I took several linguistics courses in graduate school, and it seems that, the more isolated a community is, the more of their original dialect they retain. We had a Scotsman for pastor at one time, and I could hear many similarities between his dialect and the dialect of the Appalachian people. His long “i” was as Southern as Southerner’s I’ve ever heard.
One of my professors worked on what was known as the Linguistic Atlas of America, which studied dialects throughout the country. He said that, somewhere in SC, the word “yellow” was pronounced with every vowel sound: yelluh, yalluh, yulluh, yillah, etc.
I’ve had clients from various parts of Latin America, some of whom use “yarda” for yard and others “jardín.” Same principle. One couple told me that the front was “la yarda” and the back was “el jardín.”
Have you heard the work “holp” used and the past tense of “help”? I had an elderly neighbor who used it that way (“I rubbed it with liniment, and it holp some”).
The usage goes back to Old or Middle English, where “help” was help/holp/holpen.
It’s interesting how relatively isolated regions like the Appalachian Mountains retain so much of the dialect of the old country.
Because part of them are in South Carolina, the land time forgot.
I somehow managed to miss the series. Don’t know why. But I’ve rather have the book, which I can enjoy on my own schedule. Also, you can’t fall asleep with the television in your lap.
Here are some examples of Southernisms from Wikipedia. I’ve heard many of these from older, rural people or from living those closer to the Appalachian region.
Use of done as a redundant modal verb
I done told you before. Use of done (instead of did) as the past simple form of do
I only done what you done told me. Use of seen replacing saw as past simple form of see.
I seen her first. Use of other non-standard preterits
I knowed you for a fool soon as I seen you. Use of was in place of were, or other words regularizing the past tense of be to was.
You was sittin’ on that chair. [also settin’ on that chair] Use of been instead of have been in perfect tense formations.
I been livin’ here my whole life. Use of double modals
I might could climb to the top. Preservation of older English me, him, etc. as reflexive datives.
I’m fixin’ to paint me a picture. Replacement of have (to possess) with got, or have to with got to.
I got one of them.
I got to get me one, too. The inceptive get/got to (indicating that an action is just getting started).
I got to talking to him and we ended up talking all night. Regularization of negative present tense of do to don’t (instead of doesn’t).
John don’t like cake. Merging of adjective and adverbial forms of related words (quick/quickly)
He’s movin’ real quick.
You sure are real pretty.
I’m right tired. Saying this here in place of this or this one, and that there in place of that or that one.
This here’s mine and that there is yours. Using them or them there as a demonstrative adjective or noun replacing those.
See them birds?
Them’s catbirds. Use of fixin’ to as an indicator of immediate future action
He’s fixin’ to eat. Existential It in place of There
It’s one lady that lives in town. Use of ever in place of every.
Everwhere’s the same these days.
