Would you like the opportunity to uncover your own dialect inheritance and cultural heritage, and to share their own memories, language and stories for the benefit of current and future generations? If the answer is yes then visit our Dialect Roadshow at the Museum of East Anglian Life on Saturday 20th November from 1pm until 4pm to share your dialect with us! Between 1946 and 1978, fieldworkers from the University of Leeds travelled to over 300 locations and recorded the language and lifestyles of hundreds of speakers from across England. This enormous endeavour was known as the Survey of English Dialects and remains the most famous and complete survey of the dialects of England ever undertaken. Through working with five partner museums, the Dialect and Heritage project team will involve people from across the country in sharing their dialect – regardless of location, background, age or gender. The aim is to capture a snapshot of present-day dialect, in all its exciting diversity. You can also expect enriching museum displays with locally relevant material from the Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture, much of this material will be on public display for the first time!
Would you like scraps, cracklings or scratchings with your fish and chips? Dialect is important. It connects us to people and places and shapes who we are. The words we use, how we put them together and how we say them matters – to us, to others and to the rich and ever-changing history of language. Some of our words are inherited from the people and places of our birth or childhood; others we pick up along the way. If we move around with family, or for work or study, sometimes we adopt new words from other people and other places. Our dialect is an important part of our culture and heritage. It shapes our identity and it is ours to value and celebrate.
The event will be led by our Dialect and Heritage Project Engagement Officer based with the Museum of East Anglian Life
This event is open to all!
This event is open to all and may be of particular interest to those with an interest in Dialect and Heritage and the relationship between language and identity
Contact us at dialectandheritage@leeds.ac.uk for further information and to book your place