Tarkington - Monsieur Beaucaire - grammar
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1HugoDumas
It’s somewhat disconcerting reading this tiny EP book given the abundant use of the apostrophe by Booth Tarkington.
Most past tense words normally ending in the letter “d” as well as words ending in “d” are replaced by an apostrophe, as are many words ending in a “t”. For instance:
...for the next he sent against me. is printed as : for the nex’ he sen’ agains’ me.
Strip’ instead of stripped
Know’ instead of knew
Roun’ instead of round
And so on.
Does any one have an idea why he drops the d’s and t’s in this mini-novella replacing them with an apostrophe? Perhaps to simulate the accent of a Frenchman where t and d are usually silent?
Most past tense words normally ending in the letter “d” as well as words ending in “d” are replaced by an apostrophe, as are many words ending in a “t”. For instance:
...for the next he sent against me. is printed as : for the nex’ he sen’ agains’ me.
Strip’ instead of stripped
Know’ instead of knew
Roun’ instead of round
And so on.
Does any one have an idea why he drops the d’s and t’s in this mini-novella replacing them with an apostrophe? Perhaps to simulate the accent of a Frenchman where t and d are usually silent?
2fancythings
>1 HugoDumas: to show possessions. Early modern English. Shakespeare use them to tell actors how to pronounce certain words in a play. I would be annoyed too to read something like that
3jroger1
>1 HugoDumas:
He must be imitating some dialect much as Twain does in his Mississippi writings, but I haven’t a clue as to what dialect it might be. It is true that the French usually do not pronounce final consonants. The book was published in EP’s Masterpieces of American Literature series, but was not considered important enough to be included in Library of America’s Tarkington volume. A quick check of Goodreads finds only fair to middling reviews.
He must be imitating some dialect much as Twain does in his Mississippi writings, but I haven’t a clue as to what dialect it might be. It is true that the French usually do not pronounce final consonants. The book was published in EP’s Masterpieces of American Literature series, but was not considered important enough to be included in Library of America’s Tarkington volume. A quick check of Goodreads finds only fair to middling reviews.
4HugoDumas
>3 jroger1: Yes a dialect, since none of the English speaking people speak like this...and it occurs only during the Frenchman’s speech. Not as brutal as some of those Dickens dialects!
As an aside I am now reading the 3 Tarkington in my leather library. This trivial work should never have been included in any expensive leather-bound series. I certainly understand the two Pulitzer Prize winners.
If perchance you are interested in The Magnificent Ambersons in leather, Franklin has a drop dead gorgeous edition. People are giving this Pulitzer Prize edition away. I got mine for $20. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-Limited-Luxury-Edition-MAGNIFICENT-AMBERSONS-by-Bo...
As an aside I am now reading the 3 Tarkington in my leather library. This trivial work should never have been included in any expensive leather-bound series. I certainly understand the two Pulitzer Prize winners.
If perchance you are interested in The Magnificent Ambersons in leather, Franklin has a drop dead gorgeous edition. People are giving this Pulitzer Prize edition away. I got mine for $20. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1977-Limited-Luxury-Edition-MAGNIFICENT-AMBERSONS-by-Bo...
5laotzu225
The EP is descended from a Limited Editions Club book from 1961. I have nothing to say about the merits of the writing since I haven't read it yet. But as a production the LEC is quite handsome, designed and illustrated by Thomas E. Cleland. The binding is described a damask. There is a "shelfback", something like a chemise but stiff and mostly open on one side. It contains a title label and then fits within the plain slipcase.
It is quite nice to hold and page through.
A check on eBay shows several copies available and at excellent prices.
It is quite nice to hold and page through.
A check on eBay shows several copies available and at excellent prices.
6HugoDumas
>5 laotzu225: thanks for the info. Yes it is a lovely book. You can pick up the EP leather bound copy of the LEC reprint edition for as low as $16.
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