online: www.rihumanities.org email: info@rihumanities.org phone: 401-273-2250
A fun program that focuses on the unique way in which some Rhode Islanders speak. What is so different and amusing about our particular regional language? We shorten words that are too long - 'cuz' for 'because'; 'deteriate' for 'deteriorate'. We drop consonants - ''cou’nt' for 'couldn’t'; 'secaterry' for 'secretary'. We mispronounce words - 'Illinoise' for 'Illinois'; 'Pacific' for 'specific', etc. Audiences "learn" how to speak pure RhodeIslandese by end of the presentation.
Roberta Mudge Humble is Professor of English and Technical Communications at CCRI. She is editor of the newsletter for the RI Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, and author of numerous textbooks, and several other books including The Historic Armories of Rhode Island (2000) and The Right to Crow - a Look at Rhode Island’s Firsts, Bests, & Uniques. (2006).
Needs: RhodeIslandese: uses hand-outs and flash cards. Good lighting essential. See Mark Patinkin and Don Bousquet's A Rhode Island Dictionary (not for sale at presentation)