Combs' “Old. Early, and Elizabethan customary four-year term as the Society’s English in the Southern Mountains," and delegate to the American Council of Learned Kenyon’s “Phonology of Western Reserve.” Page 28 NADS 15.3 September 1983

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