"I'm feeksin' to move": Hispanic English in Siler City, North Carolina
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Date
2003-05-07
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Abstract
This study is an overview of the emerging dialect of rural Southern Hispanic English. Siler City, North Carolina is the focus. The study examines the turbulent history of race relations in the area (including the February 2000 David Duke rally), and also provides a detailed account of race relations in 2002. The analysis focuses on the speech of 8 to 18-year-olds of Mexican decent of varying lengths of residency in the United States. Most children, even those born in the US, exhibit substantial Spanish transfer. Unglided /aI/ is used as an indicator of any local dialect (White or Black). Various speakers' /aI/ glides are measured, plotted, and juxtaposed with speakers' orientation toward the local culture.
As corroborated by the non-Southern production of /aI/ among the majority of speakers, most Hispanics in Siler City are by and large not interacting with local Whites and Blacks more than absolutely necessary. There are a couple of notable exceptions, however, which are discussed in detail.
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siler city, race relations, david duke, emerging dialects, dialect acquisition, hispanic english, chicano english, southern hispanics
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Degree
MA
Discipline
English
