THE INS AND OUTS OF DIALECT

By Sharon May

So you are interested in dialect. You must be one of those writer fellers, trying to figure people out so you can create a believable character. Using a dialect is a great tool for making characters different from each other. Writers often spell words phonetically to capture the pacing and cadence of a character’s speech or thinking. This is generally what we think of when we say dialect. But remember vocabulary builds dialect too.

The use of dialect by American authors primarily came out of the Realistic period, particularly the Regionalism movement in the late 19^th century. Realists were dead set to record to the nth degree how a person spoke. At times, these writers were indeed making fun of the characters who were markedly different from themselves. “Funny” spellings and enunciation, miscommunications, and misunderstandings added humor. Think of the Northerner in the south in the 1800s.

I come from a region known for its mountain speech. Some folk say its roots are in Elizabethan English. That’s them people who believe it has some linguistic worth. Then there’s folks who make fun of hillbilly speech. “You talk funny,” “What’d you say?” or “Where you from?” are their usual responses when we open our mouths. They think we are dumb, stupid, ignorant, uneducated just because of our dialect. Ironically, we have lots to say about their dialect too, but they are so egotistical or ignorant they think they don’t have a dialect. Remember, everyone has one, some closer to Standard English than others. If you use the dialect of one character, why not depict the dialects of all characters?

Don’t use dialect in a way that insults a character. I write mostly in Appalachian dialect, particularly that of the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Yes, each region of Appalachia does have its own dialect. I don’t use phonetic spellings because they tend to dumb down the characters, making them appear less educated and less intelligent than they really are. I’ve known lots of very smart hillbillies who couldn’t come close to speaking the King’s English if they tried. If your point in using dialect is to dumb down a character, you might want to find another way to depict intelligence rather than risk insulting readers who speak that dialect too.

Also, make sure you actually understand the grammar of the dialect you are working with. If you don’t speak the dialect you plan to depict, then study it first. Additionally, you have to decide if it is important to be realistic with phonetic spellings even if they confuse your audience. Think James Joyce or William Faulkner.

Know the purpose of using a dialect before you start. Some writers of disenfranchised groups use dialect to mark separation from mainstream society and to explore their heritage. This use of dialect is related to theme, a purpose the reader can understand. Dialect for showmanship may be interesting, but may lead the writer down the primrose path.