For amusement, edification, and challenge, here is an unusual lect (usually
called a special register) that is evidently quite easily understood within
its intended community.
I assume fluent/native speakers of some lect in the English family have an
advantage, though not sure how much, over others with indirect or late
familiarity with Englishes. In this case there is no evident influence from
other language traditions (at least recently), but the text struck me for
how similar the task of reading is to reading texts transcribed from
dialects less familiar to me. Again, having it as a written variety helps a
lot. There is no inherent or forced pacing, giving outsiders more time to
catch up. The source should become obvious. A URL is given.
573 FXUS61 KOKX 081844 AMD AFDOKX AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED WL
ISSUE WND ADVISORY THRU EVNG NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY 245 PM
EDT SAT APR 8 2000 LOTS GOING ON. CHC SVR/HEAVY RAINS...STRONG SLY
WND...MORE RAIN...TURNING MUCH COLDER...VERY STRONG NW FLO AND SNOW IN
APRIL. WL NEED A REST OF TDY PD. SVR WX THREAT CONTS TO BE FOCUSED ALG FNT
FROM THE NEW YORK METRO AND W. HAVE STRONG MAR INFLUENCE ACRS LI AND CT BUT
CAN STILL GET STRONG GUSTS AS FNT COMES THRU. SLY FLO IMPRESSIVE ATTM. WE
ARE IN THE RIGHT REAR QUAD OF UPR JET WITH FROPA. WL KEEP CHC TSTM IN FCST
TIL ABT MIDNIGHT...CHC FOR SVR WOULD BE EARLY. WL NEED A WND ADVISORY THRU
THIS EVNG. GOT REPORT OF G41MPH IN MEDFORD LI. JFK HOWLING. GOTTA DO IT.
TNGT...BEHIND THE FNT...RAIN AND DROPPPING TEMPS WITH STRONG CAA. RAIN
SHOULD CHANGE TO SNOW IN INALND NW ZONES. LO PROGGED TO COME RIGHT OVR FA
SO WINDS SHOULD SLAKEN SOME WHEN SHIFTING FROM THE S TO NW. SUN...GRAD
TIGHTEN TREMEDOUSLY ON BACKSIDE OF LO BY SUNRISE. WL ISSUE WIND ADVISORY
WITH THIS PACKAGE FOR SUN FOR SUSTAINED WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 45
TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. UPR TROF AND STRONG SHORT WAVE MOV OVR FA SUN. WL CONT
WITH LIKELY POPS WL BE MAINLY IN THE MRNG INTO THE AFTN. SNOW NW INLAND
SECTION ACCUMULATION 1 TO 2 IN MAINLY HIGHER ELEVATIONS. RAIN SHOWERS REST
OF FA WITH SNOW MIXING IN AT TIMES. M/CLDY...CLD CVR SHOULD BEGIN BREAK UP
LT AFTN WRN SECTIONS. WL WORD TEMPS ONLY IN THE AS THEY CHJANGE LITTLE FOR
OVERNIGHT LOWS AND WL ADD WID CHILL READING IN THE 20S...ARND 20S INLAND.
WL BE A TOUGH APRIL DAY. SUN NIGHT...V/CLDY. CLD ASSOCIATED WITH LO MOV OUT
BUT GET AN ANOTHER SHOT OF ENERGY. MODELS INDICATE WWA AT 700. AVN
INDICATES PLENTY OF 850 MSTR ASSOCIATED WITH WAVE. WINDS DIMINISHING FROM
VERY WINDY CONDITIONS. MON...P/SUNNY AS WAVE MOVES ON BY BUT WEAK
DISTURBANCES IN FAST BCMG ZONAL FLO. AVN INDICATED CIRRUS WELL AHD OF SYS
DEVELOPING OVR PLNS REACHES OUR RGN. TEMPS MODERATE BACK TO NEAR SEASONABLE
LVLS. BREEZY AS GRAD RMNS. MARINE...WL RAISE GALE. THANKS FOR THE CALL PHL.
.OKX...GALE WARNING FOR ALL CSTL WTRS (ANZ355-353-350-338-335-330). $$
http://twister.sbs.ohio-state.edu/text/wxascii/forecasts/FXUS61.KOKX
I assume this lect arose from the use of teletype communications in the
pre-internet era. The all-caps in standard. This lect is probably typical
of what happens in small communities where much context is shared, even at
a distance. It certainly has much in common with the lexical compressions
typical of modern scientific and technical lects generally. No further
commentary from me. Enjoy.
JAY.
---------------------------
JAY L. LEMKE
PROFESSOR OF EDUCATION
CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
JLLBC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
<http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/education/jlemke/index.htm>
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