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| Research Research for your story or poem. Ask about history, technology, language etc. |
06-02-2007, 12:15 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
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Talk Like A Cowboy
I am writing a fictitious story for ESL (English as a second language) students. The story will be set in the OLD WEST.
One of the characters will talk like a cowboy. How can I go about learning cowboy talk and lingo (including "grammar" - i.e., how they would say full sentences, not just the vocabulary)?
Thank you so much!
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06-02-2007, 04:46 PM
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#2
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Mentor
Join Date: May 2007
Location: E. Sussex U.K.
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,687
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Is this a good idea if you are writing for people who have English as their second language? My first thought is that you should keep it as clear as possible, introducing something that you as a native speaker have to research seems unfair on your readers,
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06-02-2007, 06:31 PM
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#3
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Writing Machine
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,517
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uhh... watch a bunch of John Wayne movies... case closed.
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06-02-2007, 06:43 PM
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#4
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Prolific Writer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 491
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I agree with OllyBuckle. Having said that read anything by Cormac McCarthy.
'All the pretty horses,' trilogy.
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06-02-2007, 07:33 PM
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#5
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Wordsmith
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Back 'home' on Tinian!
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,445
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or 'lonesome dove' writer, larry mcmurtry...
but the question about why you'd do that for ESL students is a valid one...
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"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
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06-02-2007, 08:36 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
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I won't be able to go into a lot of detail here, but we write stories with a special method that teach a very specific function of the English language (phrasal verbs) to advanced students of English. Each story contains 20 to 30 Phrasal Verbs that start with a certain letter. The stories also contain a number of idioms and other every-day expressions.
In this story (Phrasal Verbs with the Letter E and F), we will take our fanciful characters to the Old West; and I wanted them to meet a character that spoke genuine "cowboy talk". It would only be a few sentences here and there in the story, which would be like a little bonus for them to learn some "cowboy talk". (You never know when you will watch a western one day; huh?  )
Last edited by tileeba : 06-02-2007 at 08:47 PM.
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06-02-2007, 08:46 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
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Anyway, going back to my original question - how do you go about learning a certain dialect - "cowboy talk", in this case? (Please just ignore the part where I said it was for ESL students.)
For example, my children have some adventure stories on CD where the characters go to different places in the world. Sometimes they meet an Aussie, sometimes a pirate, etc. How does the author "learn" these different dialects to incorporate them into the story? Is there a "secret of the trade"? I am curious...
Last edited by tileeba : 06-03-2007 at 01:28 PM.
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06-03-2007, 08:39 PM
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#8
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Wordsmith
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Back 'home' on Tinian!
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,445
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authors become authors/writers by reading!... so, they get a lot of what they use from books of all eras... and they observe what's around them... they pick up dialects/accents from what they hear 'in the flesh' and on tv, in movies, et al. ... as you should do, if you want to be a writer...
go get the lonesome dove video and listen to how the characters speak... go to www.script-o-rama.com and get the script, and to the library and get the book, so you can see how it's written...
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For 100% free writing help/mentoring:
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"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
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06-04-2007, 03:43 AM
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#9
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Prolific Writer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by mammamaia
or 'lonesome dove' writer, larry mcmurtry...
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Good advice.
Here's another suggestion have take a look at IrishLads thread. www.writingforums.com/showthread.php?t=71636
He is excellent on Western dialogue. Try writing some dialogue or narrative, and ask IrishLad for an opinion.
Note: it must be in context, word for word translation doesn't work. |
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06-04-2007, 07:25 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 22
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Thank you, everyone, for the good advice! I appreciate it. I was trying to find an "easy way", but I will just have to do my homework; huh? Thanks again. |
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06-04-2007, 08:26 AM
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#11
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Addict
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 123
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Louis L'amour
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06-04-2007, 05:15 PM
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#12
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Wordsmith
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Back 'home' on Tinian!
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,445
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zane grey
brett harte
__________________
For 100% free writing help/mentoring:
www.saysmom.com
"You must BE the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi
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06-08-2007, 08:06 PM
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#13
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Writing Machine
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,517
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The easy way = movies. Duh.
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06-09-2007, 08:25 AM
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#14
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Profound Writer
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,004
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Read Garth Ennis's Preacher comics and watch old Clint Eastwood movies.
It might not help you write, but you will enjoy it. And learn how to utter implausibly grim lines.
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