Language and Life on Ocracoke: The Living History of the Brogue

by Jeffrey Reaser, Walt Wolfram, Candy Gaskill

Overview

In this follow—up to the celebrated Hoi Toide on the Outer Banks, Jeffrey Reaser, Walt Wolfram, and Candy Gaskill have produced the most comprehensive linguistic look at Ocracoke yet. Many visitors are drawn to Ocracoke’s natural beauty and fascinating dialect, known as the Ocracoke Brogue. During the summer on the island, despite the required ferry ride to even set foot there, tourists (or, as the locals might call them, dingbatters or tourons) can easily outnumber residents fifteen to one. Though small in number, O'Cockers remain as iconic as the lighthouse.

The authors have continued to study Ocracoke and the Ocracoke Brogue while also participating in and partnering with the community itself. Building on the legacy of Hoi Toide, this book includes 120 new interviews with Ocracokers, documenting their evolving language and culture. With this prolonged and comprehensive approach to the region, the authors document the island’s changes, providing readers with a deeply researched, empathetic, and engagingly written snapshot of one of North Carolina’s most cherished places, one with a linguistic heritage worth celebrating.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469685304
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	05/06/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	296
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jeffrey Reaser is professor of English at North Carolina State University. Walt Wolfram is William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University. Candy Gaskill is a board member of the Ocracoke Preservation Society and a fourth—generation resident of Ocracoke.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“A full portrait of life, voice, and work in a colorful, in many ways unique community. What makes this study so interesting, entertaining, and valuable is the way that it successfully combines history, linguistics, social and cultural analysis, and the drama of local characters. The book feeds the natural human curiosity we all have about how and why people speak the way that they do.” —Lucinda H. MacKethan, North Carolina State University

“The authors explored nearly every facet of the island’s life and language to present a picture that captures not only the interesting features that linguists will appreciate but also a vision of people, of tradition, and of culture that attempts to pay back the locals for sharing their language. They do so in a way that is accessible and enjoyable to read.”—Jennifer Cramer, University of Kentucky

Editorial Reviews

“An exploration into the once—prominent dialect now only spoken by a few hundred on the [Ocracoke] island. . . . There’s a real love of the community and people who live there.”—Coastal Review

“Well—researched, the writing is not the stuffy academic style. . . . This is a book for readers of all levels.”—Ocracoke Observer

“A full portrait of life, voice, and work in a colorful, in many ways unique community. What makes this study so interesting, entertaining, and valuable is the way that it successfully combines history, linguistics, social and cultural analysis, and the drama of local characters. The book feeds the natural human curiosity we all have about how and why people speak the way that they do.” —Lucinda H. MacKethan, North Carolina State University

“The authors explored nearly every facet of the island’s life and language to present a picture that captures not only the interesting features that linguists will appreciate but also a vision of people, of tradition, and of culture that attempts to pay back the locals for sharing their language. They do so in a way that is accessible and enjoyable to read.”—Jennifer Cramer, University of Kentucky

From the Publisher