Dialect in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

FAIN: FT-13719-78

David C. Carkeet
University of Missouri, St. Louis (St. Louis, MO 63121)

To examine the dialects of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with reference to these questions: (l) Exactly how carefully differentiated are the dialects of different characters? Are the facts true to Twain's prefatory announcement that' seven distinct dialects are represented in the novel? (2) Does Twain ever alter a speaker’s dialect for artistic or thematic reasons? (3) How did Twain's interest in dialect evolve? (4) What is the relation between the dialects of Huckleberry Finn and linguistic reality? (5) How has Huckleberry Finn influenced dialect in the 20th century? Project should lead either to a number of specialized articles or to a book on Twain as a linguist.