Use of Regional Diction in Writing
Let's say a piece of writing is being composed. That piece of writing can, of course, be crafted with a slew of different techniques and artistic choices, but, one of those is the language used. How does the use of regionally-diverse diction, such as that used in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", contribute to a work holistically? Is it better to match the context of a piece with diction relevant to the given context, or simply to retain a consistent and standard styling?
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2 answers
Dialect writing was quite popular among authors in the 19th and early 20th century. Both Twain and Kipling indulged in it extensively. In an age where few had the opportunity to travel and there were no movies to bring the sounds and sights of foreign lands to people, the appeal of the exotic in fiction (and nonfiction) was quite strong. It was the golden age of the circus for much the same reason.
But dialect writing, whether it is reproducing the sounds or the vocabulary of local speech, is difficult to read, and modern readers have many other ways to experience the exotic flavor of any place or people they are interested in. Want local color? You will get more from watching Anthony Bourdain than you will from reading a book.
So, regional diction writing seems to be much less in fashion these days, and most authors seem to avoid it entirely. When I have seen it done, it is done with a very light touch. All dialogue is artifice, and other forms of artifice can be used to get the point across about a character's origins, habits, or patterns of thought.
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It depends on your market and the quality of your readership. There is a battle between two major forms of the English Language - British English and American English. US culture is very internal - American's interest rarely extends beyond its borders. But the rest of the world has been fed American English via film and other media. The result is that most of the English speaking world is well versed in both British and US English whereas Americans tend only know their own.
e.g.
"Hurry up," shouted Liz. "If you two want a lift to work you need to get a wiggle on."
Maria yawned. "I am not going to my job today. In this moment I feel too tired."
"That's because you stayed out half the night - you slapper." Liz laughed. "Heidi, you ready?"
Heidi appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Sure, I'm ready," she said, entering Maria's room and shaking her by the shoulder. "Anchor baby, I'll tell 'em you're sick."
- From gleaning the text a reader may suspect that Liz is English, Maria is Hispanic (even is she was born in the USA) and in all likelihood Heidi is American.
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/28233. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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