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nobleman born. James and Thomas, mem, last night in the servants' hall, they both of
'em say as they never see anythink in their two lives -- nor yet no other gentleman in
livery -- like that little fellow's ways, as innercent an' polite an' interested as if he'd
been sitting there dining with his best friend, -- and the temper of a' angel, instead of
one (if you'll excuse me, mem), as it's well known, is enough to curdle your blood in
your veins at times. And as to looks, mem, when we was rung for, James and me, to go
into the library and bring him upstairs, and James lifted him up in his arms, what with
his little innercent face all red and rosy, and his little head on James's shoulder and
his hair hanging down, all curly an' shinin', a prettier, takiner sight you'd never wish to
see. (pp. 102-103)
5b.1 Orthography
Elision kep‟; „em
Respelling anythink; widdered
Elision and eye dialect cre‟tur‟
Eye dialect innercent
5b.2 Grammar
Non standard conjugation when we was
Non standard determiner if them‟s; a‟ angel
5b.3 Vocabulary
Lexis takiner;
Idiom never see anythink in their two lives
5c. Dialect area(s) represented
Unspecified
5d. Density of dialect representation
Moderate to heavily marked
5e. Location of dialect
Dialect entirely in dialogue
5f. Characteristics of dialect speakers
Female, unskilled, minor character
5g. Consistency of representation
Code-switching: Dawson‘s dialogue is fairly densely marked in the above extract
where the conversation is with a fellow servant. However, when talking to Cedric
(Little Lord Fauntleroy) the representation is much closer to the standard, as seen
below:
"Oh, well!" answered Dawson, comfortingly, "you know you can see her every day,
and there's no knowing how much you'll have to tell her. Bless you! wait till you've
walked about a bit and seen things, -- the dogs, and the stables with all the horses
in them. There's one of them I know you'll like to see -- -- " (p. 106).
5. Variety #4: Thomas, footman at Dorincourt Castle
5a. Sample of dialect
"An' of all the wicious, savage, hill-tempered hold fellows it was ever my hill-luck to
wear livery hunder," the tallest footman had said, "he's the wiolentest and wust by a
long shot." (p.109)
Thomas was telling Jane and the cook, and the butler, and the housemaids and the
other footmen that it was his opinion that "the hold man was wuss than usual athinkin'
hover the Capting's boy, an' hanticipatin' as he wont be no credit to the
fambly. An' serve him right," added Thomas; "hit's 'is hown fault. Wot can he iggspect
from a child brought up in pore circumstances in that there low Hamerica?" (p. 116)
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