The Southern Accent: We're Losing It

Website of Rhodes College, Memphis, TN ^ | unknown | Rob Marus

[rdb3]

First things first. Never call me "son" again. I am rdb, Jr.'s son, and that's that.

Now, having said that, did I say that I didn't like the south? Didn't think I did.

Can't take any type of criticism about the south, can you? Well, that's your problem, not mine. I hear cracks on the north all the time, and it doesn't bother me one bit.

I'd expect more from a fully grown man.

[rdb3]

I'm Southern, North Carolinian, and proud of it.

Good for you! Want a cookie now or something?

[texlok]

For a sample of a bona-fide Virginia accent, listen to NASCAR star Ward Burton's next interview!

He needs to be preserved by some historical society!

[billbears]

Don't know about you, but son is not meant as a derogatory remark. You shouldn't have taken offense when none was meant. I was talking in vernacular that I speak in every day. Age doesn't matter. Secondly, all the yankees moving into NC are getting on my everloving nerves. You want to know why the Southern accent is going away? To tell the truth, we're told when we're very young that we won't match up to someone of the same skills from the north just because of our accent. And it's just not true.

[Aurelius]

Henry Kissinger came to this country before he was 16 - just listen to him. They say he uses a tape recorder and practices daily to keep his accent. If he can do it you southerners can too. I'm hopeless, grew up in western Maryland. But my sister went to college in Virginia and she's got a strong southern accent just from those four years. Go figure.

[billbears]

We've got a guy from Minnesota here in NC that's getting ready to move back there. He's been down here one year and he says no one from Minn understands him at all. Personally, I can still hear his northern accent but I have to admit it is a bit slower than it used to be

[x]

No youngster ever sounds like Strom Thurmond or Fritz Hollings anymore.

LOL!

Children may not sound like these old Senators, but Senators still sound like children.

It would be funny if the Simpson's gave Mayor Quimby a son, Teddy, with the same accent and a gigantic blood-shot head.

If you are still in comics, take the idea and run with it -- a senatorial "Our Gang."

Teddy could have Robert Blake's old role.

[sola gracia]

Y'all just com' on down to East Tennessee for a while and you'uns will have it bac' in no time.

[rdb3]

Decaf? I don't drink coffee for its taste. I drink it for its punch! ;^)

[rdb3]

To tell the truth, we're told when we're very young that we won't match up to someone of the same skills from the north just because of our accent. And it's just not true.

I must agree with you here. It truly isn't true. For full disclosure, both of my parents are from St. Francis County, Arkansas. Forrest City to be exact. So the south hits home for me, too.

[SerpentDove]

>>(unless you're a complete bad-ass, like Bill Moyers). <<

I can't think of a better description of Bill Moyers.

Whoops, I didn't notice the word "bad."

[Hawkeye's Girl]

Some have a very deep accent in VA.

Totally! I'm from Minnesota, and when I tried to order something over the phone from a company down there, I could barely understand the woman who took my order since her accent was so thick.

Of course, she couldn't really understand me either :)

[Diddle E. Squat]

Amen to ya'll on its use. I've been arguing for years with some dear dang yankees on how 'ya'll' fills a void in our language(the plural of 'you'). They never can counter that argument, since 'you guys' is just as much a slang term and less economical.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Hey, that accent is the sole reason I am now a Ward Burton fan(heard him when he won a race a few weeks ago). You just know it curls the toes of those Northeast snobs.

[Twodees]

I've been seeing one boy in movies who has a very solid Southern accent. His name is Lucas Black and he was in "Slingblade", "The X-Files" movie and recently in "All the Pretty Horses". Now, that youngun would have fit right in with my crowd in the '50s in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

If you haven't seen "All the Pretty Horses", I suggest you rent it. I love hearing the boy say, "'Cause y'all know they'd go bowlegged an' blind tryin' to find yo' ass down here".

[Twodees]

Ya, beauty. Reminds me of the old man, eh?