my head hurts from reading dialect
Dec. 16th, 2010 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ifeelbetterI am waiting in the grad lounge for the last of my students' final projects. The majority have come in already--only two haven't.
But I am working on my own paper while I wait and guess what I found in the May 22nd, 1860 issue of Harper's Weekly? A column about the Japanese delegation to the US written in crazy dialect. I kid you not. Enjoy a sampling:
"While we wos a waitin' I spyd wun ov Mr. Harper's artists a sketchin' away like phun, makin' a pictur ov the yard, and ov the peeple, and ov the white-washed plank-walk for the Jappyknees to cum ashoar on, and the sogers, and the stemeboat we wos on, Jappyknees and awl, includin' me. But awl at wunst he seed sumthin' on the bote, and stop'd drawin', and begun to larf like phun. I looked tew see what on airth he was a larfin' at, and thair was a Jappyknee oppositioner a sketchin' away like phun tew. I deon't wundur Mr. Harper's artist was kinder knocked aback tew see this feller, and I would like tew see the tew picturs, side by side, jist tew see which feller was best."
"Littel Count Videpocke worn't know where, and he sed, seys he, “Sare, I sink se Japonais be von gr-r-r-r-and hoombug!” I thort tew myself, but didn't say so, “You're a little humbug, and eklips'd, young forrynur.”"
And--the pièce de résistance--this gem of irony:
"He's a sort of Brigaid-Major tew the Prince ov Boozy and the crowd, and spekes English sort ov tollerble well."
I honestly don't know what to do with this. It is going in my paper--obviously--but seriously. WTF. I'm just asking.
But I am working on my own paper while I wait and guess what I found in the May 22nd, 1860 issue of Harper's Weekly? A column about the Japanese delegation to the US written in crazy dialect. I kid you not. Enjoy a sampling:
"While we wos a waitin' I spyd wun ov Mr. Harper's artists a sketchin' away like phun, makin' a pictur ov the yard, and ov the peeple, and ov the white-washed plank-walk for the Jappyknees to cum ashoar on, and the sogers, and the stemeboat we wos on, Jappyknees and awl, includin' me. But awl at wunst he seed sumthin' on the bote, and stop'd drawin', and begun to larf like phun. I looked tew see what on airth he was a larfin' at, and thair was a Jappyknee oppositioner a sketchin' away like phun tew. I deon't wundur Mr. Harper's artist was kinder knocked aback tew see this feller, and I would like tew see the tew picturs, side by side, jist tew see which feller was best."
"Littel Count Videpocke worn't know where, and he sed, seys he, “Sare, I sink se Japonais be von gr-r-r-r-and hoombug!” I thort tew myself, but didn't say so, “You're a little humbug, and eklips'd, young forrynur.”"
And--the pièce de résistance--this gem of irony:
"He's a sort of Brigaid-Major tew the Prince ov Boozy and the crowd, and spekes English sort ov tollerble well."
I honestly don't know what to do with this. It is going in my paper--obviously--but seriously. WTF. I'm just asking.
