How many people reading this have attempted to learn a new language? I know that I have stopped and restarted Spanish lessons twice in the past 3 years. The grammar rules are what kills it. How about a completely unique language, that is almost indistinguishable from English, but uses the exact same rules and even some of the same words? You are in luck! I have the PERFECT new language for you: It’s called Boontling. It was developed in the 1880’s and is native to Booneville, California. The creation of this language was really the coming together of several events: Strong personalities in the community that made it special, the isolation of the area and the people within, the fact that everyone knew everyone, and the use of the language to entertain each other as a form of community amusement. Well this week, I sit down with one of the last remaining Boontling speakers in Wes Smoot. We discuss how people’s personalities made them nouns and verbs, how easy it is to make new words, and he even teaches me how to recite “Old Mother Hubbard”.
