The Southern Accent: We're Losing It

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

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

I don't relate to or recognize anything this guy says about Southerners - especially Dallas! Has he ever been to Texas?

I use y'all all the time - I even type it! (the correct way). Fixin' is my most overused and one of my favorite words. My boss from Chicago teases me constantly about it.

There are only 3 real meals - breakfast, lunch and supper. Northerners had to slim it down to two words - breakfast and dinner because they couldn't remember a third. hehe.

Let's chat! LOL!

[Dakmar]

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

I wouldn't know how to respond if I was approached by youngsters who sounded like Strom. If they sounded exactly like him I would probably be a little creeped out.

[Feiny]

Here is a great thread.

[Corin Stormhands]

Funny, I've met very few in VA that have a southern accent, including those that have lived here all of their lives. Interestingly enough it seems there is a sort of "Virginia Accent"

Virginians never really had the Scarlet O'Hara type southern accent. What you're referring to is more likely the Virginia Tidewater accent. West of the Blue Ridge, where I'm from, you get more of a "mountain" dialect.

[Ditter]

********The Yankee accent is also being lost*********

Chile' that will be a blessin'. ;9}

[Senator Pardek]

Har - do you remember the word I "corrected" you on concerning its pronunciation at the Freepball?

I certainly don't. Anyway, I thought you were gonna take a swing at me, so I backed off.

[oldvike]

The people who did this study must not have visited my home town.

[cyclotic]

I have to agree. Last year, my wife and I traveled from Michigan for a weekend in Charleston, SC. I figured in the heart of the south, and the birthplace of the War of the Rebellion, Speakin' Southern would be all around. We were literally there for two days before I heard my first "y'all." I even thanked the man for his correct use of "y'all." Y'all is a perfect word that needs to make its way into the common vernacular anyway. It's so much more descriptive than "you people" or the ever popular and northern redneck "yous" "Y'all've" is even better.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I don't know what you mean, re "supper" - That was the only expression I recall using as a kid in New England - We had breakfast, lunch, and supper... :0) Of course, I'm no language expert, as My wife, from the west coast, still teases me because I once refered to a Dresser as a 'bureau'... :0)

[Fifth Business]

Funny, I've met very few in VA that have a southern accent, including those that have lived here all of their lives. Interestingly enough it seems there is a sort of "Virginia Accent" because I've been told that my accent is sort of strange by southerners and northerners since it is distinctly not southern, northern nor is it midwestern. IMO it's just that the various accents are merging into a pan-American accent.

I know people all over that great commonwealth, and I have certain impressions of the accents in different areas. Tell me if you agree. In No. Va., they sound mid-atlantic but with a slower cadence. In the tidewater area they have a kind of aristocratic drawl, like Foghorn Leghorn. In the western part of the state they have a highland southern accent, more melodic and twangy. I'm generalizing of course, but there do seem to be distinct differences.

[Fifth Business]

Kindly see my post #30 and tell me if you agree.

[Dakmar]

As a chronic and incurable midwesterner, I question the need for your fancy East Coast double vowelling. It's pronounced "ornj".

[eddie willers]

rather than Are-ange

As in "Are-ange you gonna fix supper?

[Ms. AntiFeminazi]

LOL! I forgot about that! I remember you correcting me, but I can't remember what the word was. It'll drive me crazy now til I do! lol.

[Clemenza]

My wife, from the west coast, still teases me because I once refered to a Dresser as a 'bureau'... :0)

Where I come from, if you want something out of the "dressa," you pull out the "draw."

[Chad Fairbanks]

Of course, my use of the word 'Yankee' has different connotations, based on our geographic location - Ya'll down south think of a Yankee as anyone from above the Mason-Dixon Line... At least I believe that's the best non-profane definition... ;0)

whereas myself, on the other hand, having grown up in the backwoods of Na Hampsha (Swamp Yankee), a yankee is someone from New England, and more specifically Maine and Na Hampsha (of course, our definitions become even further defined - in my neighborhood, the word 'Yankee' actually meant Earl Jones, the guy who lived uphill from us...) :0)

[bandlength]

get out your churchkey, have a nice two-four and some poutine, sack out on the chesterfield

beauty, eh?

[Senator Pardek]

I'll never recall - all I remember is you laughing and smiling, and your right hand balled up and shaking uncontrollably.

[Corin Stormhands]

Kindly see my post #30 and tell me if you agree.

You've got the regions basically right, but you left out far Southwest Virginia where there is more of a twang. And I wouldn't describe the Tidewater Accent as "Foghorn Leghorn," but you're going in the right direction.

[eddie willers]

Ya'll down south think of a Yankee as anyone from above the Mason-Dixon Line

More like west of Mississippi and north of Nashville.