#Colloquialisms October 29

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COLLOQUIALISMS is one of the longest prompt words I have used to begin a post.

Defining just what it is might be simply stated as a word or phrase that is not formal or literary.

Living in Robeson County NC you encounter it everywhere. Visitors are often taken aback and more often than not somewhat offended. One of my favorite sayings is “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know”. Visitors perceiving they are being disrespected are actually being greeted with a warm welcome. Picking up a take out order at a drive-in window or dealing with a cashier in our region you will often be greeted with a COLLOQUIALISM. That is part of the uniqueness of our community.

Examples

Words in my part of the world that come up in conversation are intended to express hospitality and affection. I can assure you anyone that lives in Robeson County has been called one of the following terms of endearment:

Baby-Honey-Sweetie-Darling-Precious-Cutie

I am not trained in sociological research so my explanation on how these terms came about is speculation. It is a combination of slang found in the south and then ramped up by popular Lumbee expressions. When you combine those expressions with the dialect of the Lumbee Tribe you take people without experience of living or visiting Robeson County for a surprise.

Here is a short video on Lumbee Dialect narrated by Dr. Linda Oxendine

If you come to our community and get called Papa or Mama is not an indictment of age and if you are called baby or honey know you are being welcomed not disrespected. Not saying it is formal or literarily correct just preparing you for some COLLOQUIALISMS.