Yankonics
PORTLAND, Me., Jan. 17. In a move that has surprised educators
nationwide, the Portland Board of Education announced today that, beginning February 1,
all Portland schools would provide teacher and parent training in Yankee English, or
so-called Yankonics, recognize Yankonics as distinct from standard English, and help
Yankee children who use Yankonics to master standard English.
The district said it would not teach Yankonics, derived from the words Yankee and phonics,
in place of standard English, and would not try to classify Yankonics-speaking students as
bilingual in order to obtain federal funds. Both the Clinton Administration and
congressional Republicans moved quickly to attack the announcement, with the
Administration emphasizing that it would refuse to grant special funding. An estimated 53
percent of Portland's 13,000 students speak Yankee English at home and district officials
say they have the lowest average grade point averages in the district. Reaction in the
city was guarded, but supportive.
Lobsterman John Nadeau, 43, of Fore St. said, "Every yeah it gets hahda and hahda for
ouah kids to get the jawbs they need. I cahn't say if this will wohk oah nawt, but at
least its a staht."
The lunch crowd at Demillo's echoed Nadeau's position. Mary Lamoreaux, 54, of Falmouth
Foreside concurred. "I've got two daughtahs, neithah of whom cahn undahstahnd hahlf
the things they heah on TV."
Patrick Payson, 35, a developer at One City Center, admitted that he's found his
linguistic heritage a difficult cross to bear at times. "I went down New Yahk a few
weeks ago foah some meetins. It took me close to two days to figuah out what people weah
tahlking about. Rest assuahed, I was wicked confused when I gawt bahck."
Some, however, were not convinced. Arthur Wentworth, 87, a scrimshaw artist in the Old
Port said, "Deah Gawd. Yeahs ago no one cahed so much about this soht of thing, we
just went on about ouah business. I don't see much use in this. If people from away cahn't
understahnd what weah saying, then they just ought head back to Massasstwoshits, oah
wheyevah they came frawm." Asked if he'd lived in Portland all is life, Wentworth
replied, "not yet."
Your Abbreviated Guide to Proper Yankonics
For anyone living in or considering a trip to Boston (pronounced
BAH-stin), this guide to proper local pronounciation should help you get acclimated here
quickly: