Abstrakt
This paper explores Civil War letters written by less literate Confederate soldiers based on the Private Voices corpus. While structure and form are addressed, the main focus is on content – an area often overlooked in linguistic research. Six central themes emerge: letters (exchange of correspondence), military life, health, hope, otherness, and civilian life. These topics reveal the expressive depth of marginalized voices and invite further study by linguists and cultural historians. Structurally, the letters follow a recognizable epistolary format – opening, body, and closing – and commonly feature conventional formulaic expressions. In terms of form, the letters display nonstandard grammar, irregular spelling, and inconsistent punctuation. Despite limited formal education, the writers show an intentional effort to engage with shared communicative norms, offering insight into everyday literacy practices during the Civil War. Overall, the paper calls for deeper scholarly engagement with the Private Voices corpus to better understand not only linguistic, but also cultural dimensions of Confederate epistolary practice, especially as expressed by those who, prior to the war, received limited (if any) formal education.
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