Dialect
My Antonia
by Willa Cather

My Antonia: Dialect 1 key example

Book 1, Chapter 13
Explanation and Analysis—Bohemian English:

Ántonia and her family speak in a "Bohemian" dialect of English, emphasizing their foreignness and immigrant status in comparison to their neighbors. In Book 1, Chapter 13, Ántonia explains to Jim that:

“My papa sad for the old country. He not look good. He never make music any more. At home he play violin all the time; for weddings and for dance. Here never. When I beg him for play, he shake his head no. Some days he take his violin out of his box and make with his fingers on the strings, like this, but never he make the music. He don’t like this kawntree.”