Date: Mon, 18 Mar 1996 11:48:12 +0000

From: Charlotte Thomas EGP95CMT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SHEFFIELD.AC.UK

Subject: Re: English Dialect Information Exchange



Dear Dennis,



See how things are screwed up?



I apologise.





The proposed discussion list will discuss dialacts found within the

'British Isles.' The following clarification does not answer whether or not

this will be limited to



a) dialects of the English language within the British Isles (not

at all limited to 'English English,' by the way, as speakers of Irish

English should be quick to note, although, I assume this would include

'substratally' influenced varieties from other languages or varieties of

English such as Pakistani English English, West Indian Scottish English,

etc...)



or will include



b) Dialects of any language within the British Isles.



When Jon and I decided it would be a good idea to set up this list,

we intended it to be primarily based on "dialects of English within

the British Isle", such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Somerset

etcetc, but don't want to say that it excludes certain varieties of

English within Britain as we do not feel we have the right or

inclination to restrict

discussion, or the exchange of knowledge. If we did take it upon

ourselves to say who could and who could not subscibe to the list

according to the language/dialect they speak, we may be denying that

person the opportunity to learn and contribute, and denying others

the opportunty to learn from them. Anyone who has something

intersting to say about the dialectal varieties of English within

England , or wants to participate on just a passive level, is very

welcome to subscribe.



Charlotte



##########################################################

Charlotte Thomas EGP95CMT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]Sheffield.ac.uk

CECTAL

Dept. of English Language and Linguistics

University of Sheffield

Sheffield

S10 2TN

UK



"Why does anyone believe he ought to speak better than he

can, and so in the end speak far worse than he might?"

(P.Wright, 1974)