Strupac, fornenst, trappy, scriss, kippy, snool, flying axehandles, from across - these and hundreds of other fascinating and colourful words and phrases give the English language as it has been spoken in Canada's smallest province a flavour all its own. With the Dictionary of Prince Edward Island English, T.K. Pratt makes a major scholarly contribution to the growing list of regional dictionaries that enable us to discover the rich heritage of the language as spoken throughout North America; at the same time it offers a splendid general introduction to the historical and sociological life of the island. There are approximately 1000 entries of non-standard or dialect words, past and present. The notes deal with usage, pronunciation, alternate forms and spellings, and stylistic and regional labels. Entries include definitions, supportive quotations from P.E.I. sources, editorial notes about various subtleties, and dictionary notes which provide links to some thirty-five other dictionaries. Pratt's introduction defines the criteria for inclusion of words, explains his research methods, and outlines the layout of entries. The end matter includes a bibliography and an important sociolinguistic essay, 'The Dictionary in Profile,' which places the work in the broader context of Prince Edward Island speech. Its range and depth of coverage make this an essential work not only for those concerned with P.E.I. and Maritimes studies, but for all those interested in the regional usage of English.

A long-awaited companion volume to T.K. Pratt's "Dictionary of Prince Edward Island English," this delightful collection includes more than 1,000 proverbs, folk sayings, catchphrases, and idioms characteristic of the speech and attitudes of Prince Edward Islanders. Laid out in 72 themes ranging from food and mood, to work and weather, the volume is instructive, easy to use, and entertaining. Meticulously researched, "Prince Edward Island Sayings" offers a unique blend of the scholarly and popular. The book features a table of themes, full cross-references, maps, and an extensive index. It is the only book of its kind for this unique part of the world.

Booklist Top of the List Reference Source The heir and successor to Eric Partridge's brilliant magnum opus, The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, this two-volume New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English is the definitive record of post WWII slang. Containing over 60,000 entries, this new edition of the authoritative work on slang details the slang and unconventional English of the English-speaking world since 1945, and through the first decade of the new millennium, with the same thorough, intense, and lively scholarship that characterized Partridge's own work. Unique, exciting and, at times, hilariously shocking, key features include: unprecedented coverage of World English, with equal prominence given to American and British English slang, and entries included from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India, South Africa, Ireland, and the Caribbean emphasis on post-World War II slang and unconventional English published sources given for each entry, often including an early or significant example of the term’s use in print. hundreds of thousands of citations from popular literature, newspapers, magazines, movies, and songs illustrating usage of the headwords dating information for each headword in the tradition of Partridge, commentary on the term’s origins and meaning New to this edition: A new preface noting slang trends of the last five years Over 1,000 new entries from the US, UK and Australia New terms from the language of social networking Many entries now revised to include new dating, new citations from written sources and new glosses The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English is a spectacular resource infused with humour and learning – it’s rude, it’s delightful, and it’s a prize for anyone with a love of language.

Entry includes attestations of the head word's or phrase's usage, usually in the form of a quotation. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

“A rich and compelling collection that will make a significant contribution to the study of Jamaican/West Indian/black folklore and culture” –Daryl Cumber Dance, Virginia Commonwealth University “A fantastic collection from the rich storehouse of Jamaican traditional oral literature” –Rex Nettleford, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica “A Wealth of Information…. The author carries the presentation of the proverbs/sayings to the level of socio-anthropological significance” –E. Valerie Smith, Florida A&M University In 1992, Jamaicans throughout the world celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Jamaica’s formal independence from Britain this collection of Creole sayings contributes to the lively interest in cultural preservation which exists this year in anticipation of the event. The sayings, an archive of the wit and wisdom of many generations, aim to trigger reflection and thought. They are never fully explained, and, says the author, “in the most extreme situation one might well need an entire week to ponder and think seriously” about their meaning. They exert pressure to conform to community standards, and they influence conduct in much the same way as religion does. Strong in imagery and often poetic, the maxims draw upon a variety of well-known flora, fauna, and real or imaginary creatures the anansi, for example, famous for “playin’ de fool fe ketch wise” (playing foolish in order to catch the wise), is regarded as a favorite hero in folklore. Creole, initially constructed as a coded language, employs a number of West African linguistic traditions. These Creole sayings, a valuable addition to the literature and ethnography of the Caribbean region, link Jamaican culture to its African past. They offer delightful reading to Latin American scholars, to students of comparative sociology and anthropology, and to the general public. G. Llewellyn Watson is professor of sociology at the University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetowwn, Canada.

Here's a complete, up-to-date guide to Prince Edward Island. Written by 20 expert contributors who share their knowledge of PEI, you'll find this guidebook a reliable source on the island's best. Detailed chapters cover each region, from North Point lighthouse all the way to East Point. Our local authors tell you about the highlights, and share with you favourite spots you won't find in government travel brochures. Whether it's golf, beaches, biking, hiking, birding, or shopping for crafts or antiques, our authors give you good independent information and advice. A detailed listing section offers information and recommendations on dining, shopping, festivals and many other topics. You'll also find detailed maps of each region of the province, plus downtown Charlottetown.

Entry includes attestations of the head word's or phrase's usage, usually in the form of a quotation. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

Folk sayings are passed by word of mouth in a small communnity where life and work are shared. These 1,200 delightful and sometimes pungent sayings are annotated and arranged in over 130 categories, ranging from All is Well and All is No Well through Anger, Appearance, Bad Luck, Canadiana, Clumsiness, Excuses, Fatness, Liars, Machismo, Shyness, Ugliness, and Thinking, to Water, Weakness, Wealth, and Work. We think you'll so enjoy this latest Casselman collection that it will give you "a grin as wide as the St. Lawrence."!

This book details the development of eleven modal auxiliaries in late 18th- and 19th-century Canadian English in a framework of new-dialect formation. The study assesses features of the modal auxiliaries, tracing influences to British and American input varieties, parallel developments, or Canadian innovations. The findings are based on the "Corpus of Early Ontario English," "pre-Confederation Section, "the first electronic corpus of early Canadian English. The data, which are drawn from newspapers, diaries and letters, include original transcriptions from manuscript sources and texts from semi-literate writers. While the overall results are generally coherent with new-dialect formation theory, the Ontarian context suggests a number of adaptations to the current model. In addition to its general Late Modern English focus, "New-Dialect Formation in Canada" traces changes in epistemic modal functions up to the present day, offering answers to the loss of root uses in the central modals. By comparing Canadian with British and American data, important theoretical insights on the origins of the variety are gained. The study offers a sociohistorical perspective on a still understudied variety of North American English by combining language-internal features with settlement history in this first monograph-length, diachronic treatment of Canadian English in real time.