Learning a New Language

horn·swog·gle

  [hawrn-swog-uhl]

–verb (used with object), -gled, -gling. Slang .

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

 

Courtesy of dictionary.com.

 

It has come to my attention lately, as eluded to in some of my earlier posts, that my speech has changed.

 

It has also occurred to me, not so recently, that I am extremely susceptible to acquiring accents (sort of like how others might collect magnets, keychains or postcards, when traveling, I collect the regional accent and/or dialect).

 

Before we moved to Kewanee, I spoke with the typical Midwestern accent (mixed with a bit of the Northwoods and maybe a wee bit of Canadian).

 

Since moving to our new town, I find that I am speaking quite differently than I did previously. And not just with a slight Southern drawl, as is common in most of the residents here, but also with a whole new collection of words that previously were unfamiliar to me.

 

Ya'll stick with me....I think I can explain.

 

I chose to highlight "hornswoggle" because it sounds ridiculous. Completely and utterly nonsensical. Until you hear it used in daily speech. It then becomes as commonplace as "fooled" or "cheated". And I have acquired this word and have found myself using it in conversations.

 

Additionally, I have taken on words and phrases such as "gully washer", "I'll be jiggered", "aint'cha", "dang tootin'" and, occasionally, just a plain ol' "howdy".

 

So, after a conversation with both hubby and my very dear friend Erika today, I decided to do some research on the validity and origin of these words and phrases. (This is where I must interject that hubby has taken on a language of his own, none of it fit to be shared here, at his new job. And he admitted to me today that he has to stop himself frequently 'lest he inadvertently unleash a barrage of F-bombs just to describe what he saw on the daily news...)

 

These words/phrases, from this point forward referred to as "Kewanee dialect", are actually quite antiquated. To our ears, names like Ezra, Henry, George, Archibald, etc. might sound "old-fashioned", which they are. However, you will occasionally run into a young fellow bearing such a name (my own son proudly bears the name Henry). Before meeting Henry (or Lucille, my daughter), you might presume that he is a gentleman vs. a preschooler.

 

Nonetheless, those names are classics, destined to repeat themselves as passed on thru generations (hello - we still use the names Matthew, Joseph, Thomas, James, Paul, John and Patrick...all quite rooted in ancient history, even if slightly altered into a more Latin-friendly version).

 

So it makes sense to me that, in the dictionary, the terms that I've "picked up" as part of the local dialect are valid, therefore perfectly acceptable and maybe even a tad-bit dignified, even if considered "slang".

 

So, I'll continue to acquire my new language. It befuddles me how quickly the brain and tongue can adapt, however, each one of us uses our senses differently. I am, apparently, an auditory learner. So I can't help but defend Madonna for speaking in a British accent (who was ridiculed mercilessly years ago by the press for the aforementioned) - maybe she suffers the same "accent affliction" as I do. (Mind you, I am not a Madonna fan, I just happened to pick up the story on my People magazine guilty-pleasure a few years back. So I feel my defense of her accent acquisition is legit.)

 

Anyhoo, tonight's blog will be shorter than usual because I'm tuckered. It's time to prop up m' legs and watch the tube or surf aimlessly on this confounded contraption.

 

;-) Have a great weekend....ya'll...