Need help with Southern dialect (American)

[Donna]

-------Original Message-------
 
From: justcarol67
Date: 6/2/2011 1:44:30 PM
To: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Need help with Southern dialect (American)
 
  
"Donna" <donnawonna at ...> wrote:
>
> I'm from the southeastern corner of Kentucky (Harlan County) and have
always heard the word "done" used in place of have/had. ("I done made the
bed." 
> I done fixed supper." "I done done/did it.".
> 
> Donna

Carol responds:

Harlan County? Have you seen the movie "Harlan County War," where Ted Levine
("Monk," "Silence of the Lambs," etc.) dances a jig with a cigarette in one
hand and a Mason jar of "shine" in the other? That's one of my favorite
films, partly because he does such a good job playing his unemployed coal
miner character. (Holly Hunter is also good as his wife.)

Thanks to everyone who responded to this thread. I done decided how I'm
a-gonna handle it. It don't really make nobody no never mind 'cause the
whole thing done been made up. (I just wanted to make the dialect consistent
and the use of "don't" for "have/had" consistent.)

Just one more question: Should I use "don't" alone for "have/has" and "had
done" for "had," or just "done" for any and all of them?

Carol, who really likes this particular editing project despite the silly
premise and the difficulties posed by the narrator's dialect

Donna:
No, I haven't seen the movie, "Harlan County War", but, I did go to Netflix
and reserved it.  I moved it up to #1 position so I should have it about
Wednesday (July 13).  Thanks for the recommendation.
Don't use "don't".  Say something like, "I ain't done it yet."  "I ain't a
gonna do it."




 

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