Author Topic: Suthern Accents (Read 22548 times)

Hawkmoon · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2012, 10:45:43 PM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on February 08, 2012, 12:31:15 PM

One customer came in and said, "I have some all in my truck." My wife asked him to repeat what he'd just said, but still couldn't understand. She called her supervisor, and even she couldn't understand. Finally they figured out that he was saying he had "oil" in his truck.

Despite the fact that I took college-level courses in linguistics, I am convinced that it is impossible to reproduce on paper (or screen) an accurate representation of how a true suthren boy enunciates the word for that slippery lubrication stuff.

It isn't quite "all," although that's close. And it isn't quite "awl," either.

I think it's more like "awihl" spoken as a single syllable. Or maybe "ohyl."

wmenorr67 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 08, 2012, 11:28:40 PM »

How hard is to say KY?

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #27 on:** February 09, 2012, 12:17:50 AM »

Quote from: Lee on February 08, 2012, 08:01:46 PM

You got that right. Ever been to Saaaakston?

Sure.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #28 on:** February 09, 2012, 01:08:59 AM »

Don't forget "tars". I got big mud tars on my truck.
Also there is "wahr". I got a flat tar when I run through the bob wahr fence.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #29 on:** February 09, 2012, 01:39:06 AM »

I have a tough time even with words I can understand. The first time I went to a supermarket, the checkout clerk asked me if I wanted a buggy. It took a few back-and-forth's before I realized she meant shopping cart.

I guess folks down here take responsibility for their actions. When there's a collision, the papers call it a "wreck", not an "accident".

People around here are really chatty. I got into a half-hour talk with an older guy at Home Depot. 30 minutes later, I still hadn't understood more than three words he said.

grislyatoms · « **Reply #30 on:** February 09, 2012, 02:23:42 AM »

When I hear a Southern accent, I see white magnolia blossoms. (And their buds, which look exactly like grenades). Peel off the stem and throw it, and (as a kid) it made a perfect grenade.

280plus · « **Reply #31 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:35:51 AM »

All I know is this girl from KY melts my heart every time she says, "bah" instead of "bye". And like HM said, that's NOT the best way to represent the actual inflection.

Lots of us northern boys are a sucker for a pretty girl with a southern accent.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #32 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:40:07 AM »

Quote from: Bob F. on February 08, 2012, 06:28:47 PM

TV has gone a long way toward killing regional dialects, for better or worse. To me, my wife, a local girl, doesn't have much accent; just a funky vocabulary. But not a funky has her Mom had. But she went to Texas for training on new lab equipment & spent most of her time in the break room so everybody could listen to her talk. Now one county over...

Had a gorgeous little blond where I worked: "Cud you hep me hode him still?" Could barely keep a staright face.

How 'bout Ward & Jeff Burton, Nascar racing brothers? Woud has a mouthful of marbles!

Bob

TV has done a lot, but they are still there. You just have to travel around to the smaller towns and meet people who grew up in those areas and never left. Where you don't see regional dialects so much is in bigger cities with more transplants.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #33 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:40:09 AM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on February 09, 2012, 01:39:06 AM

I guess folks down here take responsibility for their actions. When there's a collision, the papers call it a "wreck", not an "accident".

You mean, they bang their cars together on purpose?

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #34 on:** February 09, 2012, 09:01:48 AM »

"Accident" implies unforeseeable and/or unpreventable.
The overwhelming majority of automobile collisions are not so much accidents as they are the result of negligence.
Getting hit by a drunk driver is not an accident. It's a result of criminal negligence.
Getting rear-ended at a stop light is not an accident, it's the result of negligence.

Jocassee · « **Reply #35 on:** February 09, 2012, 09:08:06 AM »

Quote from: RoadKingLarry on February 09, 2012, 09:01:48 AM

"Accident" implies unforeseeable and/or unpreventable.
The overwhelming majority of automobile collisions are not so much accidents as they are the result of negligence.
Getting hit by a drunk driver is not an accident. It's a result of criminal negligence.
Getting rear-ended at a stop light is not an accident, it's the result of negligence.

Correct. In gun parlance it's the difference between an AD and an ND.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #36 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:17:31 AM »

Quote

Lots of us northern boys are a sucker for a pretty girl with a southern accent.

True. I fall in love several times a day.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #37 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:50:30 AM »

Quote from: RoadKingLarry on February 09, 2012, 09:01:48 AM

"Accident" implies unforeseeable and/or unpreventable.

Citations needed.

vaskidmark · « **Reply #38 on:** February 09, 2012, 04:03:23 PM »

Quote from: MechAg94 on February 09, 2012, 07:40:07 AM

TV has done a lot, but they are still there. You just have to travel around to the smaller towns and meet people who grew up in those areas and never left. Where you don't see regional dialects so much is in bigger cities with more transplants.

Word.

Travel a bit and tune in the local TV station for the news - especially, in my experience, the weather forcasts. Daytime AM talk radio is another good source - especially the swap-meet for sale programs and anything with a religious connection.

At one time folks that wanted to break out of regional broadcasting into the national outlets attended schools that taught Standard Midwestern dialect and inflection, much in the same manner that BBC readers were schooled in whatever they called that pseudo-public school speaking sttyle. What I hear on BBC on the SW seems to indicate that there no longer is a standard to be adhered to.

stay safe.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #39 on:** February 09, 2012, 04:07:53 PM »

Quote from: zxcvbob on February 08, 2012, 07:39:26 PM

I tell you what.

We called a guy I used to work with Boomhaur.

Mom got fired from a job because she had too much of an accent.

MechAg94 · « **Reply #40 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:22:23 PM »

One thing is for sure, you never know quite how much of an accent you have yourself until you get recorded and hear yourself talking.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #41 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:25:57 PM »

I was asked by an Aussie guide "why did I speak English with a bloody Pom accent?"

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #42 on:** February 09, 2012, 07:29:49 PM »

Quote from: fistful on February 09, 2012, 10:50:30 AM

Citations needed.

You have heard of dictionaries haven't you?
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accident

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #43 on:** February 09, 2012, 10:54:51 PM »

Yeah, the first one.

If you'd like to play dueling dictionaries, this one also works.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/accident

280plus · « **Reply #44 on:** February 10, 2012, 12:54:52 AM »

Oh, you want to duel with dictionaries eh? I got a 1953 unabridged right over there (I'm pointing) that I bought for $1 at a tag sale. I'll take you ALL on with that baby.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #45 on:** February 10, 2012, 01:14:41 AM »

If you're going to duel with dictionaries, you're not going to be able to bludgeon each other. You'll have to walk 25 paces, turn and throw the dictionary at your opponent.

So, it boils down to the old argument as to which is better: the lighter, faster dictionary, or the slower but heavier one?

280plus · « **Reply #46 on:** February 10, 2012, 09:18:15 AM »

Yes, mine would turn into a plume of fluttering paper before 25 paces. I imagine a little duct tape might help.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #47 on:** February 10, 2012, 03:33:05 PM »

What about people who pronounce "strength" as "strenth"? Is that a Southern thing?

And the people who don't pronounce the "l" in "Republican"? What is that about?

Boomhauer · « **Reply #48 on:** February 10, 2012, 03:58:08 PM »

Quote

What about people who pronounce "strength" as "strenth"? Is that a Southern thing?

Most people I know pronounce it strength.

Remember that when you say "the south" that covers a huge area. What they say in Alabama, for example, I have no idea because I have never been to Alabama.

Most people I know also say Republican, not Repubcan.

280plus · « **Reply #49 on:** February 10, 2012, 04:13:02 PM »

Quote

And the people who don't pronounce the "l" in "Republican"? What is that about?

That's the most ridicuous thing I've ever heard!

News:

Author Topic: Suthern Accents (Read 22548 times)