Mommas, Mamaws, & Me: Exploring the Language, Culture, and Literature of

Appalachia

TCTE ConferenceSept. 25, 2014

Dr. Melissa ComerTCTE Immediate Past President

Dr. Kathy Brashears Dr. Queen Ogbomo

TN Tech UniversityCurriculum & Instruction

Nurdle

AppalachiaAppalachia

Where is Appalachia?

Who are the Appalachians?

Appalachian Literature

Words Associated

with Appalachia

Who are the Appalachians?

Where is the Appalachian region located?

Appalachian Regional Commission 2008

AlabamaGeorgiaKentuckyMarylandMississippiNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioPennsylvaniaSouth Carolina TennesseeWest VirginiaVirginia

Grammar Chart

Standard English Appalachian EnglishGrew GrowedKnew KnowedHaven’t ever Ain’t neverCan hardly Can’t hardlyI’ve already completed it I’ve done done itWhere are you going? Where are you going to?Could Might couldShould Might shouldWas unable/couldn’t Used to couldn’t

Grammar Chart

Appalachian English

Growed

Knowed

Ain’t never

Can’t hardly

I’ve done done it

Where are you going to?

Might could

Might should

Used to couldn’t

Standard English

Grew

Knew

Haven’t ever

Can hardly

I’ve already completed it

Where are you going?

Could

Should

Was unable/couldn’t

A Second Helping

Appalachian EnglishHe don’t want no any dessert.Anymore I don’t care.I went after two gallon of milk and came back with two loaf of bread.I’m going to buy me a new shirt.

Standard EnglishHe doesn’t want any dessert.I don’t care.I went after two gallons of milk and came back with two loaves of bread.I’m going to buy a new shirt.

Grammatical

• Nonstandard irregular verb forms

• Multiple negation• Completive done• Preposition

intrusion• Double modals

• Subject/verb agreement

• Positive anymore• Uninfected plural

nouns when nouns preceded by measures

• Personal dative

Speech: The Way We Say It

Appalachian EnglishWarshExertciseHit’ll worsenOncetTen/penMondee

Standard English

WashExerciseIt will get worseOnceTin/PinMonday

Phonological

• Intrusive /r/

• Intrusive /t/

• /h/ Retention (occurs in front of pronoun it)

• Final /t/ sound

• Merger of /e/ & /i/ (most common before /n/ & /m/

• Substitution of final sounds in unstressed syllables

Lexical Features: Morphological

• The a-prefix on – ing participles is syntactically restricted to adverbial complements and progressives; found more extensively among older generations

• No – ly on adverbs

Lexical Features: Vocabulary, Plurals, & Adverb Usage

• Reckon, hidy , mamaw/papaw, fixen, kyarn, polecast, wasper

• Adverbs: druther, yonder, dang, plumb, tee-total

• Plurals: deskus, youns, young’ens

Geography Language Patterns

Cultural Patterns

Stereotypes Literature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cultural Characteristics(Jones, 1994)

• Family Solidarity Loyalty runs deep, extends beyond immediate family, “blood is thicker than water”

• Fierce individualism Hospitality, pride, self-reliance, neighborliness

• Distinct Gender Roles Men & women assume specific roles in the family, church, and workplace

More Cultural Characteristics(Jones, 1994)

• Ties to the landLove the environment and their homes

• Sense of fatalismBelief that events in life are determined bypowers beyond one’s control---God’s will

• PatriotismLove US flag, land

Even More Cultural Characteristics(Jones, 1994)

• Sense of HumorMay seem dour, but laughs at self

• Modesty and being oneself*One should not put on airs or getabove his raising

Stereotypes Associated with Appalachian People

• Backward• Uneducated• Large families• Poor • No running water • Bare-foot and pregnant• Car on blocks in yard• Intermarry

People from This Area Have Been Called…

• Hicks• Hillbillies• Rednecks• Mountaineers• Appalachian Americans

– (We prefer just plain American.)

Where I’m FromQueen Ogbomo

I am from wrapper, from Dutch wax, Hollandis and big scarfs I am from brick houses painted brown,  I am from palm trees, the pawpaw and lime tree in my Nene’s yard I am from going to weddings and funeral wakes, from Wilfred and Edline and Onoriobe I am from the hardworking women and love for my family From respect your elders and always looking out for your brothers and sisters

I am from extended family, where everyone looks out for each other I am from older sister, to Aunty and mom of three kids I am very proud of and Onaiwu I am from Red wrapper I inherited after Nene left this world I am from the adventures of Mama Ghana to stories from Mama Albert I am from Warri, the Oceanside city, from rice and stew to Ukodo, Ogwo and pepper soup. From empowering of women and believing in yourself, and from the adventures of Mama Ghana 

I am from Mommy’s trunk boxes and the attic of Nene’s house where all the fine jewelry and clothing are kept From all girls school and Nuns to Obokun and Ekpoma I am from Canada, to New York, to North Carolina, to Pennsylvania, to Illinois and Michigan, now Tennessee I am from the adventures I have had and many more to come. 

Where I’m From Madeline Hall

http://animoto.com/play/7P1aedQh06TnbKM2SjqHfw

Setting Characters StoryProblem

Story Solution

Predict-o-gram

Appalachian Literature SummariesSend Me Down A Miracle by Han Nolen

Told in a humorous way, Adrienne, 14, begins to question her life, belief system, and her “preacher” father’s spin on it. Set in Alabama.

God Went to Beauty School by Cynthia Rylant

Told in free verse, Rylant takes readers on a personal journey with God, from opening His own nail salon to being arrested in a bar fight.

“Nameless, Tennessee”by William Least Heat-Moon

Taken from Blue Highways, this story introduces the reader to traditional Appalachian language and culture.

Appalachian Literature SummariesWhen I Was Young in the Mountains By Cynthia Rylant

This is a simple, yet beautiful story of one girl’s memories of growing up in the

mountains.

Ashpet: An Appalachian TaleBy Joanne Compton

This is an Appalachian version of the

well-known Cinderella tale.

A is for Appalachia: The alphabet book of Appalachian HeritageBy Linda Hager Pack

Related Article

Brashears, K. (January 212).

Childhood Education,

88 (1), pp. 30-35.