"Down cellar" is something I've heard out of my French-Maine stepmother. That, and "close the light" instead of "turn off the light". I think the use of "neither" as a reinforcing word is not particularly northeasterly, because it shows up in hill-country southern literature from way back.
I've recently discovered that the representation of dialect in American fiction is really, really old (i.e., colonial times), and that its creativity sometimes beggars readability. Actually, one of my favorite examples is a southernism, so apologies in advance to Susan.
I read several books (including To Kill a Mockingbird) about the South, in which characters said this strange word, "oncet." From context, I eventually figured out that it meant "once", and that the T was appended as a dialect sound, but, like, you read O-N-C-E-T and think "onset". Or, I do.
Then I read Huckleberry Finn, in which Twain spells the same word "wunst".
THAT I can wrap my brain around! The spelling represents the sound accurately. Unfortunately, if you don't already know about the tradition of adding a final T to "once", "wunst" gives no clues as to what it actually
means.
Although history bears out generations of the excessive use of apostrophes in dialect spelling, I can faithfully report that it is unbelieveably annoying no matter when you use it.
I eventually figured out that it meant "once", and that the T was appended as a dialect sound, but, like, you read O-N-C-E-T and think "onset". Or, I do.
Yup. For the longest time as a kid, I just thought it was "onset" misspelled. Even though that didn't make sense in context.
I've seen examples of Northern Irish dialect that look like Pittsburghese to me.
I'm a Southwestern Pennsylvania native, and when I left that region I was often asked if I was from England. Most of my ancestors are from Devon and southern England, so I don't know if many Northern Englanders ended up in Western Pennsylvania.
I'm very familiar with "neither" as a reinforcer, especially when reinforcing something negative.
Wow. Looks just like generic Northern UK English.
Interesting. My grandparents are of Northern Irish descent, w/ a one-generation stopover in the Maritimes.
Just poking my head in to say hi while at a cyber-cafe.
is it possible to work on book while typing one handed because of rescued 3 week old torty kitten in lap no it isn't for the love of god SEND EXTRA LAP AND HANDS
She's very talkative and very people-friendly. Story of last night too long to type one handed, but we drove into del monte warehouse with security guard in pitch black and she tottered up to us, wailing.
Aww, deb, you're making me want another kitten and I can barely keep up with two grown cats!
She's dribing me bonkers. Separation issues, major.
I can't get anything done. need to work and she's a limpet on my left hand and wrist.
help.
