Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2020
The subject of this paper as announced some time ago in the programme of this convention, is not exactly the one which it should bear. In a former paper, published in the Modern Language Notes, I tried to trace back a number of our peculiar words and speech usages to an earlier period of the language, using Shakespeare as a basis. In the present paper this method of procedure has been attempted only incidentally. In other words, I invite your attention to a study of a few of the peculiarities of the language as found in Tennessee, regardless of their origin and history. It is not to be supposed, however, that the forms pointed out are limited to one particular state or to a small territory. On the other hand, most of them are found throughout the larger portion of the South, and many of them are common over the whole country. Nothing like a complete survey of the field, or a strict classification of the material gathered, has been attempted, and many of the words treated have been discussed by others. A few cases of bad pronunciation have been noticed, rather as an index of characteristic custom than as showing anything new.
1 See Modern Language Notes. Vol. iv, p. 410, or American Notes and Queries, Vol. iv, pp. 16 and 64.
2 ‘Nights with Uncle Remus,’ p. 66.