11. ret, raght for right
12. sneik for snake
13. sowd for sword
14. sto' for store
15. teh for tell
16. twon't for twan't
17. useter, useta for used to
18. uv for of
19. waggin for wagon
20. whi' for white
21. wuz for was

I should like to recommend that the stories be told in the language of
the ex-slave, without excessive editorializing and "artistic"
introductions on the part of the interviewer. The contrast between the
directness of the ex-slave speech and the roundabout and at times
pompous comments of the interviewer is frequently glaring. Care should
be taken lest expressions such as the following creep in: "inflicting
wounds from which he never fully recovered" (supposed to be spoken by an
ex-slave).

Finally, I should like to recommend that the words darky and nigger and
such expressions as "a comical little old black woman" be omitted from
the editorial writing. Where the ex-slave himself uses these, they
should be retained.


This material sent June 20 to states of: Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga.,
Ky., La., Md., Miss., Mo., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Tenn., Texas,
Va., and S. Car.