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on dat dare most all de morning--was so," said he, gathering confidence, as he saw, by
Nina's dancing eyes, how greatly she was amused (pp. 38-39)
"Well," said Tomtit, looking after her with great solemnity, "missis in de right on 't. An't
no kind of order in this here house, 'pite of all I can do. One says put letters on waity.
Another one won't let you have waity to put letters on. And, finally, Miss Nina, she pull
them all away. Just the way things going on in dis yer house, all the time! I can't help it;
done all I can. Just the way missus says!" (p.40)
5b.1 Orthography
Respelling law (lord?); whar (where); dese yer (these here); waity
Elision „em; „er; „pears; „member; on‟t; „pite (notes: each marked with apostrophe; on
occasion, full syllable omitted („pite for despite; „member for remember))
5b.2 Grammar
Non standard copula dat are hot; I‟s
Non standard conjungation she pull them
5b.3 Vocabulary
Lexis I was tickler (or is this elision / repelling I was particular?); a studdin
5. Variety #2: Slave, Old Hundred (‗Dred‘)
5a. Sample of dialect
"Laws, honey, chile, ye can't, now; de do's is all locked, and I 've got de key in my
pocket. Every one of dem critturs would have been killed forty times over fore now. I
think everybody in dis yer world is arter dem dar critturs. Miss Loo, she 's wanting
'em to go one way, and Harry 's allers usin' de critturs. Got one out, dis yer arternoon,
riding over to see his wife. Don't see no use in his riding round so grand, noway! Laws,
Miss Nina, your pa used to say to me, says he, 'Uncle John, you knows more about
dem critturs dan I do; and, now I tell you what it is, Uncle John--you take care of dem
critturs; don't you let nobody kill 'em for nothing.' Now, Miss Nina, I 's always a walking
in the steps of the colonel's 'rections. Now, good, clar, bright weather, over good
roads, I likes to trot the critturs out. Dat ar is reasonable. But, den, what roads is over
the cross run, I want to know? Dem dere roads is de most mis'ablest things you ever
did see. Mud! Hi! Ought for to see de mud down dar by de creek! Why, de bridge all
tared off! Man drowned in dat dar creek once! Was so! It an't no sort of road for
young ladies to go over. Tell you, Miss Nina; why don' you let Harry carry your letter
over? If he must be ridin' round de country, don't see why he could n't do some good
wid his ridin'. Why, de carriage would n't get over before ten o'clock, dis yer night!
Now, mine, I tell you. Besides, it 's gwine fur to rain. I 's been feeling dat ar in my corns,
all dis yer morning; and Jeff, he 's been acting like the berry debil hisself--de way he
always does 'fore it rains. Never knowed dat ar sign to fail." (pp. 64-65)
5b.1 Orthography
Respelling chile; dem; arter; allers; arternoon; clar
Elision fore (note no apostrophe); „em usin‟; „rections; mis‟ablest
b for v berry debil
5b.2 Grammar
Double negative don‟t see no use; don't you let nobody kill 'em for nothing; It an't no
sort of road
Non standard conjugation you knows; I‟s; I likes; never knowed
Non standard pronoun ye; hisself
5b.3 Vocabulary
Lexis critters; noway
Idiom dem dere; Dat ar is; for to see
5c. Dialect area represented
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