During this period of isolation, Ocracokers developed a unique dialect of American English that residents and outsiders often refer to as the brogue, perhaps because some of the oldest Ocracoke families have Irish and Scotch-Irish roots. Some of the Ocracoke brogue's more prominent features are retentions of older features of English that vanished from most mainland dialects long ago. For example, older Ocracokers say hit for it and a-huntin for hunting. But contrary to popular belief, Ocracoke English is not Elizabethan English preserved unchanged since the first English speakers came to the island. All languages and dialects change over time, even those far removed from the influence of outside language varieties.
Pronunciations are particularly susceptible to change.
Thus, some of the most familiar pronunciation features of the Ocracoke dialect probably do not date back to the community's earliest origins but are more likely innovations that developed around the turn of the 20th century. In fact, Ocracokers and neighboring islanders are often known as hoi toiders. With this influx of mainlanders, the Ocracoke brogue is rapidly fading away. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.