I want to write it, but not speak it.

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by M56

Not sure why you even thought you had to make that last statement. And this, is supposed to be a Bostonian regionalism:


"We've got a standout at the Holy Name rotary from 4:45 to 6 on Thursday."

It's supposed to be.

Neither have I heard of this: There is actually more than one Boston English. Some people grew up referring to long sandwiches as "spuckies;" other people, http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Boston/wicked.html


I've seen that site before. I think it generalizes a bit too much.


Teaching "we've got a standout" in the context that you have shown it would not at all be useful to any of my students. Neither would "spuckie" be useful.

I think you're too caught up in this regionalism stuff.

There are enough useful expressions and idiomatic language to teach without getting so caught up in "regionalisms".

Recently, some of my students found it useful and interesting to know many of the ways in which we use the word "straight". That was useful and they knew it. They asked about "deal", so I we spoke about that. We listened to Blackjack. Talked about the language in it. Later we played Blackjack.

I gave them a "deal" paper and a "straight" paper.

Now we're back to gerunds, infinitives, the present perfect - and of course speaking practice. And so it goes ...

[Steven D]

Meanwhile, in certain blue-collar communities on the North Shore, speakers sometimes replace Rs with, of all things, Vs, reports John Lawler, who provides an example: "Tevesah doesn't have any bvains, she's from Veveah."

http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Boston/wicked.html

- never heard of that form of pronunciation, and I hope I never do. It seems kind of ridiculous. Not at all useful. This is rather obscure information.

I tend to focus on what I find practical, useful, and interesting. This information doesn't fit the bill.


If you find it interesting, go for it. Do your students find it interesting?


American chop suey Has nothing to do with Chinese food (then again, only in Boston do Chinese restaurants serve French rolls): Macaroni with hamburg, a little tomato sauce and a bit of onion and green pepper

Yep, I know about that one. It's hardly at all useful to my students though.

There are more practical matters and useful language to deal with.

[Steven D]

Cuber

Island south of Florida; capital is Havanner.

[Steven D]

Cuber

Island south of Florida; capital is Havanner.

http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Boston/wicked.html

LOL!

Big exaggeration. Generally speaking, there's no "r" in Cuba or Havana in Boston.

Some of it's okay, but not everything at this site travels beyond obscurity.

Have fun with it.

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by M56

Standout

An assemblage of human billboards: "We've got a standout at the Holy Name rotary from 4:45 to 6 on Thursday."

Human billboards

People who stand at rotaries or on overpasses with campaign signs, sometimes causing gahkablahkas. The candidate's the one who doesn't have a sign in his hand.

http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Boston/wicked.html

Here it it used with a different meaning:

Maron's first book "Booklegger's Daughter" is still a standout for me, and I'd moved away from this series. But, while lighter than I usually read, although not really a cozy, I very much enjoyed this book.

Are you not familiar with the second meaning? That's the one I know about.

__________________________________________________ _______

I see.

What would be an example of "wider usage" to you in this context?

I still do not think you've answered that question. Hardly can obscure regionalisms such as "Dot Ave" and "Meffuh = Medford" be considered "wider usage". If my students find out about "Dot Ave" and "Meffuh", wonderful. But they're not losing out on anything if they don't. And hardly would language of that type be useful to them. There are other things of far greater importance.


What is wider usage to you?

What about something from NW England? That is what you might've understood I was asking about. I wasn't asking for a "gotcha ha ha - you didn't know about this, and maybe you should've".

<<[QUOTE=X Mode]It's supposed to be.

Neither have I heard of this: There is actually more than one Boston English.>>

Yes, I mentioned that:

<<And this, is supposed to be a Bostonian regionalism:>>


I've seen that site before. I think it generalizes a bit too much.


<Teaching "we've got a standout" in the context that you have shown it would not at all be useful to any of my students. Neither would "spuckie" be useful. >

Could you say why?

<I think you're too caught up in this regionalism stuff.>

That's an opinion, at least.

<There are enough useful expressions and idiomatic language to teach without getting so caught up in "regionalisms". >

Again, like many teachers, you only focus on what students will say and not on what they may encounter.

Recently, some of my students found it useful and interesting to know many of the ways in which we use the word "straight". That was useful and they knew it. They asked about "deal", so I we spoke about that. We listened to Blackjack. Talked about the language in it. Later we played Blackjack.

Another teacher might say that learning the language of Blackjack is not useful. How would you react to that?

<I gave them a "deal" paper and a "straight" paper. >

And some may say that you shouldn't be teaching your students how to play gambling games.

<Now we're back to gerunds, infinitives, the present perfect - and of course speaking practice. And so it goes ...>

Yes, you've shown how we need to vary activities, and the type of language we study, in class.

<Are you not familiar with the second meaning? That's the one I know about.>

No, I'm not. I understand it, but I am not familiar with it. Is it a regionalism?

__________________________________________________ _______

I see.

What would be an example of "wider usage" to you in this context?

<I still do not think you've answered that question. Hardly can obscure regionalisms such as "Dot Ave" and "Meffuh = Medford" be considered "wider usage". If my students find out about "Dot Ave" and "Meffuh", wonderful. But they're not losing out on anything if they don't. >

Apart from not understanding the people who use such items.

What is wider usage to you?

<What about something from NW England? That is what you might've understood I was asking about. >

No, I'll pass, thanks. It wouldn't be useful to YOU or YOUR students.

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by M56

Standout

An assemblage of human billboards: "We've got a standout at the Holy Name rotary from 4:45 to 6 on Thursday."

Human billboards

People who stand at rotaries or on overpasses with campaign signs, sometimes causing gahkablahkas. The candidate's the one who doesn't have a sign in his hand.

http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Boston/wicked.html

Here it it used with a different meaning:

Maron's first book "Booklegger's Daughter" is still a standout for me, and I'd moved away from this series. But, while lighter than I usually read, although not really a cozy, I very much enjoyed this book.

Thanks- I had no idea. maybe I should get into student or church political dissent more.

Originally Posted by tdol

Thanks- I had no idea. maybe I should get into student or church political dissent more.

Yes, why not?

[Tdol]

Will they take an agnostic?