We talk funny: How we actually speak

Here's the second part at the look at the ways we "talk" in North Carolina. I've always been fascinated with this subject, especially after reading Walt Wolfram's "Hoi Toid on the Outer Banks." This one is actually just that -- the various dialects. And, boy, are there a lot of them in North Carolina. (See part 1 here.)

The North Carolina Language and Life Project at N.C. State (Go Pack!) has done amazing research in cataloging the various dialects all across the state. As its website states, the goals of the project are:

• To gather basic research information about language variety in order to understand the nature of language variation and change.
  
  
• To provide information about language differences and language change for public and educational interests.
  
  
• To use the material collected in research projects for the improvement of educational programs about language and culture.
• To preserve the rich heritage of language variety in North Carolina as it reflects the different cultural traditions of its residents.
  

I'm personally always trying to detect peoples' roots based on their inflections, pronunciations and even pauses. (I'm a bit of a geek that way.) You can see some of the various research findings on places such as Crusoe Island, Louisburg (one of my favorites because of the lilt), Ocracoke, Graham County, Raleigh, Durham and many others.

Here are some youtube clips that show the variety in regional dialects just in N.C. alone. (Here's a link to the NCLLP's channel.)









The project even has an online media store where you can purchase some of their work.

I-40 reopens after rockslide

You may now travel from eastern Tennessee into North Carolina via Interstate 40, which has been closed since October due to a massive rockslide. The road reopened on Sunday.

The work on I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge will continue through the summer as crews complete stabilization efforts, but with both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane open, Western North Carolina’s main transportation artery is back in business [says the Smoky Mountain News].

The economic effects of the I-40 rockslide have been a source of attention ever since the road was closed. In March, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced that it would hand out $1.4 million in loans to businesses affected by the slide, but the money was spread over the region from Asheville to Sevierville, Tenn.

The total cost for the repair project, initially slated for completion in February, is estimated to be $12.9 million, and according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the federal government will cover nearly 100 percent of the cost. ...

Before the rockslide, about 19,000 vehicles a day traveled on the road, and almost half of them were trucks. Businesses that directly relied on the commercial traffic, like gas stations and hotels have been hardest hit by the closure.

The folks in Cherokee are particularly thrilled.

“We are delighted the section of I-40 that has been closed since October 2009 has now reopened,” said Mary Jane Ferguson, director of Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Marketing and Promotion. “It is especially welcomed at the beginning of seasonal visits to Western North Carolina and to Cherokee. Having I-40 West open will allow the leisure travel to choose the closest route to come visit all that Cherokee, NC has to offer. We look forward to those visits to Cherokee. We want our visitors to know they will be greeted with a warm welcome as it has been a long winter.”

WCU exhibit focuses on Judaculla Rock

Western Carolina University has a new exhibit that focuses on the effort to preserve Judaculla Rock, an ancient petroglyph located in Jackson County’s Caney Fork community. The exhibit will be on display at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center from March 26 through July 10.

North Carolina’s largest petroglyph and an important cultural site for the Cherokee people, Judaculla Rock is a soapstone boulder on which hundreds of mysterious symbols were carved. The rock is located at a 15-acre site that once was a prehistoric Native American settlement, soapstone quarry and sacred place, said Trevor Jones, curator at the Mountain Heritage Center.

(Image from JoshuaPWarren.com)

Quick hits: Bob Barker stumps for bears and App State favored yet again

Bob Barker asks Cherokee chief to end bear pits
"Former game show host and longtime animal rights activist Bob Barker asked the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to stop using bear pits as tourist attractions and turn the animals over to a sanctuary in California," says the AP.

"The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Barker met Tuesday with Principal Chief Michell Hicks and five members of the Tribal Council. He called the bears' conditions inhumane in a public meeting moderated by Hicks and attended by some business owners.

" 'To think that with as advanced as our civilization is now that there is any place in the United States were bears are kept in pits is just unbelievable,' said Barker, who is part American Indian and grew up on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. 'Just picture yourself, if your life, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, month after month, was in a pit.' ..."

Appalachian State picked to win SoCon for fifth straight time
"Whether he's talking about a title contender or a cellar resident, Appalachian State football coach Jerry Moore has consistently spoken in reverent tones when referring to Southern Conference opponents over the years.

"That didn't change Tuesday during the league's preseason teleconference, which replaced the annual 'Rouser' gathering that typically takes place at a plush South Carolina hotel," according to the Citizen-Times.

"When asked about the prospect of winning a fifth consecutive SoCon title, something that only one other active league member has done (Georgia Southern won six from 1997-2002), Moore remained humble.

" 'Every year, I want us to be as good as we possibly can be,' said Moore, who's starting his 21st season in Boone. 'That's been my guideline here, not to settle for just showing up, but to be the very best we can be. If we're good enough to win a championship, then so be it.' ...

Quick hits: Burns' movie debuts and Cherokees vote to allow the alcohol

Ken Burns' national parks documentary debuts in Asheville
"Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the rest of the nation's national parks are a uniquely American invention that brings democracy to the landscape, according to the writer and producer of a new Ken Burns film series," says the Citizen-Times.

" 'This is the Declaration of Independence applied to a beautiful continent,' said Dayton Duncan 'Only a democracy would come up with the idea that the most special places should be preserved for everybody, not just the rich and royalty.'

"An Asheville audience got a preview Wednesday of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' in a screening at the Diana Wortham Theatre. The six-part, 12-hour series will air this fall on PBS.

" The Smokies, celebrating its 75th anniversary as a park, plays a prominent role in the historical narrative. ..."



N.C. tribe votes to allow casino alcohol sales
"Alcohol sales at a North Carolina mountain casino have been approved by members of the Cherokee Indian tribe," said the AP.

"The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Friday that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians approved alcohol sales at Harrah's Cherokee Casino by a vote of 1,847 to 1,301 after nearly half the tribe's registered voters went to polls.

"Supporters of alcohol sales said it would boost profits at the tribe's casino. The tribe uses half the profits from the 11-year-old casino to run its government and half for twice-a-year payments to tribal members.

"It was the second alcohol sales vote, but the first since the casino was constructed. Tribal members voted 2-1 against alcohol sales in 1980. ..."

Cherokee groups to reunite

This weekend, in Cleveland, Tenn., the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation will reuniteat the place where they fought government plans to send them west 171 years ago -- not one of our nation's finest moments.

"The show of solidarity and culture," says the Citizen-Times, "is only the second time the two governments have returned to the place where Cherokee Chief John Ross learned his people would be forced from their homeland.

“ 'It is a good thing for us to come together with the western tribe,' said Shirley Oswalt, who lives in the Snowbird community in Graham County. 'It is like families coming home for a reunion.'

Federal troops in the spring of 1838 rounded up about 17,000 Cherokee and forced them to walk to Oklahoma on what became known as the Trail of Tears. At least 4,000 died along the way.

Red Clay was the Cherokee capital at the time. The government had moved there from its capital city of New Echota in north Georgia after the state outlawed its meetings.

The two nations reunited for the first time at Red Clay in 1984. The events this week start today with a symposium of scholars and cultural demonstrations.

Members of both tribes will run a relay to carry a symbolic eternal flame to Red Clay from Cherokee. Eastern Band Principal Chief Michell Hicks and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith will carry torches to lead the runners into the historic Red Clay Council Grounds.

There, leaders from both governments will meet in a joint council to pass resolutions to symbolize the reunification of the Cherokee Nation. The event ends Saturday with traditional dances, music, storytelling, a stickball game and arts and crafts demonstrations. It is free and open to the public. ...

The Eastern Band has about 12,000 enrolled members and the western Cherokee's rolls contain more than 200,000 names.

Economy effecting Harrah's, Old Salem

Not that this should surprise anyone, but one of the state's oldest tourist attractions and one of its newest are being severely impacted by the national economic crisis.

The Citizen-Times reports that Harrah's Casino in the mountains is "facing job cuts for the first time in its 11-year history."

The casino will reduce its work force this year by 5 percent, or about 100 jobs. The company is making the cuts voluntary at first, with offers of severance to workers based on years of service.Harrah's managers told employees about the plan in a meeting Monday.

General manager Darold Londo said in a statement the casino would turn to layoffs if the reduction isn't achieved voluntarily. He said the weak economy has meant fewer customers.

The casino has enjoyed steady growth since it opened in the fall of 1997, becoming one of the region's largest private employers, with about 1,800 workers. ...

In addition, the payments to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which owns the casino, were also down for the first time.

"The tribe's 13,500 members receive a check twice a year from casino profits. The last check of the year, issued Dec. 1, was $4,473 for each member, an 11 percent drop from June."

A little further east and north, Old Salem announced it will lay off workers and "change the way it tells its story to tourists," according to the News & Record of Greensboro.

The museum will trim its staff from 120 to 95 full-time workers and from 103 to 79 part-time workers through voluntary retirements and layoffs, said Lee French, the president of Old Salem Inc. ...

Some of the positions have been vacant for some time and will not be filled. A few full-time positions will be converted to part time. ...

Old Salem's management and its board of directors have worked on the plan for about six months, French said. ...

But laying people off and cutting costs can't be the end of the story, he said. Old Salem needs new ideas and new energy to attract visitors.

''I don't think you can just lay off and expect the world to get better," French said. ...

The museum is changing the way it does its tours, starting next Tuesday. Currently, people pay $21 for a one-day ticket that gives them admission to buildings in the village and a history of life there.

Under the reorganization, visitors would pay $21 for a two-day ticket. The history of the village in the 18th and 19th century would be presented on alternate days.

Quick hits: Shrine Bowl to be shown on 'The U' and WCU sustains Cherokee art

Shrine Bowl to be televised on ESPNU
"A tape delay of the 2008 Shrine Bowl of the Carolina's will be shown on ESPNU on Jan. 7, at 10 p.m.," according to HighSchoolOt.

"The game will be held at Gibbs Stadium on the campus of Wofford College on Dec. 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

"The Shrine Bowl of the Carolina's is the oldest prep football all-star game in the country, featuring 44 of the top football players from North Carolina and South Carolina. ..."


Western Carolina helps sustain Cherokee art
"In the past six years, more and more members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have rekindled interest in native arts.
"But these aspiring craftspeople also found it increasingly difficult to find the natural materials the tribe has been using for generations, such as river cane for baskets and the butternut for fabric dye.

"That's where the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resourcesan initiative operated through Western Carolina University's Cherokee studies program, steps in," says the Citizen-Times.

"RTCAR was established in 2004 to help ensure craft materials are available to Cherokee artists and that these crafts are promoted through education and exhibitions.

"The two-person office on U.S. 19 near Bryson City receives its funding from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and has distributed $1.2 million in grants. ..."

Quick hits: Good news and bad news about the economy

N.C. keeps 'Top Business Climate' award for fourth year
"North Carolina’s 'business climate' is best in the U.S. for the fourth consecutive year, says Site Selection Magazine.

"The magazine praised Tar Heel policy leaders for the state’s use of incentives, taxes, economic development and work force development in securing new or expanded business opportunities and jobs," says WRAL.com.

"North Carolina has finished first in seven of the past eight years. ..."


Cherokee casino suffers in sour economy
"Brenda Wentz recently made the 2 1/2-hour drive from her home in Lincolnton to try her luck at the machines inside Harrah's Cherokee Casino.

"She brought her 84-year-old mother — who cares nothing about gambling — to see the fall colors and dine at a restaurant in the casino's hotel," writes the Citizen-Times.

"The economy and gas prices didn't keep them away. Instead, it pushed them toward a gambling trip.

" 'It gets our minds off things,' Wentz said.

"Harrah's Cherokee Casino, one of the largest private employers in Western North Carolina, is betting on people like Wentz as it braces for potential losses this year for the first time in its 10-year history. ..."

Quick hits: One tourist mainstay is restored, while another says goodbye

Wright Brothers memorial sees inner beauty restored
"Towering 151 feet above the rest of Wright Brothers National Memorial, the granite Wright monument is a glittering landmark from afar; up close, it's a mighty sculpted artwork that well represents the feat of flight.

"Inside, it's dark and empty and dank. Niches in the granite walls where busts of Orville and Wilbur Wright and a model of the Wright Flyer were once displayed are bare. The steel map marking aviation breakthroughs has been removed. White buckets are positioned on the floor to catch water drips," says the Virginian-Pilot.

"Because it's so woefully unpresentable, few people have seen the interior of the Wright monument.

"But a restoration project set to start next month will include cleaning and restoring the interior and exterior. Mortar will be chipped out and replaced. Wiring and lighting will be redone. A new air conditioning unit will be installed.

"When the project is completed in 120 days, weather permitting, the Wright brothers monument will be nearly as perfect as it was when it was dedicated 75 years ago. ..."

Famous Cherokee booster dead at 72
"Henry 'Chief Henry' Lambert, who became the iconic image of the Cherokee Indian during five decades posing with tourists at his roadside tepee, died Tuesday of lung cancer. He was 72.
Lambert started 'chiefing' in 1951 to support his family," writes the Asheville Citizen-Times.

"His striking features, flowing headdress and enjoyment of the crowds brought generations of families back year after year to have their pictures made with him. His image still appears on postcards sold in Cherokee.

"Lambert never denied that the character he created was taken from Hollywood expectations of what an Indian should look like. He never promised to be authentic, only entertaining.

" 'I wouldn’t do anything else,' he said in a 1995 interview with The Associated Press. 'Meeting people from all walks of life. Kids. Kids love seeing an Indian.”' ..."

Quick hits: Cherokee celebration and slope bill may go deeper

A couple of Western N.C. bytes from the Asheville Citizen-Times ...

Cherokee culture has grand celebration in June
"Tens of thousands of visitors are expected in Cherokee next month for what is being billed as the largest tourism weekend on the Qualla Boundary since the opening of the casino.

"Three days of events during the first weekend in June offer a look at the past of the Cherokee people through photography, theater, literature, dancing and art.

"The first re-enactment of the Trail of Tears is planned and the second rewrite of the outdoor drama 'Unto These Hills … a Retelling' will debut.

"The second annual Southeastern Tribes Cultural Arts Celebration will bring five tribes to Cherokee. And, for the first time, members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will walk the streets in traditional clothes offering visitors cultural information and answering questions.

"The weekend, organizers say, is an example of the growing importance of cultural tourism on the boundary. Cherokee, for the last 10 years, has become well-known for its video gambling operation, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. The business is one of the largest private employers in Western North Carolina and brings in an estimated $280 million a year. ..."

Slope bill may go steeper
"A lawmaker trying to require local governments to regulate mountainside development has signaled willingness to compromise with builders.

"Rep. Ray Rapp intends to revise his bill on steep-slope construction to raise the threshold at which local rules would be required, he said Wednesday in a meeting with other Western North Carolina lawmakers — some of them allies who questioned yielding ground.

"The suggested change follows several meetings between Rapp and developers, the Madison County lawmaker said. 'I’m trying to get as many people to the table as possible who knee-jerk oppose this,' he said.

"Rapp says the bill is needed to avoid landslides. He now wants to require regulation for all slopes of 40 percent and greater, along with those deemed by geologists to be at risk for slides. ..."