Yes, Sarnidac, and particularly for me, Dickens and Twain. Burroughs NEVER did dialects except for with his cowboy characters. And it was a perfect reproduction, because he lived the life on ranches in Montana and Idaho, and while in the 7th Cavalry in Arizona. If anything, David Williams, Vance' use of enobling dialogue was inspired by Burroughs' own approach. I too appreciate the notable exceptions. For instance, the two funniest books I have ever read are Dickens' "American Notes", and Twain's "Roughing It", and this is in large part due to their mastery of dialogue. I'll always laugh when I think of how Dickens reproduced the dialect of a trapper he met while on a riverboat; the talk about polecats and johnnycakes is precious. So I'm glad Burroughs made the rare departure from extending conversational grace to all his character. In the Apache novels, it even allows the wonderfully-depicted female lead to exhibit intellectual growth as she works hard on educating herself to the standards of an East Coast lady. Oh - and there's Wodehouse! Fantastic examples of dialect in his books. A writer needn't be bound by such notions as having to suggest class and upbringing with situation, dry dialogue, and comma placement.



"Symmetry and asymmetry are convivial. The paradox of order and chaos in simultaneous improvisation is such a challenge to hold in focus. But in that balancing, (for it is surely in infinite process and never totally balanced)--- in that conversation, -- in that music, the new enters the patterns."

~ Nora Bateson

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Last Edited By: David Pierce Nov 30 14 3:18 PM. Edited 1 time.