American dialects: Replacing the past-perfect participle with the simple-past form


I have come across some American media (The Alternate History Hub youtube channel comes to mind) in which the perfect participle and the simple-past form have been merged.


For example, we would have:



  • "We've driven there before" -> "We've drove there before"

  • "I would've sunk" -> "I would've sank"

  • "I've swum that distance before" -> "I've swam that distance before"


As far as I can tell, the replacement of the perfect with the simple past is consistent in this dialect, rather than just applying to some verbs (Edit in response to commment: with perhaps the exception of "to be" - "I have was ill" sounds odd enough that it would have really stood out).


Is this a feature of some American dialects? If so then in which? How common is this feature?


Related question (@sumelic): Is the past participle becoming obsolete? (I have went)



Answer



This is common in parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky that I'm aware of. It's not exactly a regional dialect, as it's restricted to small towns, neighborhoods, or even individual families rather than an identifiable socio-geographical region. My theory is that this sort of dying-off of distinct word forms through replacement happens when speakers do not perceive any negative social pressure from peers regarding their lazy word usage. Usually this requires limited diversity in social interaction, which explains its persistence in rural and isolated areas. It's also possible with a particularly self-assured or easy-going culture. For instance:



Don't let nobody make ya feel less fer usin' yer words. If yer meaning's took, it don't make no never-mind.



To be clear, it is totally fine to speak this way in America. Anyone would understand, and most would not be surprised. The most common supposition people may make when hearing someone speak this way is that the speaker did not participate in formal education, but I've heard some of these idiosyncrasies persist in the speech of college graduates. Breaking a habit requires significant internal pressure.


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