There are times when I am reminded that most of...er...y'all have 'southern accents'. Yes, I know, being in the minority, I am technically the one with an accent here...But, by virtue of living several places, the effect of Toronto, and the years acting, I have a fairly Hollywood-neutral accent, and I always 'read' all of your posts with that inner voice... That is until one of you slip in a 'Dang!" or some such like...and I am reminded that you're a bunch of rednecks...er, I mean Texicans . And I am also reminded of the stereotypes assosciated with Southern accents...I once saw a comedian talking about that exact prejudice; He said that you could take a brilliant rocket scientist ( that was his example, I swear ) and heave him explain his ideas with a southern accent " We-ell, the ferst thang we gots to do is put that goll-durn thang into it's place that-aways, then we takes this here critter, and... " Granted, I am exaggerating, as was the comedian, but being a southerner, he said it was common for people to assume he was...well, a little slow when he ventured out of the South. On the other hand, the comedian pointed out that you could take an absolute moron, give him a BBC english accent, and people would let him perform open heart surgery without blinking an eye... So I have a few questions. I lived in Flah-dah for a while, but it's so mixed there, and it seems like half the population is from elsewhere, that it doesn't quite feel like the South...Therefore, for all y'all who hail from south of Dixie, I ask these questions: 1) When you have travelled/moved outside the South, have you found the 'duh' assumption to be very common? Do you have any amusing examples? 2) Any other assumptions based on your accent...and I mean aside from the " Girls assume we're hung like bulls/great in bed/etc." that every guy from anywhere assumes is the automatic assumption women make when you have an accent...I mean any other accent based prejudices/assumptions? 3) How do you think of other accents? What assumptions would you make, consciously or otherwise, about people with accents from elsewhere ( please avoid obligatory French joke at this point)? How would you describe different accents? I would describe a texican accent as a slow, lazy drawl, with unusual mid-sentance lilts. 4) What are the regional accent destictions within Texas itself? 5) Are there any phrases I should know by heart if I ever want to try and pass as a genuine Texan? THanks... Peace... JAG
Except for saying "ya'll", I don't think I have an accent. Though, I hate the way my voice sounds when I hear it recorded, but doesn't everybody?
People in East Texas definitely sound more "Southern" than the rest of the state. Part of my family is from there. I'll give you one East Texas expression... the family is often referred to as "the Fly". Someone will address a letter to "Billy Gumper & Fly", for instance. Have fun.
I used to think I had no accent...until I heard myself interviewed on TV and radio. OMG I am a TOTAL HICK! I am redneck! When I sing it doesn't come out som much but when I talk...it's almost embarrassing. I did an interview with a radio station in Toronto and they spent half of the 20 minutes making fun of me! So yeah, I get the 'duh' response. I used to be real into that NTN trivia that they have at bars. When I was stationed in Washington (state), the land of neutral accents, I would be in a bar and be hammered drunk, that's when my East Texan accent really shines, and then I would play trivia with strangers. Well, this drunk hillbilly would stomp mudholes in those guys!
First of all its spelled "Yawl" second ....... well dernit I lost my train a thought......heck fire I was fixin ta make a good point.
I always thought I didn't have an accent, until I went on a job interview far North several years ago. My fellow candidates would laugh their asses off whenever I slipped in a "dang" or "ya'll" and tons of other words I can't recall at the moment. I told them it was word choice, but they said the could hear a little Southern drawl in my voice. Imagine, a second generation American with an accent? Who knew?
I think I have a pretty neutral accent, EXCEPT: 1) I say "ya'll" like a mofo 2) Count me in as one of the "fixin' to..." folk. 3) I drop the g on lots of words. Like runnin', eatin', and so forth..... Maybe I AM a neck!
I was quite proud of my lack of accent - until I started college and everyone started remarking about my drawl. My cousins, who I hadn't seen since I was a little guy, also liked to tease me about my accent. It was the worst the year I lived in DC - everyone there was convinced I was a ****ing cowboy. Never mind that I hate horses and would never be caught dead in Wanglers and a Stetson. On the flip side, I think Californians have a far more annoying accent than Texans. They all sound like extras from Valley Girl and combined with their "cute" phrases (think Swingers), I wanted to strangle every Californian I saw.
While I do have a Texas Panhandle drawl (and people from the Panhandle do have a different accent than much of the rest of Texas), I do not use the term "y'all", nor do I say "fixin'" (as in "fixin' to do somethin'" which is another staple of the local vernacular. When I first moved to the Metroplex, several people asked where I was from to have such an accent. No one believed I was from Texas.
I wish I could intergrate lingo from Swingers into my daily conversations, but I know I'd sound like a poser.
I never had an accent until I left East Texas. After moving to Houston anytime I would introduce myself the other person felt it was necassary to speak in a mocking southern accent. Man was that always a riot. Personally I liked having an accent, it was part of who I am. But after years of living in the civilized world I'm afraid it's gone. I still use southern words when I talk though.
When I made the recording for my answering machine, I thought I sounded like a hick. So I remade the recording using a deeper voice and I tried to eliminate the hick accent. My friends now call me Don Pardo.
I don't have a southern accent, but I use Ya'll in my ultra-western/urban/california slang type lingo.
I remember when I went to New York everyone made fun of my accent and especially the way I said 'maam'. At first I thought I must've had a real bad southern twang to my voice or something, until I discovered that they were the ones with the heavy accents and mine was a little more towards neutral. After that, we just made fun of each other and everything was cool.
I think the slow and deliberate West Texas drawl and peppy East Texas twang (mostly Dallas) are pretty distinct.
Is the term ya'll mainly used only in Southern areas? Do they not use it in the north? Because the term just seems so natural to me growing up in Texas.
"Y'all" is not commonly used up north. The preferred term is "you guys." I've lived in Texas for more than 15 years now and I still can't bring myself to say "y'all" -- it just feels wrong.
Harrumph! You'll never be a real Texan if you don't conform. Say "ya'll, say it." This joke would be better if I could find a Homer smilie.
I know people say southern accents sound dumb, but I lived in Brooklyn for a number of years. Trust me there are dumber sounding accents than southern. As for 'ya'll' it makes sense. Come on Mrs. JB do it, all the cool kids are.
You aren't 21? How is that possible? I viewed you as someone that is at least 28. This kills me. NostradamusWasSnubbed, did you predict this?
