Allgitout

We attended a social gathering this past weekend. That alone is news. We sat at a table where all the people were nice enough to speak English for us. We talked about a lot of things like . . .

most of the people here have lived and worked in the same area for generations and many would likely not leave for any reason. They said they would find it almost impossible to move to another city, away from their families. Not even within Belgium.

But the longest conversation centered around language.

This map illustrates the shape of most every Belgian city

- a little circle, 1/2 mile across, in the center with all the shops, restaurants, hotels, bakeries

- a bigger circle, 2 miles across, with all the neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, grocery stores

Every road leading out of the circles goes to a little "suburb" and the point where the language changes.

Yeah, ten minutes down the road and they've got their own ebonics. Basically, not proper Dutch and germane only to that region.

For example, on the other side of Belgium - in the west - a whole 2 hours away - the local news on television is actually subtitled in proper Dutch so all those in the east can understand it!

Our dinner companions asked if it is the same in America. And that's how ebonics entered into our conversation.

I said, well, it's not exactly the same. I usually don't need subtitling to watch the news, but I have occasionally needed a translator in Arkansas.

Like their "suburban/not-proper-Dutch" - just a community of people living in close proximity for generations, developing their own way of communicating

- adding those unnecessary words after nearly every necessary word in a sentence

- creative sentence structure

- pronouncing words in a whole new way

Not-proper-English, if you will.

They were eager for some examples.

My very first thought was an old SNL skit with Eddie Murphy doing Buckwheat. I sang a few lines of the country song "Lookin' for love in all the wrong places, lookin' for love . . .".

Nope, just a blank stare.

Okay, my best effort at ebonics.

"Dem yo churrin'?" (Are those your children?)

"I finna ax Bef could she bring dat to Kim crib, ya know what 'm sayin'?" (I'm going to ask Beth if she can bring that to Kim's house.)

Nope, still not gettin' it.

And lest you think I'm being racist or disrespectful, this speech pattern is recognized by linguists and they call it AAVE (google it).

Okay, last try. Deep south for which I need no translator.

Lawd! Gimme some are! Changin' dat flat tar done plumb wore me out. (Changing the flat tire made me tired.)

Sit yosef down rite cheer. (Have a seat.)

Pretty sure that went nowhere. If that don't beat all.

I gave up.

Our dinner companions expressed a sadness at the possibility of the local Dutch dialects disappearing over time. I'm not sure I feel the same way about those noted above.

I never got a good example of the various local or regional dialects. I guess they gave up too. I figure it's best not to confuse myself any more than I already am, ya know what 'm sayin'?