YORKSHIRE. 3^7 



leading principles of pronunciation : and previ- 

 ous to this it may be proper to mention a 

 deviation in GRAMMAR ; which, I believe, is 

 peculiar 10 the dialedt under notice. 



The provincial language of Eaft-Yorkfhire 

 has no genitive cafe, except that of its pofTef- 

 five pronouns ; and except when the nomina- 

 tive cafe is underftood. When this is ex- 

 prefled, the preceding fubftantive becomes in 

 effed: an adjedtive ; as, John Hat, George 

 Houfe ; analagous with London porter, York- 

 Jhire butter. 



This excifion of the genitive termination 

 gives great additional beauty and fimplicity 

 to the language, doing aw ay almoft entirely the 

 declenficn of nouns, and leffening that biffing 

 which is fo difagreeable to the ears of fo- 

 reigners, and which is indifputably one of 

 the greateft blemifhes of the Englifh lan- 

 guage- 



A perfon unacquainted with this mode of 

 fpeech will conceive it to be the caufe of 

 much ambiguity. But, among thofe who 

 ufe it, no inconveniency whatever arifes from 

 it. When the nominative cafe is not ex- 

 X 2 prelfcd, 



