Contact: Mary Albrecht, 608-262-9792, malbrecht@dcs.wisc.edu
MADISON – The English language used in the United States is wonderfully varied, reflecting our geographic, historic and ethnic diversity.
For example: Do you know what a “grinnie” is? A “nubbin stretcher?” How about “awendaw?”
Developed on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) preserves all these words and thousands more. Publication of DARE’s fifth volume, featuring entries from Sl through Z, has stirred national media interest.
On Thursday, April 12, from 6-7:30 p.m., DARE’s editor, Joan Houston Hall, discuss the huge project’s beginnings, growth, and upcoming digital edition through a UW-Madison Continuing Studies lecture class. The fee is $20.
The history, contents and use of the dictionary recently were covered in The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal, ABC World News, National Public Radio and USA Today.
To read more about the 50-year-long project visit http://dare.news.wisc.edu/ and then register online at go.wisc.edu/13u6n2 for the evening session to be held at the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St.
By the way, a grinnie is a ground squirrel, a nubbin stretcher is a rain that comes when the corn crop is immature, and awendaw is a spoonbread generally made from hominy, as well as corn meal.
