I thought some folks here might be interested in this.
http://www.etsu.edu/cass/about/Encyclopedia.asp
Looks pretty cool. I may have to buy one.
ETSU also has a really good [u]Bluegrass and Country Music[/u] program. It’s part of the [u]Center for Appalachian Studies and Services[/u].
That book looks tempting. I may have to bite.
ETSU offers the only 4yr degree anywhere in Bluegrass music. I listen to their PBS station every am on my route. It’s not too far from me(as we think anyway-1 1/2 hr drive).
http://www.etsu.edu/cass/about/map.asp
Hey look, I’m an Appalachian! But then, so are the people in Pittsburgh, which I find amusing.
Caj
Also, looking at the map, I notice the region spans 13 states. I hereby propose we call these “The original thirteen colonies of Appalachia.” We need some sort of flag with thirteen stripes.
Since they only intersect with some of the states, I guess we need to rename the territories:
Appalhio
Appalvania
Appalginia
New Yorkalachia
Marylachia
Appalbama
Appalssippi
North Appalina
South Appalina
Appaltucky
Appalssee
Georgalachia
West Virginia
Caj
The Appalachian mountain system actually stretches from Alabama in the south into Canada (Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec) in the north.
There are larger cities and metropolitan areas in that span, too. Here is wikipedia’s definition of Appalachia:
(emphasis mine)
http://www.wvculture.org/history/journal_wvh/wvh30-2.html
Here’s an interesting article about the origins of the Appalachian dialect.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Of course, that’s the dialect I speak and the one that Bloomfield is always criticizing me for trying to write in!
When I read this: “Almost all the so-called ‘bad English’ used by natives of Appalachia was once employed by the highest ranking nobles of the realms of England and Scotland,” I immediately think of Bloomfield telling me my English is horrible because a native German speaker can’t understand it! Gofigger! 