Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T03:28:38.780Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Right throughs, rings and taws: Marbles terminology in Trinidad and Tobago1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2009

Lise Winer  and
Hans E. A. Boos
Lise Winer
Affiliation:
Department of Linguistics, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901
Hans E. A. Boos
Affiliation:
Emperor Valley Zoo, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Marbles games (“pitch”), perhaps the most widely played of all traditional boys' games in Trinidad and Tobago, have declined precipitously in the last two decades. This article documents close to 200 marbles terms found in Trinidad and Tobago English Creole. Although most are British in origin, there are East Indian, French Creole, and possible African influences on this lexicon. An analysis of the discourse of marbles talk in its sociocultural context was prompted by its high affect for men who had played pitch as boys. Using frameworks from the sociology of games and from studies in language and gender, marbles talk is shown to demonstrate features of ”masculine“ gender-linked use of language and games, including highly elaborated rules and strategies, and competitive and confrontational use of language. (Caribbean, change, Creole, discourse, games, gender, marbles, obsolescence)

Type
Research Article
Information
Language in Society , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , March 1993 , pp. 41 - 66
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Araujo, Ralph (1984). Memoirs of a Belmont boy. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: In-print Caribbean.Google Scholar
Ashby, Alison (1981). The game of marbles in Trinidad: A lexicographical study. (Caribbean Studies Research Project.) St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago: University of the West Indies.Google Scholar
Banyan Productions, (1985). “Marble pitching” segment, Gayelle, broadcast November 7, on Trinidad and Tobago Television.Google Scholar
Baumann, Paul (1970). Collecting antique marbles. Greensboro, NC: Wallace-Homestead Book.Google Scholar
Bynoe, Quentin (1985). The old Belmont. Trinidad: Author.Google Scholar
Cassidy, Frederic G. (1958). Report of a recent project of collecting. Publication of the American Dialect Society 29:19–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cave, George N. (1976). Sociolinguists and child play in Guyana. Paper presented at the Conference of the Society for Caribbean Linguistics,Georgetown, Guyana.Google Scholar
Combs, Josiah H., (1955). More marble words. Publications of the American Dialect Society 23:33–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dickson, Paul, (1988). Kids and collectors are still knuckling down to business. Smithsonian 04: 94–102.Google Scholar
Ferretti, Fred, (1973). The great American marble book. New York: Workman.Google Scholar
Gomme, Alice Bertha, ([1894]1964). The traditional games of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Vol. 1. London: David Nutt. [Reprinted, New York: Dover.]Google Scholar
Gomme, Alice Bertha, ([1898]1964). The traditional games of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Vol. 2. London: David Nutt. [Reprinted, New York: Dover.]Google Scholar
Harder, Kelsie B., (1955). The vocabulary of marble playing. Publication of the American Dialect Society 23:3–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingram, Clara, (1972). The collector's encyclopedia of antique marbles. Paducah, KY: Collector Books.Google Scholar
Inniss, Lewis Osborn (1910). Trinidad and Trinidadians: A collection of papers, historical, social and descriptive, about Trinidad and its people. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: Mirror Printing Works.Google Scholar
Inniss, Lewis Osborn ([1932]1970). Reminiscences of old Trinidad. Voices. Special issue.Google Scholar
Johnson, Owen, (1911). In marble time. Collier's Outdoor America Magazine 04 15:40–42.Google Scholar
Keens-Douglas, Paul (1975). Marble talk. In When moon shine. St. Anns, Trinidad: Scope Publishing Caribbean. 42–45.Google Scholar
Lakoff, George, & Johnson, Mark (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Lever, Janet, (1978). Sex differences in the complexity of children–s play and games. American Sociological Review 43:471–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mandle, Jay, & Mandle, Joan (1988). Grass roots commitment: Basketball and society in Trinidad and Tobago. Parkersburg, IA: Caribbean Books.Google Scholar
McDonald, Ian (1969). The humming-bird tree. London: Heinemann.Google Scholar
Narine, Harricharan (1979). Days gone by. Pleasantville, San Fernando, Trinidad: Unique Services.Google Scholar
O'Rourke, P.J. (1991). All our yesterdays. Punch 06 12–18: 25–28.Google Scholar
Pires, B.C. (1991). Cax for bokey. Express, Trinidad and Tobago: 04 22: 8.Google Scholar
Rampersad, Felix Alban (ca. 1963). Trinidad: Gem of the Caribbean. Trinidad: Author.Google Scholar
Randall, Mark E., & Webb, Dennis (1988). Greenberg's guide to marbles. Sykesville, MD: Greenberg.Google Scholar
Resnicow, Herbert (1987). The dead room. New York: Dodd, Mead.Google Scholar
Sackett, S.J., (1962). Marble words from Hays, Kansas. Publication of the American Dialect Society 37:1–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tannen, Deborah (1990). You just don't understand: Women and men in conversation. New York: William Morrow.Google Scholar
Tannen, Deborah (1991). Teachers' classroom strategies should recognize that men and women use language differently. Chronicle of Higher Education 06 19: B1, B3.Google Scholar
Winer, Lise, (1990). Standardization of orthography for the English Creole of Trinidad and Tobago. Language Problems & Language Planning 14: 237–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar