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Original Text | Modern Text |
| “But hang it, Jim, you’ve clean missed the point—blame it, you’ve missed it a thousand mile.” | “But hang it, Jim, you’ve clean missed the point—blame it, you’ve missed it a thousand mile.” |
| “Who? Me? Go ’long. Doan’ talk to me ’bout yo’ pints. I reck’n I knows sense when I sees it; en dey ain’ no sense in sich doin’s as dat. De ’spute warn’t ’bout a half a chile, de ’spute was ’bout a whole chile; en de man dat think he kin settle a ’spute ’bout a whole chile wid a half a chile doan’ know enough to come in out’n de rain. Doan’ talk to me ’bout Sollermun, Huck, I knows him by de back.” | “Who? Me? Go ’long. Doan’ talk to me ’bout yo’ pints. I reck’n I knows sense when I sees it; en dey ain’ no sense in sich doin’s as dat. De ’spute warn’t ’bout a half a chile, de ’spute was ’bout a whole chile; en de man dat think he kin settle a ’spute ’bout a whole chile wid a half a chile doan’ know enough to come in out’n de rain. Doan’ talk to me ’bout Sollermun, Huck, I knows him by de back.” |
| “But I tell you you don’t get the point.” | “But I tell you you don’t get the point.” |
| “Blame de point! I reck’n I knows what I knows. En mine you, de REAL pint is down furder—it’s down deeper. It lays in de way Sollermun was raised. You take a man dat’s got on’y one or two chillen; is dat man gwyne to be waseful o’ chillen? No, he ain’t; he can’t ’ford it. HE know how to value ’em. But you take a man dat’s got ’bout five million chillen runnin’ roun’ de house, en it’s diffunt. HE as soon chop a chile in two as a cat. Dey’s plenty mo’. A chile er two, mo’ er less, warn’t no consekens to Sollermun, dad fatch him!” | “Blame de point! I reck’n I knows what I knows. En mine you, de REAL pint is down furder—it’s down deeper. It lays in de way Sollermun was raised. You take a man dat’s got on’y one or two chillen; is dat man gwyne to be waseful o’ chillen? No, he ain’t; he can’t ’ford it. HE know how to value ’em. But you take a man dat’s got ’bout five million chillen runnin’ roun’ de house, en it’s diffunt. HE as soon chop a chile in two as a cat. Dey’s plenty mo’. A chile er two, mo’ er less, warn’t no consekens to Sollermun, dad fatch him!” |
| I never see such a nigger. If he got a notion in his head once, there warn’t no getting it out again. He was the most down on Solomon of any nigger I ever see. So I went to talking about other kings, and let Solomon slide. I told about Louis Sixteenth that got his head cut off in France long time ago; and about his little boy the dolphin, that would a been a king, but they took and shut him up in jail, and some say he died there. | I never see such a nigger. If he got a notion in his head once, there warn’t no getting it out again. He was the most down on Solomon of any nigger I ever see. So I went to talking about other kings, and let Solomon slide. I told about Louis Sixteenth that got his head cut off in France long time ago; and about his little boy the dolphin, that would a been a king, but they took and shut him up in jail, and some say he died there. |
| “Po’ little chap.” | “Po’ little chap.” |
| “But some says he got out and got away, and come to America.” | “But some says he got out and got away, and come to America.” |
| “Dat’s good! But he’ll be pooty lonesome—dey ain’ no kings here, is dey, Huck?” | “Dat’s good! But he’ll be pooty lonesome—dey ain’ no kings here, is dey, Huck?” |
| “No.” | “No.” |
| “Den he cain’t git no situation. What he gwyne to do?” | “Den he cain’t git no situation. What he gwyne to do?” |
| “Well, I don’t know. Some of them gets on the police, and some of them learns people how to talk French.” | “Well, I don’t know. Some of them gets on the police, and some of them learns people how to talk French.” |
| “Why, Huck, doan’ de French people talk de same way we does?” | “Why, Huck, doan’ de French people talk de same way we does?” |
| “NO, Jim; you couldn’t understand a word they said—not a single word.” | “NO, Jim; you couldn’t understand a word they said—not a single word.” |
| “Well, now, I be ding-busted! How do dat come?” | “Well, now, I be ding-busted! How do dat come?” |
| “I don’t know; but it’s so. I got some of their jabber out of a book. S’pose a man was to come to you and say Polly-voo-franzy—what would you think?” | “I don’t know; but it’s so. I got some of their jabber out of a book. S’pose a man was to come to you and say Polly-voo-franzy—what would you think?” |
| “I wouldn’ think nuff’n; I’d take en bust him over de head—dat is, if he warn’t white. I wouldn’t ’low no nigger to call me dat.” | “I wouldn’ think nuff’n; I’d take en bust him over de head—dat is, if he warn’t white. I wouldn’t ’low no nigger to call me dat.” |
| “Shucks, it ain’t calling you anything. It’s only saying, do you know how to talk French?” | “Shucks, it ain’t calling you anything. It’s only saying, do you know how to talk French?” |
| “Well, den, why couldn’t he SAY it?” | “Well, den, why couldn’t he SAY it?” |
| “Why, he IS a-saying it. That’s a Frenchman’s WAY of saying it.” | “Why, he IS a-saying it. That’s a Frenchman’s WAY of saying it.” |
| “Well, it’s a blame ridicklous way, en I doan’ want to hear no mo’ ’bout it. Dey ain’ no sense in it.” | “Well, it’s a blame ridicklous way, en I doan’ want to hear no mo’ ’bout it. Dey ain’ no sense in it.” |
| “Looky here, Jim; does a cat talk like we do?” | “Looky here, Jim; does a cat talk like we do?” |
| “No, a cat don’t.” | “No, a cat don’t.” |
| “Well, does a cow?” | “Well, does a cow?” |
| “No, a cow don’t, nuther.” | “No, a cow don’t, nuther.” |
| “Does a cat talk like a cow, or a cow talk like a cat?” | “Does a cat talk like a cow, or a cow talk like a cat?” |
| “No, dey don’t.” | “No, dey don’t.” |
| “It’s natural and right for ’em to talk different from each other, ain’t it?” | “It’s natural and right for ’em to talk different from each other, ain’t it?” |
| “Course.” | “Course.” |
| “And ain’t it natural and right for a cat and a cow to talk different from US?” | “And ain’t it natural and right for a cat and a cow to talk different from US?” |
| “Why, mos’ sholy it is.” | “Why, mos’ sholy it is.” |
| “Well, then, why ain’t it natural and right for a FRENCHMAN to talk different from us? You answer me that.” | “Well, then, why ain’t it natural and right for a FRENCHMAN to talk different from us? You answer me that.” |
| “Is a cat a man, Huck?” | “Is a cat a man, Huck?” |
| “No.” | “No.” |
| “Well, den, dey ain’t no sense in a cat talkin’ like a man. Is a cow a man?—er is a cow a cat?” | “Well, den, dey ain’t no sense in a cat talkin’ like a man. Is a cow a man?—er is a cow a cat?” |
| “No, she ain’t either of them.” | “No, she ain’t either of them.” |
| “Well, den, she ain’t got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of ’em. Is a Frenchman a man?” | “Well, den, she ain’t got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of ’em. Is a Frenchman a man?” |
| “Yes.” | “Yes.” |
| “WELL, den! Dad blame it, why doan’ he TALK like a man? You answer me DAT!” | “WELL, den! Dad blame it, why doan’ he TALK like a man? You answer me DAT!” |
| I see it warn’t no use wasting words—you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit. | I see it warn’t no use wasting words—you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit. |
Original Text | Modern Text |
| “But hang it, Jim, you’ve clean missed the point—blame it, you’ve missed it a thousand mile.” | “But hang it, Jim, you’ve clean missed the point—blame it, you’ve missed it a thousand mile.” |
| “Who? Me? Go ’long. Doan’ talk to me ’bout yo’ pints. I reck’n I knows sense when I sees it; en dey ain’ no sense in sich doin’s as dat. De ’spute warn’t ’bout a half a chile, de ’spute was ’bout a whole chile; en de man dat think he kin settle a ’spute ’bout a whole chile wid a half a chile doan’ know enough to come in out’n de rain. Doan’ talk to me ’bout Sollermun, Huck, I knows him by de back.” | “Who? Me? Go ’long. Doan’ talk to me ’bout yo’ pints. I reck’n I knows sense when I sees it; en dey ain’ no sense in sich doin’s as dat. De ’spute warn’t ’bout a half a chile, de ’spute was ’bout a whole chile; en de man dat think he kin settle a ’spute ’bout a whole chile wid a half a chile doan’ know enough to come in out’n de rain. Doan’ talk to me ’bout Sollermun, Huck, I knows him by de back.” |
| “But I tell you you don’t get the point.” | “But I tell you you don’t get the point.” |
| “Blame de point! I reck’n I knows what I knows. En mine you, de REAL pint is down furder—it’s down deeper. It lays in de way Sollermun was raised. You take a man dat’s got on’y one or two chillen; is dat man gwyne to be waseful o’ chillen? No, he ain’t; he can’t ’ford it. HE know how to value ’em. But you take a man dat’s got ’bout five million chillen runnin’ roun’ de house, en it’s diffunt. HE as soon chop a chile in two as a cat. Dey’s plenty mo’. A chile er two, mo’ er less, warn’t no consekens to Sollermun, dad fatch him!” | “Blame de point! I reck’n I knows what I knows. En mine you, de REAL pint is down furder—it’s down deeper. It lays in de way Sollermun was raised. You take a man dat’s got on’y one or two chillen; is dat man gwyne to be waseful o’ chillen? No, he ain’t; he can’t ’ford it. HE know how to value ’em. But you take a man dat’s got ’bout five million chillen runnin’ roun’ de house, en it’s diffunt. HE as soon chop a chile in two as a cat. Dey’s plenty mo’. A chile er two, mo’ er less, warn’t no consekens to Sollermun, dad fatch him!” |
| I never see such a nigger. If he got a notion in his head once, there warn’t no getting it out again. He was the most down on Solomon of any nigger I ever see. So I went to talking about other kings, and let Solomon slide. I told about Louis Sixteenth that got his head cut off in France long time ago; and about his little boy the dolphin, that would a been a king, but they took and shut him up in jail, and some say he died there. | I never see such a nigger. If he got a notion in his head once, there warn’t no getting it out again. He was the most down on Solomon of any nigger I ever see. So I went to talking about other kings, and let Solomon slide. I told about Louis Sixteenth that got his head cut off in France long time ago; and about his little boy the dolphin, that would a been a king, but they took and shut him up in jail, and some say he died there. |
| “Po’ little chap.” | “Po’ little chap.” |
| “But some says he got out and got away, and come to America.” | “But some says he got out and got away, and come to America.” |
| “Dat’s good! But he’ll be pooty lonesome—dey ain’ no kings here, is dey, Huck?” | “Dat’s good! But he’ll be pooty lonesome—dey ain’ no kings here, is dey, Huck?” |
| “No.” | “No.” |
| “Den he cain’t git no situation. What he gwyne to do?” | “Den he cain’t git no situation. What he gwyne to do?” |
| “Well, I don’t know. Some of them gets on the police, and some of them learns people how to talk French.” | “Well, I don’t know. Some of them gets on the police, and some of them learns people how to talk French.” |
| “Why, Huck, doan’ de French people talk de same way we does?” | “Why, Huck, doan’ de French people talk de same way we does?” |
| “NO, Jim; you couldn’t understand a word they said—not a single word.” | “NO, Jim; you couldn’t understand a word they said—not a single word.” |
| “Well, now, I be ding-busted! How do dat come?” | “Well, now, I be ding-busted! How do dat come?” |
| “I don’t know; but it’s so. I got some of their jabber out of a book. S’pose a man was to come to you and say Polly-voo-franzy—what would you think?” | “I don’t know; but it’s so. I got some of their jabber out of a book. S’pose a man was to come to you and say Polly-voo-franzy—what would you think?” |
| “I wouldn’ think nuff’n; I’d take en bust him over de head—dat is, if he warn’t white. I wouldn’t ’low no nigger to call me dat.” | “I wouldn’ think nuff’n; I’d take en bust him over de head—dat is, if he warn’t white. I wouldn’t ’low no nigger to call me dat.” |
| “Shucks, it ain’t calling you anything. It’s only saying, do you know how to talk French?” | “Shucks, it ain’t calling you anything. It’s only saying, do you know how to talk French?” |
| “Well, den, why couldn’t he SAY it?” | “Well, den, why couldn’t he SAY it?” |
| “Why, he IS a-saying it. That’s a Frenchman’s WAY of saying it.” | “Why, he IS a-saying it. That’s a Frenchman’s WAY of saying it.” |
| “Well, it’s a blame ridicklous way, en I doan’ want to hear no mo’ ’bout it. Dey ain’ no sense in it.” | “Well, it’s a blame ridicklous way, en I doan’ want to hear no mo’ ’bout it. Dey ain’ no sense in it.” |
| “Looky here, Jim; does a cat talk like we do?” | “Looky here, Jim; does a cat talk like we do?” |
| “No, a cat don’t.” | “No, a cat don’t.” |
| “Well, does a cow?” | “Well, does a cow?” |
| “No, a cow don’t, nuther.” | “No, a cow don’t, nuther.” |
| “Does a cat talk like a cow, or a cow talk like a cat?” | “Does a cat talk like a cow, or a cow talk like a cat?” |
| “No, dey don’t.” | “No, dey don’t.” |
| “It’s natural and right for ’em to talk different from each other, ain’t it?” | “It’s natural and right for ’em to talk different from each other, ain’t it?” |
| “Course.” | “Course.” |
| “And ain’t it natural and right for a cat and a cow to talk different from US?” | “And ain’t it natural and right for a cat and a cow to talk different from US?” |
| “Why, mos’ sholy it is.” | “Why, mos’ sholy it is.” |
| “Well, then, why ain’t it natural and right for a FRENCHMAN to talk different from us? You answer me that.” | “Well, then, why ain’t it natural and right for a FRENCHMAN to talk different from us? You answer me that.” |
| “Is a cat a man, Huck?” | “Is a cat a man, Huck?” |
| “No.” | “No.” |
| “Well, den, dey ain’t no sense in a cat talkin’ like a man. Is a cow a man?—er is a cow a cat?” | “Well, den, dey ain’t no sense in a cat talkin’ like a man. Is a cow a man?—er is a cow a cat?” |
| “No, she ain’t either of them.” | “No, she ain’t either of them.” |
| “Well, den, she ain’t got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of ’em. Is a Frenchman a man?” | “Well, den, she ain’t got no business to talk like either one er the yuther of ’em. Is a Frenchman a man?” |
| “Yes.” | “Yes.” |
| “WELL, den! Dad blame it, why doan’ he TALK like a man? You answer me DAT!” | “WELL, den! Dad blame it, why doan’ he TALK like a man? You answer me DAT!” |
| I see it warn’t no use wasting words—you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit. | I see it warn’t no use wasting words—you can’t learn a nigger to argue. So I quit. |
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