Coastal Island Dwellers Preserve Unique Elizabethan English Accent from the South
Get a Taste of a One-of-a-KindLanguage on Ocracoke Island!
Sitting pretty about 20 miles away from North Carolina's mainland, Ocracoke Island is a Southern treasure trove offering a unique twist. This island is the proud home to the Hoi Toider dialect or the Ocracoke brogue, a language that's been around since the 1600s, according to the island's official website!
The melting pot of inhabitants, including Native Americans, English sailors, and seafaring buccaneers from various places, contributed to the island's unique language. The isolation of the island allowed its residents to develop their own linguistic ways, blending words and dialects, creating a truly distinctive form of speech.
While the island's website maintains that the Ocracoke brogue is as American as apple pie, Professor Walt Wolfram from North Carolina State University, who studied the dialect for over 20 years, begs to differ. "It's the only American dialect that's not readily identified as American," he told the BBC[1].
So, what does this language sound like? According to the author of the BBC article on the island and its language, the brogue bears a resemblance to Elizabethan English, spiced with some Irish tones, and 1700s Scottish accents, all flavored with pirate slang[1].
This dialect is exclusive to Ocracoke Island, offering a rare and authentic linguistic experience right here in the heart of the South, just a ferry ride away.
[1]https://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20200305-occratech-the-island-where-everyone-speaks-with-a-pirate-accent[2]https://www.npr.org/2017/04/27/525647269/on-ocracoke-island-the-high-tide-brogue-still-thrives[3]https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article214894794.html
- The unique language of Ocracoke Island, the Hoi Toider dialect or Ocracoke brogue, has its roots dating back to the 1600s.
- Despite being considered a Southern treasure, Professor Walt Wolfram from North Carolina State University finds the Ocracoke brogue to be distinctively non-American.
- The Ocracoke brogue bears a resemblance to Elizabethan English, mixed with Irish tones and 1700s Scottish accents, as well as pirate slang.
- A visit to Ocracoke Island offers a rare opportunity to immerse oneself in this exclusive dialect, giving a taste of a one-of-a-kind language experience in the heart of the Southern United States.
