Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

A forum for discussing US dialects (accents).
scw1217
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Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby scw1217 » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:14 pm

Someone sent me an article by that name and I thought you might like to read it...

Article Link

I was particularly taken by the following sentence...
"Northerners still make fun of Southern speech," says Dennis Preston, a linguist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "To them, it stirs up images of sitting out in a cabin, polishing a gun, and scratching a hound dog."
What, I ask, is wrong with that image? :lol: In all seriousness, it's an interesting article.
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http://www.feelgoodromance.com

Huny
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby Huny » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:22 am

Someone sent me an article by that name and I thought you might like to read it...

Article Link

I was particularly taken by the following sentence...
"Northerners still make fun of Southern speech," says Dennis Preston, a linguist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "To them, it stirs up images of sitting out in a cabin, polishing a gun, and scratching a hound dog."


What, I ask, is wrong with that image? :lol: In all seriousness, it's an interesting article.
Oh, man! Some of those remarks at the end of the article opened up a can of worms!

I feel myself that I am a bidialectal (was that the word?) Having been raised in CA, lived a few years in the Ozarks and having spent 14 years in GA, I can adapt when needed. I feel it is necessary in the sales position I have. I tend to have better luck with sales with African-Americans here in the south if I keep to my west coast accent. I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone why that is, but I do find it interesting. :shock:

I also have found that when a southerner is nervous, they seem to have a deeper southern accent. More so in someone that is from elsewhere and has lived here long enough to pick up a dab of a southern draw.

Interesting article, scw. Thank you.

Huny :D
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compaired to what lies inside us." R.W.E.

Huny
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Postby Huny » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:25 am

By the way, scw, does that weenie dog in your avatar have a blue eye? There is a reason I ask... :wink:

Huny
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compaired to what lies inside us." R.W.E.

Bailey
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby Bailey » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:51 am

Someone sent me an article by that name and I thought you might like to read it...

Article Link

I was particularly taken by the following sentence...
"Northerners still make fun of Southern speech," says Dennis Preston, a linguist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "To them, it stirs up images of sitting out in a cabin, polishing a gun, and scratching a hound dog."
What, I ask, is wrong with that image? :lol:

Huny :D
I'll tell you what's wrong....
it's very odd so many in Michigan have Thick southern accents. I mean many. I have relatives there, You remember Bubba? and He lives much farther North, and he's usually found sittin' out in front of his shack there on his porch wif his gun and hound. That must be where the perception of the ig'n'runt southerner comes from, There are lots of Bubbas in trailer courts all across the North.

mark It's-where-I-get-my-y'all Bailey

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb









scw1217
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Postby scw1217 » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:13 am

By the way, scw, does that weenie dog in your avatar have a blue eye? There is a reason I ask... :wink:

Huny
Yes, she does. And I have her Dad who also has 1 blue eye.
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
http://www.feelgoodromance.com

scw1217
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby scw1217 » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:20 am

I feel myself that I am a bidialectal (was that the word?) Having been raised in CA, lived a few years in the Ozarks and having spent 14 years in GA, I can adapt when needed. I feel it is necessary in the sales position I have. I tend to have better luck with sales with African-Americans here in the south if I keep to my west coast accent. I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone why that is, but I do find it interesting. :shock:

I also have found that when a southerner is nervous, they seem to have a deeper southern accent. More so in someone that is from elsewhere and has lived here long enough to pick up a dab of a southern draw.

Interesting article, scw. Thank you.

Huny :D
You're welcome. That was the word and the first time I have heard of it. But I knew what it meant immediately. Having grown up in the south, I have seen first hand what happens when you get a group of true southerners together into one bunch, especially close relatives - suddenly the accent gets really thick.

My own accent is only mildly southern. I suffer more from over usage of southern dialect than from my accent. (Though my husband would tell you I tend to say "pilla" instead of "pillow" a lot.)
I'll tell you what's wrong....
it's very odd so many in Michigan have Thick southern accents. I mean many. I have relatives there, You remember Bubba? and He lives much farther North, and he's usually found sittin' out in front of his shack there on his porch wif his gun and hound. That must be where the perception of the ig'n'runt southerner comes from, There are lots of Bubbas in trailer courts all across the North.
In fact, my husband has a friend named Bubba. No joke. He has the truck, gun, fishin' pole, AND the dog.
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
http://www.feelgoodromance.com

skinem
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby skinem » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:42 pm

"Northerners still make fun of Southern speech," says Dennis Preston, a linguist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. "To them, it stirs up images of sitting out in a cabin, polishing a gun, and scratching a hound dog."


What, I ask, is wrong with that image? :lol: In all seriousness, it's an interesting article.
I also have found that when a southerner is nervous, they seem to have a deeper southern accent. More so in someone that is from elsewhere and has lived here long enough to pick up a dab of a southern draw.

Interesting article, scw. Thank you.

Huny :D
I have found that most anyone's accent is deeper when they are nervous, whether or not they are southern. I live in the South, and work with a lady from Brooklyn, NY and we've noticed it with her accent.

And, the only thing wrong with the statement about "sitting in a cabin..." is that one does not polish a gun--they clean it, oil it, etc., but one does not typically polish it. :)

Interesting article.

And one possible response to Dennis Preston about what images accents bring up is not a one way street. Many folks in the South, upon hearing a, say, strong New York or Boston accent, brings up images of someone sitting in a crowded city tenement (above polluted streets filled with very rude people) polishing off a beer and scratching a cat...

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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby Bailey » Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:10 pm


And one possible response to Dennis Preston about what images accents bring up is not a one way street. Many folks in the South, upon hearing a, say, strong New York or Boston accent, brings up images of someone sitting in a crowded city tenement (above polluted streets filled with very rude people) polishing off a beer and scratching a cat...
Surprise that image isn't just in the south, only along with that image are the smells; stinky garbage, cooking from a million stoves, both private and public, and noises; sirens, foreign languages at hi volumes, cursing from a neighbor's open window., etc. etc. etc. And of course that guy swilling his beer is wearing a wife beater shirt with a hole in in it.

mark ok,-not-really Bailey

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
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scw1217
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby scw1217 » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:05 pm


In fact, my husband has a friend named Bubba. No joke. He has the truck, gun, fishin' pole, AND the dog.
Of course he does, and while holding onto the gun and sitting after it's been cleaned he will be stroking that gun idly as if to reassure huimself it's still in good shape and put together in case there is a squirril or possum crossing the yard the dogs are too fast asleep to hear/smell. It almost looks like he's polishing it.
mark a-rifle-taken-apart-is-worthless Bailey

Especially if your non-favorite neighbor drives up, I've been shot at, no lie, 5 times in my life forgetting to "Halloo the house" first.
Of course in these parts, its not a possum or a squirrel, so much as an alligator. Not that it's NOT ILLEGAL nor I am endorsing it...
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
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Bailey
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby Bailey » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:36 pm


btw I have no idea how/why this post got changed it was supposed to be quoted and added to:

absolutely, I'd kill any I saw too, and I do condone it they are not endangered as much as endangering. I believe this is a valid impression we have of Florida.

mark no-alligators-NO-Alligators Bailey
big words for someone who doesn't own a gun. I swat mosquitoes for the same reason a stray alligator must be dealt with. Why put me in Jail?

mark at-a-loss-for-words Bailey
Last edited by Bailey on Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:56 am, edited 2 times in total.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
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scw1217
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby scw1217 » Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:09 pm


Of course in these parts, its not a possum or a squirrel, so much as an alligator. Not that it's NOT ILLEGAL nor I am endorsing it...
absolutely, I'd kill any I saw too, and I do condone it they are not endangered as much as endangering. I believe this is a valid impression we have of Florida.

mark no-alligators-NO-Alligators Bailey
And I'd visit you in jail...
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
http://www.feelgoodromance.com

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gailr
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby gailr » Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:28 pm


Of course in these parts, its not a possum or a squirrel, so much as an alligator. Not that it's NOT ILLEGAL nor I am endorsing it...
absolutely, I'd kill any I saw too, and I do condone it they are not endangered as much as endangering. I believe this is a valid impression we have of Florida.

mark no-alligators-NO-Alligators Bailey
And I'd visit you in jail...
Iffen they caught him.

Huny
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Postby Huny » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:51 pm

By the way, scw, does that weenie dog in your avatar have a blue eye? There is a reason I ask... :wink:

Huny
Yes, she does. And I have her Dad who also has 1 blue eye.
I have a three year old that has a blue left eye. Her momma is a red and her papa was a double dapple with two blue eyes and is deaf as a log. She has spots down her back all the way to the tip of her tail. Other than that, she is all red. She has two different colors of blue in that eye, all being full rings around her pupil. All of her emotions and feeling can be read in that one eye. It's almost human like. I swear it glows in the dark. She is battling breast cancer right now. She goes in for tumor removal next Tuesday. Poor little girl. She is my child-for I have none of my own. Yours is beautiful. :D

Huny
"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compaired to what lies inside us." R.W.E.

scw1217
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Postby scw1217 » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:33 pm

By the way, scw, does that weenie dog in your avatar have a blue eye? There is a reason I ask... :wink:

Huny
Yes, she does. And I have her Dad who also has 1 blue eye.
I have a three year old that has a blue left eye. Her momma is a red and her papa was a double dapple with two blue eyes and is deaf as a log. She has spots down her back all the way to the tip of her tail. Other than that, she is all red. She has two different colors of blue in that eye, all being full rings around her pupil. All of her emotions and feeling can be read in that one eye. It's almost human like. I swear it glows in the dark. She is battling breast cancer right now. She goes in for tumor removal next Tuesday. Poor little girl. She is my child-for I have none of my own. Yours is beautiful. :D

Huny
Aw, and I wish her the best and a speedy recovery! I know exactly what you mean about that eye. My daughter and I joke about it saying, "Is she giving you the blue eye or the brown one?" :lol:
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
http://www.feelgoodromance.com

scw1217
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Re: Hey Y'all, is Southern Drawl Spreading?

Postby scw1217 » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:34 pm

Iffen they caught him.
Mark-slick-as-the-wind-Bailey? :lol:
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