Allsopp's Caribbean Dictionary. Flashcards
Give me 3 contextual facts about this dictionary and the author.
Richard Allsopp was a linguist and lexicographer.
He was a founding member of the Society for Caribbean Linguistics (SCL) which was established in 1972.
He was passionate about the need to recognise Caribbean standards in English.
He published the ‘Dictionary of Caribbean English Use’ in 1996.
Who was his intended audience?
Teachers and employers in the English- speaking Caribbean as they had complained about ‘the poor standard of English’ used by the public.
How were the 2 ways Robert Allsopp created the dictionary?
Words used in the dictionary were taken from a wide range of written sources: Caribbean literature, local histories, guidebooks, court records, folk songs and music collections.
A team of researchers carried out workshops and recorded voices in 22 regions speaking about a range of subjects such as medicines and weddings.
What was his reason for producing the dictionary?
To fix and promote the words and phrases used in Caribbean reasons that are different from ‘’official’’ English but that are, in the Caribbean, essential components of everyday life.
Explain how Allsopp’s dictionary holds an descriptivist attitude.
Descriptivist as the approach is non judgemental and focuses on how it is spoken and written.
The dictionary aimed to show that Caribbean word are not wrong but are different from ‘’official’’ English.
What were notable features of the dictionary?
Includes etymological and usage notes and a short Supplement listing Caribbean French and Spanish equivalents.
Includes hundreds of illustrative examples.
Next to each word, before the definition is given, the Caribbean Island in which the word is used in.
What were the number of words included?
The number of words exactly is not specified but it is said to contain over 20,000 words and phrases.
Examples of recognisable words?
‘’Kill’’- to make laugh too much or ache with laughter / To cause great difficulty to do, manage or finish.
Some people today would use this as ‘’I killed myself laughing’’.
‘’Suck’’- to experience hardship over a period of time, to have a hard time of it.
Examples of obscure/obsolete words?
’do-flicky’’ - loose name for any gadget, tool etc. Any organised event during a folk-festival season.
‘’Spranksious’’ – uninhibited and good looking.
‘’Spounce’’ – surprising boldness.
