The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-10-27
NEGRO DIALECT.
mr. u W. Blacknall Writes interesting ly to
the T'mss-D Dispatch.
(EdltOr of The Times DisDatchl

AoEotSA
editor of The Times Dispatch.)
olr:-Ihat the Times Dispatch is right
IN It's assertion that there is such a tim.
a a fairly uniform negro dialect at
the South viii, l am sure be borne out
by the most observant people TO the
manner born As IS admitted, there are
exceptions to the general prevalence OF
this dialect, the most noticeable one be-
ing IN the Ogeechee region OF Georgla.
| am reliably informed thai the negroes
OF that region, who are undoubtedly late
lmportations from Africa, speak a lingo
compounded of native African and Eng
hsh that is almost wholly unintelligihle
TO people accustomed to the negro dialect.
But this and other instances are only tie
EXCEPTIONS. There is undoubtedly q sur
prlsing uniformity IN the general negro
dialect OF the South. It seems to be
much more uniform than the dialect Of
the Illlterate whites. And for this there
i good reason. The diverse white dia-
lets OF the South are doubtless survivals
under more or less modified forms of the
diverse dialects Of England.
There are two reasons why there should
be substantial uniformity in the negro
dialect. In the first place, it mainly had
its birth in Virginia and North Carolina.
NAN II16loNS H1lC IL
aEte-bellum days to all parts of tie
South and Southwest: also to Tennessee.
Kentucky and some parts of the West.
Another, and though doubtless far less
| potent, cause in producing the uniform
negro dialect was that it was the re-
suit OF an attempt OF the slaves to imi-
tate the language of their masters. This
dialect of the educated whites Of the
South, and the English language at its
purest, IS but a dialect which has over
mastered other and competing dialects
CT the English people, was, OF course,
common to the siave-holding class gen
orally. In Initiating this the resultant
dialect naturally had more OF less UNI
formity.
was born on a Southern plantation
ten years before the war, and in com
mon with SO many other Southern bows
my playfellows We're little negroes. Since
the war many negroes have come under
my observation, and among them negroes
from most of the Southern States. The
uniformity of their dialect has always
been noticeable, though, OF course, there
are notifications and variations. | saw
not very long ago a striking illustration
OF this. l had long known that in tins
part of North Carolina the Albino negl 0
is called q Molly Glasco.' took this
~ Dt Il PURIFY 1OCdl NOIu, especially Us
the surname Glasgow is found in this
neighborhood among the mulatto free
negroes. But upon recent inquiry | fill |
! the term familiar to a negro from Geor-
gia and several from South Carolina and
It is probably understood in other South
ern States.
In the following four lines of negro
dialect which you reproduced from the
New York Tribune there are about q
dozen errors.
Dat, sab, am not a fact'ry. Dat am
S'n Johns Episcopal Church, where Marse
Patrick Henry lone get up an AK dc
Lawd to glib him liberty CIR glib him
deaf"
these words would have rendered them
thus: Dat, suh, al 10 fact'ry. Dat
Sain' Jawn's 'Pfscopal church, whar
Marse Patrick Henry git up en- ak de
Lawd to gin him liberty or gin him
deaf"
But the chances are that if he he'd
known that much about Patrick Henry
he would also nave imbibed sufficient
knowledge of the Revolution to enbel-
lish his assertion IN somewhat the 1ol-
lowing picturesque fashion.
Dat, sub, al no fact'ry. Dat Sain'
lawns 'Pi5topul Church, whar Marse
Patrick Henry hop up en- ak de Lava
TO gin him liberty or gin him deaf. King
George lone got mighty biggity, yer
know, sub, en- low he ev'body's daddy.
But, bineby, he got enough er dat deaf
bushes, en- he gin Marse Patrick Henry
whut he AK de Lawd fer. En- it all hap
pm right in dar. Dat Whut he say
sub"
When | was a boy it was a commoa
expression among the older negroes that
If | had so and SO Il wouldn't ak KinG
George to be my daddy.
The negro never rolled his Rs, and
to be perfectly accurate H should be
used after voweIs IN its place.
O. w. BLACKNAIL.
R%lakenhall, Kittrell, n. c.