ABSTRACT
In Chapter 8, mention is made of the ‘monolithic standard version’ of accepted English that the eighteenth century sought to develop. The desire of many was to ‘fix’ the language. But into the nineteenth century. there was another impulse in the air. It was not only ‘new’ varieties, like American English, that craved acceptance and status. In Britain, people began to turn their attention to varieties of the language - particularly regional dialects - which were not ‘new’ at all but were certainly ‘non-standard.’ Suddenly, rather than being regarded as inferior versions of standard English, they became cherished for their diversity and richness. This chapter looks at the work of William Barnes, a native of Dorsetshire, and describes his view that his local dialect was at least the equal of standard English, if not its superior. The work of others who explored the dialects of Britain is also discussed.
