The Discourse of Desperation: Late 18th and Early 19th Century Letters by Paupers, Prisoners, and Rogues

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the poor and desperate used their linguistic resources to pursue pragmatic goals, drawing on three corpora of letters written by the poor. Timmis argues that the writers adopted a strategic approach, using formulaic language to produce intelligible letters and exploit popular cultural motifs. Data is drawn from pauper letters, prisoner letters, and anonymous letters, comparing them to the Mayhew Corpus of interviews with the London poor in the 1850s. The book shows how resourceful people can be in communicating their needs and provides new insights into literacy and demotic language awareness.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 29 April 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the remarkable ways in which the impoverished and desperate individuals of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries harnessed their linguistic resources to achieve vital pragmatic goals. By examining three comprehensive corpora of letters written by the underprivileged, the author seeks to answer the central question: How were these individuals, often lacking high levels of education and literacy, able to navigate the complexities of writing letters that were crucial to their interests, and even to their survival?

In his insightful analysis, Timmis argues that the key to their success lies in the highly strategic approach adopted by the writers. Particularly striking is the prevalence of formulaic language in the pauper and prisoner letters, which serves multiple purposes. On the one hand, it enables the writers to produce coherent and appropriate letters, considering their limited linguistic abilities. On the other hand, it allows them to tap into popular cultural motifs of the time, enhancing the persuasive power of their messages.

The data for this study is drawn from a diverse range of sources. The pauper letters encompass applications for parish relief made by the impoverished individuals between 1795 and 1834. The prisoner letters, on the other hand, are written by women awaiting deportation to Australia for defrauding the Bank of England in the early nineteenth century. Additionally, anonymous letters by the poor demanding money with menaces are included to provide a broader perspective.

A comparison with the Mayhew Corpus of interviews with the London poor conducted in the 1850s further strengthens the author's argument. The Mayhew Corpus sheds light on the writers' deliberate shift away from the vernacular towards a style they perceived as more elevated and sophisticated. This shift reflects their desire to communicate their needs and aspirations in a manner that would be more readily understood and respected by those in positions of authority.

Through its detailed exploration, this book offers valuable insights into the resourceful ways in which people communicate their needs during crises, while also shedding light on the broader aspects of literacy and demotic language awareness. It will undoubtedly captivate students and scholars alike in the fields of corpus linguistics and social history, providing a rich and nuanced understanding of the past.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367522643