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  • Sumner Ives - A Theory of Literary Dialect

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    Zuzanna Bogucka
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    This paper is an article of Sumner Ives about the theory of literary dialect

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    Sumner Ives - A theory of literary dialect

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    This paper is an article of Sumner Ives about the theory of literary dialect

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    176 views24 pages

    Sumner Ives - A Theory of Literary Dialect

    Uploaded by

    Zuzanna Bogucka
    This paper is an article of Sumner Ives about the theory of literary dialect

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 24
    thougis generally they have been conscious of the humor in their creations, and sometimes have exploited it, thelr pur- pose has been truth. They have tied to presenta more literal truth than they would have recorded withthe standard spell- {ng and the conventional grammar. Hence, an examination of their dialect writing, and a discussion of the principlos facearding to whieh It has been writien and must be evall- sted, i a matier of pertinent critical interest In representing their dialect, these authors have been seutely conscious that they were depicting something peeu- lia, something different from their own conception of the “standara” language. ‘The characters who speak “dialect” are set off, either socially or geographically, from the main body of those who epoak the language. Usually the suggest- ed diference earvis some connotation of inferiority, but not always. For example, in the eaves tories of P, G. Wode- ‘house ts the master, Berie Wooster, who speaks a alee, ‘and the servant, Jeeves, who speaks the conventional Jan” guage, although the pedantic Mavor of his conversation itselt suggests datect ‘The dlaleetcharaeters ere made to speak a language that ‘has unconventional features of promumciaton, grammar, and ‘oeabulary. Pronunciation features are suggested by syste= ‘matic variations from the conventional orthography, or “phonetic” repelling; grammatia] forms are uced thet do not appear in the textbooks — except as awl warnings; and ‘wordsare employed that arenot commonly found in abridged letionarice ~ unless followed by an italicized eavest, Neariy all examples of literary dlaleet are deliberately incomplete; the author san artist, not a linguist or a soelologist, and his Durpose is literary rather than selene, Ia working et his compromise between art and linguistes, each author has ‘mate hls own decision ss to how many ofthe peculiarities in his character's speech he ean profitably represent; conse. quently, examples of literary dialect vary considerably in the extent to whieh they are “sleet and no very definite rules can be given regarding what to consider in tat eate- sory. Regardless of the inclusiveness of the tert, however, ‘every variation from the conventional system of writing th tanguage ia problem forthe Hinge a siete theory tt lterarydloect must be worked out according to the pine tips of lingustics and the fats of dale georrephy. “Te flowing dncsson sen aterpt to formulate pine copter by which tne representations of American ngich da. fers Merature rey evaiated, Concomitant, the ie {ition and pubis of such representations become prt the eucunon. The grater part ot these principles had their conception in a stay ofthe Uaele emus ries of Sel Chandler Harris which T completed recently at i ‘Retaton under the diecion of E Bagby Atwoed hence Seon ofthe practises of dialect writers will be ilustrted {rom these stories However, both in connection with that ‘uy and leer Thave examined he wetings of mang other ‘itd, and those priveples whlch scom to be most general in thelr application have been most fully developed ‘Tobe sure other tuces of terary dalect have been mid. ‘echt, an fl deine, analyls of Uterary dale! is ‘hat fou nthe fest ve af Cevrge Php Reap The . ‘p Americe, ace radtte af Rraopl wrk in American English ie wigely Tito however there as bon a quartereenfury of seve ‘holaahip in he fla since the publication of is two vol SECU cont important single projet as been, 1 think, RE Lanna Adan of he United States ond Canada” Ths Sana gpa the unpublished Beld records and the rose paable mae cor'an generations sbout te avs Jaded sol speech variations Ts inevitable that soiree Wa A Gr ate ate

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