The Central Pro/Pre/Per Scriptivisor

[Elainemmbell at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/11/2003 12:38:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
abdieloabdiel at yahoo.com writes:

> Elaine is not really
> curious about my natural dialect. If she were she
> would ask the kinds of questions that people do when
> they want to learn the dialect and the cultural codes.
> 

No, I really am curious about his natural dialect but I guess I didn't 
realize there was a proper set of questions to ask.  The reason I'm curious 
is that this entity seems comfortable using "standard" English, following its 
various cultural and syntactical parameters, etc., but he also seems angry 
about needing to speak this way.  The anger surfaces in more street-style 
language.  Thus I wonder which is actually more natural to him.  Is he a 
person who resents having had to become educated in the formal manner or is 
he a person who sought that education and is disappointed with what that 
effort gained him?  I am genuinely confused by his "voice" more than, 
perhaps, his "natural dialect".  Further, my reason for asking is that I 
realize many people I have to communicate with lately speak in a variety of 
"voices" or "dialects" and I'm having some trouble determining the 
credibility of people who can so easily manipulate conversation by a kind of 
patois camouflage.  
Elaine M.M. Bell, Writer
(860) 523-9225
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