Book

The status of Gullah: an investigation of convergent processes

University Microfilms International • Ann Arbor, Mich. • Published In 1989 • Pages:

By: Jones-Jackson, Patricia.

Abstract
This study is based on three years of field research by the author from July 1973 through August 1976, primarily on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. Additional linguistic research was also conducted on Johns, Edisto, Yongs, and James Islands. The focus of Jackson's research is on the study of the Gullah language and linguistic change from the early days of slavery to the present day. The author reviews and critiques various theories of linguistic change, notably those suggested by DeCamp, Rickford, Turner, Bickerton and Cunningham, and then presents her own analysis of the language based on the quantitative investigation of evolutionary patterns of retention and movement in Gullah with a discussion of the dynamics involved in this variation and movement process through a detailed analysis of grammar and phonology (p. 5). Comparisons are made throughout the text to comparable linguistic elements in the mainland black dialect. The source concludes with the presentation of several Sea Island texts illustrating in context various manifestations of Gullah/Creole phonology, syntax and morphology.
Subjects
Grammar
Linguistic identification
Phonology
Literature
Literary texts
culture
Sea Islanders
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Linguist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1990-1991
Field Date
1973-1976
Coverage Date
1973-1976
Coverage Place
Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, United States
Notes
[by] Patricia Ann Jones Jackson
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Michigan, 1978
UM 7813672
Includes bibliography
Most of the research in this study was carried out on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina. The author also visited neighboring islands and makes comparisons to African-American English, and Jamaican, Cameroon, and Guyanese Creoles. However, as most of the discussion focuses on the Wadmalaw material, I chose the time/place foci as Wadmalaw at the time of her research (1973-1976) for most of the text. (Ian Skoggard, 2005)
LCCN
none
LCSH
Sea Islands/Gullahs