Dictionary of Newfoundland English

by G.M. Story (Editor)

The Dictionary of Newfoundland English, first published in 1982 to regional, national and international acclaim, is a historical dictionary that gives the pronunciations and definitions for words that the editors have called "Newfoundland English." The varieties of English spoken in Newfoundland date back four centuries, mainly to the early seventeenth century migratory English fishermen of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset, and to the seventeenth to the nineteenth century immigrants chiefly from south-eastern Ireland. Culled from a vast reading of books, newspapers and magazines, this book is the most sustained reading ever undertaken of the written words of this province. The dictionary gives not only the meaning of words, but also presents each word with its variant spellings. Moreover, each definition is succeeded by an all-important quotation of usage which illustrates the typical context in which word is used.

This well-researched, impressive work of scholarship illustrates how words and phrases have evolved and are used in everyday speech and writing in a specific geographical area. The Dictionary of Newfoundland English is one of the most important, comprehensive and thorough works dealing with Newfoundland. Its publication, a great addition to Newfoundlandia, Canadiana and lexicography, provides more than a regional lexicon. In fact, this entertaining and delightful book presents a panoramic view of the social, cultural and natural history, as well as the geography and economics, of the quintessential lifestyle of one of Canada's oldest European-settled areas. This second edition contains a Supplement offering approximately 1500 new or expanded entries, an increase of more than 30 per cent over the first edition. Besides new words, the Supplement includes modified and additional senses of old words and fresh derivations and usages.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Canada, Language

847 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[Shawn Morrissey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a dictionary, and it might seem foolish to review a dictionary, but it reads more than that. It’s a look at the unique and diverse linguistic characteristics of Newfoundlanders, a North Atlantic people with a cultural background comprised of British, Irish, and French, and more in some parts of the island, blended with unique homegrown traits.

It dives deep into a people’s dialect of English that, among other things, sets them apart not only from the rest of Canada, but from other English-speaking nations and cultures. You won’t necessarily need the dictionary to get your way around Newfoundland, especially around Ol’ Sin John’s, but you may have a better grasp of the native tongue and how important it is to the identity of Newfoundlanders.

[B.C. Deeks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming from Newfoundland, it's not enough to have the Collins Dictionary on your desk. I thought I had a good handle on my native dialect, but I found out I was wrong in a recent telephone conversation with my mother. She hit me with a new phrase--but, sure enough, 'noody nawdy' was in my "Dictionary of Newfoundland English" on page 350. With the influx of 'CFAs' for the oil boom, I'd be afraid of losing the unique flavor of our Newfoundland tongue. I'm so glad George Story is making sure that doesn't happen.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very helpful to help a CFA (Come From Away) pass high school english in newfoundland. there are many reginal newfoundland terms that it helped me understand.