Newfoundland and Labrador English (Dialects of English)

This book is the first full-length volume to offer a comprehensive introduction to the English spoken in Britain's oldest overseas colony, and, since 1949, Canada's youngest province. Within North America, Newfoundland and Labrador English is a highly distinctive speech variety. It is known for its generally conservative nature, having retained close ties with its primary linguistic roots, the traditional speech of southwestern England and southern Ireland. It is also characterised by a high degree of regional and social variation. Over the past half century, the region has experienced substantial social, economic and cultural change. This is reflected linguistically, as younger generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians increasingly align themselves with 'mainland' North American norms. The volume includes:*An accessible description of the phonological, grammatical, lexical and discourse features of this variety*Treatment of regional speech variation within the province, and its historical sources*Discussion of the social underpinnings of ongoing language change *Language samples from both traditional and contemporary speakers*A survey of published work on Newfoundland and Labrador English from earlier centuries to the present day.