The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-01
SIXTH AND
LAST PAPER.

In the preceding paper referred to
khe use Of the letter and the reason
for that peculiar modification OF It so
common In the South. am convinced
that the presence OF the negro had much
10 do with this form OF speech among
aus. He touched the southern life at a
Hital point fr regard to speech. From
through life the negro was by his side.
Not, as is often supposed by those un-
acquainted with slave life, as hunted
and bounded creature. afraid and cowed,
but as sort OF companion and friend.
lie and his cared for the children, played
with them. nursed them and followed
them even TO manhood and wontanhood.
This close and intimate relationship left
s1hc imprint OF the negro's popularity
upon the ruling race. This leads to the
discussion OF the nesro's contribution to
lfhe South's dialect.
The constant repetition OF the saying,
f..TIe talks like negro. might lead one
TO suppose that there was some great
difference in speech between the two
Traces. Whereas, taking an uneducated
white man and an uneducated negro.
ts,oth from the original slave-holding sec
ttion, the difference in their talk will not
aaee so noticeable The reason for this will
bbe shown further on. The negro has
tEiven US but few words that abide in the
Language. Tote" to carry burden, is
1.-THE most common. 1T is never used any
fwhere. so far as can find, except in
Eihe South. While it is rejected by most
tpecple as barbarisrn. l know OF no
kmore expressive word than tote" The
Edea is that of unpleasant or painful
tlabor in carrying burden. I have seen
Ia negro put a l1urdred-pound load on
Ehis head and so carry 1t. He "toted' it,
and no other single word in the English
xtongue so well expresses what was done.
fThis word is not exactly synonymous
with carry. Carry. in the sense OF con-
fGucting, is largely used in the South.
EThis is an old use of the woodland Is wide
Sly prevalent among us. but 1t should be
fkept in mind that it is warranted by the
koest lexicons and such writer's as Addi-
feon Tote" Is not used in any such
sense Carry the horse to the pasture
lbs a common saying among u.s. and IS
e,rictly correct am southerner and
have spent most of my life In the SOUTH
a,ut have never heard such an express
sion as tote the horse to water" nor
any such use of the word.
s.Buckra' is another negro word. but is
seldom heard north Of Georgia and South
Carolina This word means demon or
superior being. and was applied by the
negroes of the African coast to the
slave-dca!ers and finally it came to
mean any white man. Aside from these
two, possibly q few others. which are
merely local. the negro has added moth
ing of Importance TO the language. This
was expected, as his language was very
limited and had nothing in common with
that of his masters. 1t may be noted
xhat there is in few limited sections.
as in the sea islands off the coast of
South Carolina. n kind OF modified Afri-
can iargon still used among the negroes
These do not affect the tongue as
whole. The business Of the negro was
10 learn as soon as possible the COM
,nands of his master and obey them. So
at came to pass that the English was
that Of the white man who taught 1t to
him It is true he modified it very much.
b,,. 1t remained upon his lips practically
the same as his masters tongue This
.,,odification at the hands OF the negro
was done principally in three ways