Somerset Response Books

Description

Response books, completed in ms. phonetic script, recording the answers of informants from Survey of English Dialects (SED) localities in Somerset to the Dieth-Orton Questionnaire. Responses were recorded by SED fieldworker John Wright at Weston, Blagdon, Wedmore, Coleford, Wootton Courtenay, Stogursey, Stogumber, Withypool, Brompton Regis, Stoke St. Gregory, Horsington, Pitminster and Merriott.


The response book for Weston includes an ms. note regarding the page numbering. The response book for Blagdon includes an ms. note by Martyn Wakelin concerning the editorial procedure. The response book for Coleford contains responses to Questionnaire books IV to IX only.


Each response book bears ms. editorial markings relating to the editing of the recorded responses for publication in the SED Southern Counties Basic Material volume. Response books for Somerset were edited by Henk Kysltra in 1959-1961, and by Martyn Wakelin in 1961-1962.


The response books are retained in the numerical order assigned to SED localities, 31 So 1-13.

Access and usage

Reproduction

Access

This item is fragile and may be unavailable on conservation grounds. Access is at the discretion of the Conservation Officer. A digital surrogate is linked to the catalogue record.

Many of the response books are damaged and fragile, with loose bindings, covers and pages. The duplicate response books (held at LAVC/SED/2/3) should be consulted in the first instance. Original response books will only be made available for consultation if markings in the duplicates are not legible. Records for the duplicate response books have not been created below subseries level as they literally duplicate the data found in the original response books. The duplicate response books share the same final reference numbers as the originals, e.g. Northumberland original response books are held at LAVC/SED/2/2/1; duplicates are held at LAVC/SED/2/3/1.

This material is in copyright. Photocopies or digital images can be supplied by the Library for research or private study. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain the copyright holder's permission to reproduce for any other purpose. Guidance is available on tracing copyright status and ownership.

Related material

A document analysing the incidental material in the Somerset reponse books is available as a PDF file through the Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture web pages. Click here (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/english/activities/lavc/PDFs/SED31So.pdf) to access.


An audio recording of a Withypool speaker, made by Stanley Ellis in 1956, is held at LAVC/SRE/A550r. A phonological analysis of this recording forms the basis of Joyce Oxley's B.A. study (Leeds, 1970), 'A Phonological Analysis of a Dialect Recording of Withypool (Somerset)', held at LAVC/SRP/2/266.



Gramophone discs LAVC/SRE/D/2/257-270; BBC compilation discs LAVC/SRE/D/4/2/DC277-280.


Audio tape LAVC/SRE/A791r.

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