You say potato ...

Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird and Michael Kiefte are interested in the similarities and differences between Nova Scotian dialects. (Danny Abriel Photo)

What's the difference between a Cape Bretoner, a Haligonian, and someone from the South Shore? Sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it's actually an important question, specifically in terms of determining how Nova Scotians speak.

Researchers in Dalhousie's School of Human Communication Disorders are interested in the similarities and differences between dialects in the province, which say a lot about our culture, history and politics. Michael Kiefte, principal investigator, and Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, co-investigator, are collecting and analyzing speech samples over the next several years, with the help of a $132,000 grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

The study involves researchers from the University of Alberta and Memorial University as well. It will serve as a test bed for vowel acoustics research, and add to the few available descriptions of Nova Scotia English that exist. Ultimately, results could improve the way future researchers treat those with speech disorders.

Historic settlement patterns

Most Nova Scotians give away their home town or city just by speaking. The province is home to three major dialects (and countless variations) that are easy to distinguish: the Cape Breton accent (a result of the large influx of Irish and Scottish immigrants) the Halifax dialect (which developed in an area dominated by English settlers) and the South Shore speech patterns that can be traced directly back to the American Planters and Loyalists.

Dr. Kiefte says while there have been many books written about regional sayings and phrases, not much has been done on different accents, particularly vowel sounds. "What's really neat is that all three major dialects are quite different from each other," he says, giving a well-known example of how someone from the South Shore says the word "car." "They tend to drop the 'r' so it sounds like 'caa.' That's pure New England."

Cape Breton speech, on the other hand, is very influenced by Scottish and Irish settlement patterns, and is similar to the Newfoundland dialect. And Halifax has its own distinct pattern, he says, noting that someone might refer to a couch as a "coach." These accents are very recognizable, he says. "Even someone from out West can usually spot the difference between someone from Yarmouth, Cape Breton or Halifax."

The challenge for researchers will be getting authentic speech sounds from subjects, who will be asked to read text and also speak in a way that's more 'off the cuff.' "When people read, they tend to try to speak 'properly,' said Dr. Keifte. "We may not end up with accurate samples of how they really sound. So, in addition to asking them to read, we're also going to try to 'rile them up' a bit," he laughs. To elicit more passionate speech, the researchers plan to ask subjects about things most people have definite opinions on, like hockey or politics.

Research results will be compiled into a database that will be unique in Canada. "We don't really have anything like this here. For instance, a lot of the diagnostic tools used in audiology features samples of someone talking. The voice is usually male, and usually American. You can really pick it out; you just know he's not from around here. It would be nice to have local voices for these testing tools."

The research will also enhance the assessment of speech disorders. In order to correctly diagnose speech patterns, it is important for people who work in this field to be able to know what speech is normal in different communities.

"What's really exciting about this project is that we are at the forefront of dialect research in Nova Scotia, and speech research in general," says Dr. Keifte.

History, politics and society

As co-investigator of the project, Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird will collect data and analyze language samples. She says the importance of the research lies in the fact that for the first time, similarities and differences in a variety of dialects will be analyzed. "A number of major historical events within areas can explain some of the differences in accents," she says. "But it's not all about history."

The similarities in accents can be the result of interaction between communities. On the other hand, says Dr. Raining Bird, the differences inherent in some regional Nova Scotia dialects can be the result of the historic marginalization of communities.

"The community of Preston, for example, has been very isolated from other areas in Nova Scotia for historical, social and political reasons," she says. "Because of that, the community has developed a very distinct dialect. So, you have historical movement patterns from the U.S. during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and other conflicts, and also an influx from Jamaica, with people bringing those dialects into the community. But because the community remained isolated, the accent remained very distinct."
 
This project began several years ago thanks to a small development grant from Dalhousie. The SSHRC funding will allow Drs. Keifte and Raining Bird to significantly expand the project. Work has been underway for some time; in fact, students who have been collecting data will be presenting some of their findings at a conference in New Orleans in the fall.