The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #108931   Message #2277339
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
02-Mar-08 - 10:56 AM
Thread Name: BS: Mudcat Is Difficult For People Of Color
Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Is Difficult For People Of Color
I do. But, as with previous examples of the same thing, it does get in the way of easy reading.

For example, here is a song by 19th century Dorset poet William Barnes in spelling designed to show how people round his way actually talked:

    MY ORCHA'D IN LINDEN LEA

    'Ithin the woodlands, flow'ry gleaded,
    By the woak tree's mossy moot,
    The sheenen grass-bleades, timber-sheaded,
    Now do quiver under voot ;
    An' birds do whissle over head,
    An' water's bubblen in its bed,
    An' there vor me the apple tree
    Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

    When leaves that leately wer a-springen
    Now do feade 'ithin the copse,
    An' painted birds do hush their zingen
    Up upon the timber's tops;
    An' brown-leav'd fruit's a-turnen red,
    In cloudless zunsheen, over head,
    Wi' fruit vor me, the apple tree
    Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

    Let other vo'k meake money vaster
    In the air o' dark-room'd towns,
    I don't dread a peevish measter;
    Though noo man do heed my frowns,
    I be free to goo abrode,
    Or teake agean my hwomeward road
    To where, vor me, the apple tree
    Do lean down low in Linden Lea.


And here it is with conventional English spelling:

MY ORCHARD IN LINDEN LEA

Within the woodlands, flowery gladed,
By the oak tree's mossy moot,
The shining grass-blades, timber-shaded,
Now do quiver under foot;
And birds do whistle overhead,
And water's bubbling in its bed,
And there for me the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

When leaves that lately were a-springing
Now do fade within the copse,
And painted birds do hush their singing
Up upon the timber tops;
And brown-leaved fruit's a-turning red,
In cloudless sunshine, overhead,
With fruit for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.

Let other folk make money faster
In the air of dark-roomed towns,
I don't dread a peevish master;
Though no man do heed my frowns,
I be free to go abroad,
Or take again my homeward road
To where, for me, the apple tree
Do lean down low in Linden Lea.