Using a Dialect in Dialogue

"Dialogue...dialect. What's the difference?" (I have actually had students who confuse these two words.) Believe me, there is a BIG difference! Let's take a look at the definitions:

      dialogue: conversations between/among characters

      dialect: a variety of a language

According to dictionary.com: dialect is a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

When used properly a dialect can help build character, plus it reveals “who” might be talking.

Dialect can be drawn from an existing one, or the author can create a new one. In Janet Beasley’s Hidden Earth Series, Volume 1, Maycly the Trilogy, Book 1, Two Altered Worlds you'll find a brand new dialect. There are characters called "chukkons" on the world of Maycly who have their own way of talking. Though it is an unknown dialect, the author has left enough of the “real word” so readers can follow along easily and still get a feel for how a chukkon talks. You’ll notice that the narrative is in plain English while the dialogue carries the dialect.

Charleo laughed. “Here be yer taggerts, me friend. Ye shouldna be a-takin’ me so serious.” A few of the others in the Pipe Shoppe who knew Charleo could be heard giggling at that remark. “Now let’s see:  one, two, three, four, and five.”

“What be this? Ye dunna trust yer old pal Charleo? Countin’ in front of me. Shame, shame.”

“Sorry. Just force of habit there. No hard feelin’s?”

“None be taken. I was only a-pullin’ yer leg. Now I s’pose I’ll be a-needin’ some pipe stuffin’s ta smoke in this wonderful pipe.” Charleo ran his fingers over the pipe stuffing jars. “How about...umm ...this one. I’ll be a-havin’ me a laund of the ‘E’er So Sweet’.”

“Ooooo, tis one of me favorites.” Jobi inhaled deeply with every scoop until he had dished out a laund on the scale, and he added a pinch more.

“How much be I owin’ ye fer it?”

“Ah, nothin’.”

“I’ll be a-givin’ ye somethin’ fer it, ye crazy wee fella.”

“No arguin’ now. Yer first pipe stuffin's be on me.”

Charleo realized there was no budging Jobi. “I’ll be sure and make a point of showin’ yer fine piece of work ta everyone. And I be a-thankin’ ye from the bottom of me heart.” Charleo gave a nod and a wink to Jobi.

“And ye be welcome from the top of mine.”

From the Nose of Our Kayak: Chapter 12 "It's Not a Crime in Test Paddle a Yak"

Hello and welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where you'll find an array of creative features from a hand-picked group of creative geniuses. 

Wednesdays on the JLB Creatives Blog are set aside for our blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." JLB Creatives CEO, Janet Beasley, and her husband, Don, have been kayaking for nearly 10 years. Together they are excited to share with you, their awesome experiences that they have encountered. In this Wednesday feature you'll find kayaking stories, scenic nature photography from their outings, and some helpful tips when it comes to maneuvering your "butt sleds" (aka kayaks) on your journeys.

So if this is a topic that interests you, you'll want to be sure and become a follower of the JLB Creatives Blog, and stop in on Wednesdays each week for the latest chapter in Don & Janet Beasley's adventure blog book, "From the Nose of Our Kayak." 

Previous chapters can be found in our blog archives. We began the series on June 1, 2016.

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From the Nose of Our Kayak
Don & Janet Beasley
Chapter 12: "It's Not a Crime to Test Paddle a Yak"

One day in May 2011 Don and I decided to do something off the cuff. We had been hearing about fiberglass kayaks and wanted to see (and feel) the difference for ourselves. So it was off to the gulf coast of Florida we went. 

We decided to make it a day trip and enjoy our time seeing sights we don't normally see both to and from our destination. We love taking the back roads and getting "lost" in the moment of some of the most scenic roads on the planet.

We arrived and were elated to find 2 fiberglass kayaks we could test paddle. We can't describe the excitement we had doing a lot of "firsts" on this trip. Our first first was entering a kayak from a dock. We had always entered at the edge of the water, so learning the entry from a dock was really quite cool! 

To best describe this task we have turned to Alex in the KayakDave.com YouTube video to show you a few different techniques of entering and exiting your kayak from a dock...take it away Alex!

Don and I both entered the kayaks with ease. These techniques are some great "aces in your back pocket" for sure.

Our next first was feeling the difference under our bums of just how much smoother a ride a fiberglass kayak delivers. With big smiles on our faces we picked up the pace and headed out of the small channel and into the Crystal River.

It was love at first sight! The noses of our kayaks "kissed" and we knew it was going to be a good day.  

It wasn't long before we both noticed how differently our kayaks were paddling without a rudder. It took some getting used to, but we mastered it and continued enjoying the test paddle.

Another first for us was having the privilege of discovering spider lilies. It was a thrill to paddle right up to them along the shoreline and snap a few photos.


Dipping our hands in the cool clear water as we glided along, seeing a manatee, and discovering new territory for the first time made it a delightful hour well spent while we were...shall we say...testing the water? 

We returned to the dock, and utilized the handy dock-exit technique only to find ourselves popping right out and up on the dock in no time. 

When we left we both knew a #WildernessSystems fiberglass tandem kayak would be added to our manual "yacht" collection in the future...we just didn't know how distant in the future it would actually be.

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Kayak Tip of the Week: Be eager to learn something new when it comes to kayak techniques. You never know when one of those techniques may come in handy...or possibly even a life saver!

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Don Kayaking on Crystal River

Janet Kayaking on Crystal River

Don Holding Onto Janet's Kayak for a Quick Pic

Janet enjoying the refreshing feel of the water thru her fingers

From the Nose of Janet's Kayak: Spider Lilies

Spider Lilies

Manatee in Crystal River

Excerpt Extravaganza! Today's Excerpt Is From "The Untold Legend - The Warrior Queen"

Welcome to the JLB Creatives Blog, where an eclectic team of creative geniuses share their fantastical imaginations. 

On Mondays we are featuring an excerpt from one of our creative authors. And what makes this feature so fun is that we publish a wide range of genres. You'll never know what to expect for the excerpt.

To read all of our Monday excerpts thus far, we invite you to visit our blog archives and look for our first Excerpt Extravaganza! that began on Monday August 1, 2016.

Enjoy!

All previous excerpts are available in our archives. We began this series on August 1, 2016.

Today's excerpt is from NIEA Winner author Amy I. Long's adult fantasy novel The Untold Legend - The Warrior Queen. 

Days passed, and not one person said a word about the disappearance of my sister. One night I went to my chamber early. Father burst through my doors carrying his sword.

“You I will kill this night for taking my only daughter away. The servants who searched this hall have found Deira’s body. You will pay!” he shouted, stepping closer.

“If you wish to fight me, let it be tomorrow,” I said. 

“No, you will die this night!” he screamed. 

“But would you not want everyone to watch my death?” I calmly questioned. 

“No, this is a private matter,” he said sternly. 

Knowing my father was a poor swordsman, I tried to put the matter off. When he raised his sword to me, I did defend myself. “You cannot win,” I said, blocking every blow. I even tried my old trick of stripping him of clothes. I cut them off, and still he fought on. “Go away,” I yelled. 

I got no response; he just fought on. With all my strength, I drew back my sword and then brought it forward to block his blow. I attempted to break his sword in half. It stayed in one piece. But because of the force of the blow it fell to the floor. I dropped to my knees and grabbed it. Backing up, I faced my naked father. A sword now in each hand, I held them both up, twirled them around, and then brought them both forward and crossed them in front of me, never once removing my eyes from him. I wanted to prove that I was a better opponent than he thought me to be.


“You cannot win against me, not with my experience,” I said, returning my own sword back to my side. I held only his. 

“How did you ever get out of this room?” he asked while breathing heavily. 

“You helped her. You helped Deira attempt to kill me by locking me in my own room to starve,” I blurted at him. 

“How?” he asked again. 

“I jumped,” I yelled. Backing up a few steps, I lowered his sword down to rest at my side. After staring at me for a moment, he lunged across the floor, pulling back his fist. He tried to strike me, but I blocked it by bringing the sword forward to meet his fist. His hand met the smooth part, not the edge, but the blow to his knuckles made him double over in pain. 

I waited until he gained his composure. When he faced me, he grabbed my wrist in an attempt to make me drop the sword. Out of reflex, I took my other hand and placed it near his. Using my strength, I turned it, slicing his thigh. He instantly stepped back, releasing his hold. 

“Why fight, old man? You cannot win,” I said, watching him examine his wound.

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If you've been trying to decide if adult fantasy is a genre you want to dive into, we highly recommend our NIEA Winner, Amy I. Long's The Untold Legend to break into the genre. And if you're an established adult fantasy enthusiast you won't be disappointed to pick up this amazing tale of love and honor. To discover more about Amy or to purchase her novel visit Amy I. Long's author page on our JLB Creatives Publishing website.