Regionalisms

[Tawana West <twest@COMP.UARK.EDU>]

Several years ago I (a native of Arkansas) taught in a southern Georgia
high school.  The students asked where I was frum since I tawked so
funnny.  Throughout the 4 years I taught there, I was always learning
new vocabulary.  One conversation was about an upcoming
rattlesnake hunt some of the kids were going on.  I asked where the
rattlesnakes were.  The students responded that they lived in gopher
holes.  I asked if the snakes didn't eat the gophers.  The students
said why of course not, gophers have hard shells!  Well, now where I
came from, gophers are furry little animals.  They challenged me to
look it up in a dictionary, and sure enough, one of the definitions is
of a type of turtle called gopher. Seems like the turtles dig holes in
the ground and the snakes crawl in during the cold weather.
        I loved teaching there and have happy memories of teaching kids
like May-ree (Mary) and Emma-lis (Emolic).  You should have seen me
trying to call the roll on the first day of school!  :-)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tawana West, LMS                E-mail:  twest@comp.uark.edu
Walker Elementary School        phone:   501.750.8874
1701 S. 40th Street             fax:     501.750.8717
Springdale, AR   72762          A National Blue Ribbon School

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