Dialectical Didactics
or
Speak Carolinian in 5 Easy Lessons!
Summer fun, now that the first storm threat has passed!
Walt Wolfram is the Director of the Language and Life Project at North Carolina State University. He is the William C Friday Distinguished University Professor at NC State. Has been since 1992. From Philly’s very own Germantown (my birthplace!). a polyglot. He has been researching the Carolinian dialects his entire professional career. What follows is a summary of his recent piece in Our State magazine, the Sunset magazine for North Carolina.
Mash this button
Eyesa fixin to
Stall yer cattywampus!
You nothin but a dingbatter!
Betterna halfbacker.
My buddyrow’s over yonder he gonna put you in a poke airish.
Well, I’m bout to git off this here pizer, fetch my runabout and scud on over to Ocracoke fer a suds. Wanna slam?
I’d wanna a dope of CoCola
Well, that there’s right as rain.
We kin go a-huntin or a-fishin too.
Let’s be goin!
Might could!
As Dr. Wolfram says, ‘there’s not a state with as many or as complex a set of dialogues in these United States. If you can figure out what this conversation is all about, then you’ve been to the Outer Banks and heard them and their jabberwocky. I do hope you try a visit to the Old North State. Gas is cheap, the food ain’t half bad and the folks are jes fin!
Eat Wisely
Sleep well
Love with Abandon!