Nebraska Sandhills English

conservativecave.com ^ | June 4, 2009 | franksolich

[franksolich]

Ever since reading the years-long trials and tribulations of Nebraska's greatest writer, Mari Sandoz (ca. 1893-1967), who could never sell her stories the the eastern establishment elitist publishing houses because they feared her "Nebraska Sandhills English" was too alien, I've sort of been wondering if Nebraska Sandhills English is, really, any different from Florida English or New Jersey English or Montana English or Long Island English.

Of course, being deaf, I have a different perspective on language, than do hearing people. One is free to disagree with me, but I'm not coming up with any significant differences.

I'll bet even bijou from England, and LC EFA from Australia, would have no problem immediately figuring out the meanings used in Nebraska Sandhills English.

Nebraska Sandhills English draws pictures with words.

Going through a batch of old magazines, I found a copy of the February 1952 edition of American Speech, and a short article about Nebraska Sandhills English written by Rudolph Umland. I have no idea who Rudolph is, or was, but he needed to sharpen his writing skills, as the article, while a treasure-trove of information, is poorly patched-together.

The article was based upon a trip he took to the Sandhills of Nebraska in 1940; that may seem like a very long time ago now, but I immediately recognized every word he gave as an example of Nebraska Sandhills English, as they're all still in common use today.

[franksolich]

The above's only an excerpt; the examples are at the link. I hope this is of interest.

[franksolich]

ping for the list.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"If he is a fool, he is said not to know dung from honey."

Kinda like our current dictator, and his vice-dictator.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Interesting. I knew some of these -- maybe because they came to be more generally used in the Midwest. Others? Forget about it! I do like "bathing his countenance." I might start using that myself.

A very colorful language. I read some of Mencken's The American Language years ago. I wonder if he included any of this.

[bcsco]

“Wide ‘spot’ in the road” is used here in the Midwest. It’s an old saying.

I have a book Called “A Dictionary of the Old West” by Peter Watts. It has all kinds of words and sayings from the West over its 374 pages. For example: “Put on the morral”. It’s just another way of saying “Put on the feed-bag” or “noes-bag”. In effect, “To eat”.

Here’s another: “Churn twister” was a cowboy term for farmer.

And, one more: “Nebraska (or Kansas) brick”. It was squares of prairie turf used in building a “soddy”.

All kinds of stuff, Frank...

[bcsco]

Oops! “Noes-bag” should, of course, be “Nose-bag”.

[GeronL]

I have always been interested in word origins and stuff like that