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Language Variation: Monroe County, PA

Language Variation: Monroe County, PA. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA. History. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA. History Monroe County was formed in 1834 from a region of Northampton County. It was largely geographically isolated until the 1960’s with the completion of Route 80.

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Language Variation: Monroe County, PA

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  1. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA

  2. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • History

  3. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • History • Monroe County was formed in 1834 from a region of Northampton County. It was largely geographically isolated until the 1960’s with the completion of Route 80.

  4. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • History • Monroe County was formed in 1834 from a region of Northampton County. It was largely geographically isolated until the 1960’s with the completion of Route 80. • From the mid 19th century until appx 1970, the population remained constant, around 30,000

  5. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Ethnography

  6. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Ethnography • Monroe County was orginally settled largely by Dutch, French, English and Germans. The Dutch left little or no impact on the area, aside from family names, the French likewise. The area was mostly divided between English Quakers who lived in the main towns, and German farmers in the countryside and small villages.

  7. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Ethnography • Pennsylvanischer Duit and English were the two main languages, divided mostly along town and country lines. • Today, there are still appx. 2,000-3,000 speakers of Pennsylvanischer Duit in the county.

  8. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Sociology

  9. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Sociology • English was associated with town and skilled tradesmen, and with money and social mobility

  10. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Sociology • English was associated with town and skilled tradesmen, and with money and social mobility • Duit was associated with rural life and a lack of education

  11. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Sociology • English was associated with town and skilled tradesmen, and with money and social mobility • Duit was associated with rural life and a lack of education • However, the English variation was not “standard”

  12. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes

  13. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Phonetics: little variation from standard or other rural American vernaculars of the Mid-Atlantic.

  14. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Phonetics: little variation from standard or other rural American vernaculars of the Mid-Atlantic. • Morphology: no special morphological traits, beyond “ing” being rendered “in’”

  15. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Phonetics: little variation from standard or other rural American vernaculars of the Mid-Atlantic. • Morphology: no special morphological traits, beyong “ing” being rendered “in’” • Syntax: some important archaic traits, such as the archaic past participle: It got stole, It was froze, etc.

  16. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Syntax con’t.: ain’t is common contraction, and the verbs “be” and “do” are simplified generally to the third person singular: • I am we are I was we was • you are you was • he is they’s he was they was

  17. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics

  18. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”.

  19. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Ethnographic: corner-cupboard, crumb pie, flagstone, overtown, on the Mountain, sticky buns, pigbears

  20. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Ethnographic: corner-cupboard, crumb pie, flagstone, overtown, on the Mountain, sticky buns, pigbears • archaicism: icebox, sweeper, overalls, lightbill, davenport

  21. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Social: cutterman, hardy (vernacular is particularly punctuated with expletives, esp. among men)

  22. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Social: cutterman, hardy (vernacular is particularly punctuated with expletives, esp. among men) • Idiomatic: visit my aunt, fried farts and pickled assholes.

  23. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Social: cutterman, hardy (vernacular is particularly punctuated with expletives, esp. among men) • Idiomatic: visit my aunt, fried farts and pickled assholes. • Borrowing: fassnacht, all

  24. Language Variation: Monroe County, PA • Linguistic notes • Semantics - significant variation from “standard”. • Social: cutterman, hardy (vernacular is particularly punctuated with expletives, esp. among men) • Idiomatic: visit my aunt, fried farts and pickled assholes. • Borrowing: fassnacht, all • Restriction: “go” is very limited in use.

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