Language

Style of language

In “That Same Sea” by Adrian Markle, the cultural differences between people who live in the countryside and people who live in the city are conveyed through the choice of words. The woman uses a few terms which the villagers use, for instance, “ ‘incomers’ ” (l. 23), which refers to people who visit or settle in an area where they have not grown up. The term is mostly used in close-knit rural communities, where everybody knows everybody. 

She also knows several names for the flowers which grow in the area, such as “ ‘cow parsley’ ” (l. 36), and “foxglove” (l. 49). The man does not understand some of the words she uses, such as “ ‘chain harrow’ ” (l. 67), a farm machine. The woman explains it to him: “ ‘A farmer’s driving round somewhere on a quad bike, towing a ...