A change of career

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

I've been offered a teaching position while working toward my doctorate. Heaven help me, I accepted. Teaching English grammar, Shakespeare and Chaucer to redneck high school seniors in central Louisiana ... it's not just a job; it's an adventure! I will begin in August, 2004. Wish me luck. If my current job could ever bite me on the ass, this might well be when it happens!

 

[Pecker]

Congrats, Jacinto!  Whup them li'l buggers into line, boy!

I thought you might want to bone up on your Redneck Shakespeare, so I found the following little excerpt from the ROMEO AND JULIET: BALCONY SCENE, As performed by Bruce and Thelmer, two Louisiana redneck characters the Bard never really considered for the parts.

THELMER appears above at a window. As BRUCE speaks, she goes about doing rugged, unfeminine things: spitting, scratching, banging, etc.

BRUCE:   But, soft! What laht through yonder winder breaks?
It is a million candlepower deer jackin' light, and Thelmer wields the lamp.
It is mah lady, O, it is mah love!
Two of the most bodcious stars in all the heavens
Fell out-the-sky, smack into her head
And sparkle lahk a brush fahr in her eye sockets.
Lookit, how she leans her cheek upon her fist!
Oh, that I were a workglove upon that fist
So I maht touch that cheek!

THELMER:  Yup!

BRUCE:  Hark! She speaks!
Speak agin, dammit, for thou art
As glorious to this naht, all around us,
As them furry little varmints, scamperin' round the woods.

Pecker

(Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day.  Set him afire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.)

 

[13788]

throb919: Congratulations, Jacinto. The central LA seniors--and the Canterbury tales--are in good hands. (And to think I had Mrs. Allison for senior English...!)

 

[13788]

mindseye: [quote author=DoubleMeatWhopper link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#0 date=12/14/03 at 20:17:39]I've been offered a teaching position while working toward my doctorate. Heaven help me, I accepted. Teaching English grammar, Shakespeare and Chaucer to redneck high school seniors in central Louisiana ... it's not just a job; it's an adventure! I will begin in August, 2004. Wish me luck. If my current job could ever bite me on the ass, this might well be when it happens! [/quote]


*laughs* I wish you the best of luck. And perhaps you and I have discovered the great theory of Conservation of LPSG Teachers, because -- coincidentally, August 2004 is when I'll be taking my leave of absence from my teaching job.

Heaven help us both!

 

[13788]

tracksuitboy: Gay man who was a dancer to teach redneck seniors - blimey, you're brave!!

What is the Doctorate in?

Oh, fab Shakespeare Mr Pecker!

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

Well, congrats to you, DoubleMeatWhopper! Give them little rednecks hell! And be patient down there with them, as their version of grammar may be a tad more original than others.

But hey, save some shrimp gumbo for us, all right?

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

[quote author=Pecker link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#1 date=12/14/03 at 20:33:33]
BRUCE:   But, soft! What laht through yonder winder breaks?
It is a million candlepower deer jackin' light, and Thelmer wields the lamp.
It is mah lady, O, it is mah love!
Two of the most bodcious stars in all the heavens
Fell out-the-sky, smack into her head
And sparkle lahk a brush fahr in her eye sockets.
Lookit, how she leans her cheek upon her fist!
Oh, that I were a workglove upon that fist
So I maht touch that cheek!

THELMER:  Yup!

BRUCE:  Hark! She speaks!
Speak agin, dammit, for thou art
As glorious to this naht, all around us,
As them furry little varmints, scamperin' round the woods.
[/quote]

Well, thanks, Pecker for scaring the hell out of me with your 'updating/translation'! Actually, it could get worse. Senior year is Macbeth and Hamlet. Somehow, even if they don't understand an iota of the rest of it, high school students always pick up on the reference Hamlet makes to Ophelia about going down on her! Go figure!

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

[quote author=tracksuitboy link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#4 date=12/15/03 at 04:01:38]Gay man who was a dancer to teach redneck seniors - blimey, you're brave!![/quote]

I don't plan to let them in on the 'secret'! They probably won't figure it out. People don't normally assume I'm gay. In fact, there used to be an insidious rumour making its way through the clubs in NO that I was actually straight!

What is the Doctorate in?

PhD in English Literature.

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

[quote author=MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#5 date=12/15/03 at 08:00:31] And be patient down there with them, as their version of grammar may be a tad more original than others. [/quote]

Well, I've been around redneck grammar for ten years now, and have figured some of it out.

Example - Use of done as an auxiliary verb:
a.) Recent past: done + past tense of the verb, e.g. "I done saw it earlier today."
b.) Remote past: done + past participle of the verb, e.g. "I done seen it last month."

I'm still trying to work out multiple negatives, e.g. "Ain't nobody 'round here don't got no Allen wrenches" (Note: wrenches is pronounced reeenchiz.) That is an actual sentence I overheard from someone in Central Louisiana. A quadruple negative is quite a feat even for the reddest of rednecks!

Yeah, I have a feeling that grammar will be even scarier than the Canterbury Tales!

 

[13788]

jerkin4-10: DMW...congrats on your new job...i know you will do a wonderful job...

 

[13788]

bblumbee: [quote author=DoubleMeatWhopper link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#8 date=12/15/03 at 10:50:49]

Well, I've been around redneck grammar for ten years now, and have figured some of it out.

Example - Use of done as an auxiliary verb:
 a.) Recent past: done + past tense of the verb, e.g. "I done saw it earlier today."
 b.) Remote past: done + past participle of the verb, e.g. "I done seen it last month."

I'm still trying to work out multiple negatives, e.g. "Ain't nobody 'round here don't got no Allen wrenches" (Note: wrenches is pronounced reeenchiz.) That is an actual sentence I overheard  from someone in Central Louisiana. A quadruple negative is quite a feat even for the reddest of rednecks!

Yeah, I have a feeling that grammar will be even scarier than the Canterbury Tales!
[/quote]

LOL DMW! Coming from the South and having lots of family speaking the "redneck language," I truly understand... Every now and then I have to stop and listen to myself, as I sometimes have a tendency to revert back to my old ways. Gracious, will the beast ever die! LOL

Congratulations on your new position and best of luck on your doctorate endeavor.

bb

 

[Pecker]

[quote author=tracksuitboy link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#4 date=12/15/03 at 04:01:38]Gay man who was a dancer to teach redneck seniors - blimey, you're brave!![/quote]

No way is anybody gonna think any such thing when they hear Jacinto's melodious accent. I don't remember hearing, after all...

"Brucie! I'm home!"

 

[13788]

7x6andchg: Congrats, Jacinto.

Whan that Aprille, with its shouers soothe,
The droughth of March hath perced to the roothe..

Ok, so my Middle English isn't the greatest.

 

[13788]

wvalady1968: Jacinto, what great news!! That's wonderful!!
[I can't wait to hear all the stories you'll have!]

 

[jay_too]

Congrats.

You will make an outstanding teacher....maybe in this forum excellent is a better adjective. All high school students should be so lucky as to have such a knowlegeable and personable teacher.

You should collect the pearls of wisdom in redneck speech - who knows in a generation due to efforts of people like you it may pass into oblivion. One of my favorites is from a west Texas diner:

When a bro asked if he could change his order, the waitress said, "Honey, h'it don't make no nevermind."

jay

 

[13788]

dfox7.3x5: Hey, DMW, good for you! I made a huge career change at age 62 and I love it. Better late than never. You're young and smart and have a lot to give these kids. How lucky they are!

 

[Ralexx]

Monsieur le musclé,
Bravo !

PS - b.t.w., will you miss les boîtes de nuit and the dancing ?

 

[B_RoysToy]

Now I know why I woke up at 2:00 a.m. The news on my pc must have jarred me!

Congratulations, Jacinto. As a retired teacher and public school superintendent, I would feel privileged to have you on my faculty. From your postings, I have known you are outstanding in lots of ways, and I think you'll enjoy the high school kids and foresee your doing a world of good in the class room. My stint was in Arkansas, just a bit 'above' where you'll be!

Luke

 

[13788]

SpeedoGuy: [quote author=DoubleMeatWhopper link=board=99;num=1071462399;start=0#7 date=12/15/03 at 10:33:50]

In fact, there used to be an insidious rumour making its way through the clubs in NO that I was actually straight!  
[/quote]

LOL heaven forbid!  

Congrats on the appointment!

Question: Is there any chance your current occupation will cause you any trouble in your future occupation? I hope not.

SG

 

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

I hope it turns out to be the experience of your life, or so far, Jacinto. Living down there, you have to maintain a certain sense of humor.