On Accents

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:32 pm

So the other day, a lovely man from New Jersey (and the father of a friend of mine) asked me where I was from. I said I was from Columbia, SC, and he looked mildly surprised and declared, "Well you have no accent at all!"

My obvious response was "Thank you very much." I'm pretty sure I glowed, it made me so happy. I love it when people from other regions tell me I don't have an accent. Because if some podunk hillbilly says "May-un, y'all ain't gots no accent a'tall!" I am not flattered. But when a dude from New Jersey can't detect my southern upbringing, I call that capital-V Victory.

He then proceeded to tell me that he has seen people positively offended at being told they lack a southern accent. I'm completely mystified by that.

Discuss.

emmline · Post by **emmline** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:52 pm

So, you think your former neighbors are hicks?
jk, sort of...

I guess it depends on whether your identity is strongly wrapped up in your geography of origin, or whether you think of yourself as more of a global citizen.

When I'm in my father's homeland (Tazewell, VA, near Blacksburg,) I find the twangs creeping into my voice.

Flogging Jason · Post by **Flogging Jason** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:57 pm

I have similar experiences. I live in St Augustine. Fl, a tourist town, where there are lots of people from all over the world. Often, when I'm talking with people they are surprised to learn that I am a local. I'm still not sure wether I should be happy or offended. I'm offended that they expect the locals to talk like hicks. But I'm happy that I can shatter their illusions.

Oddly enough, I can often guess where someone is raised based on their southern accent. I never mention it aloud(for fear of embarassment) but I'm right about 75% of the time.

On another note...I have a hard time distinguishing the accents of Aussies from South Londoners. Luckily, they don't take offense very easily. Although, I was terribly embarrased when I mistook a group of drunk Liverpool chaps for being Scots!! I never miss the mark on figuring out the Irish though.

Flogging Jason · Post by **Flogging Jason** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:02 pm

emmline wrote: When I'm in my father's homeland (Tazewell, VA, near Blacksburg,) I find the twangs creeping into my voice.

This happens to me as well. I think of it as having an "adaptive personality". My voice and mannerisms change subconciously depending on the group I'm with. If I ever make it to Ireland I'm sure I'll be indistinguishable from the locals within a fortnight(thanks in part to the red hair, tin whistles, and generally european mindset). I've been known to fool people with my put-on accent.

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:04 pm

I think the disappearing of regional accents and dialects is a little depressing. It's homogenization thanks largely to TV, but also to migration. I still have mostly the Connecticut I grew up with, but also a little bit of Maine, Boston, Virginia, and Maryland. My wife thought I was from California when we first met. I thought that was insane till I heard myself recorded on our answering box. The combination of Connecticut and Virginia really does sound a little California-ish. Like Em, I tend to lapse more strongly into one accent or another if I'm immersed in it.

I knew someone from South Carolina who insisted that her name, Ann, was two syllables. She even wrote it out, Ay-yun.

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:09 pm

I knew someone from South Carolina who insisted that her name, Ann, was two syllables. She even wrote it out, Ay-yun.

Well, that's because it does have two syllables.

It's my middle name so I reckon I oughta know.

I'm about an hour southwest of the Tazewell of Em's youth and by golly I do have an accent. Yep, and proud of it! I too, think it is sad that regional accents are fading. I love to hear them.

"May-un, y'all ain't gots no accent a'tall!

That would be me, the podunk hillbilly saying that, with a sympathetic tone to my voice. The eldest daughter use to date a guy from Columbia and he had a great southern accent .

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:22 pm

cowtime wrote:
"May-un, y'all ain't gots no accent a'tall!

That would be me, the podunk hillbilly saying that, with a sympathetic tone to my voice. The eldest daughter use to date a guy from Columbia and he had a great southern accent .

I had quite an accent growing up, I'll add. I pretty much purged it starting in middle school, because I decided I hated the South and everyone in it. I don't really hate the South anymore, but I don't have an accent, either.

I'll have to record myself speaking so you guys can decide about my accent. And also whether I sound like a girl or not.

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:25 pm

Some folks are proud of their heritage and traditions, others are not. Some folks see themselves a certain way, and get jostled when others do not see them in the same way. I am not surprised people get upset at either declaration, an accent when there is only a trace of one, no accent when a person may or may not have one. Some folks get quite upset over really, really trivial matters, sometimes obsessively so.

TV and a mobile population means accents are less and less. Without TV and travel, after many generations, eventually, a place looks like India or China. Places where locals can not understand folks in the next town a mere 20 miles away.

Some folks mock accents and mannerisms to denigrate or sling insults at others. Some folks try and replicate them for fun, or for acting out a role.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:04 pm

I have an accent, and to some of you it would sound quite strong...

But at that, the old Arkansas accents are dying off.

I remember when I was a child, my grandparents and my aunts and uncles, the way they spoke: there was such an honest forthrightness to it, as though everything they said had to be carefully thought over, because it came straight from the heart and they were scared they'd get it wrong.

And the women...!!!

Glorious rich voices thick and rich like honey. I hear women talk now, and there is still some accent, but that glorious speech that was the color of the setting sun is all but gone now...only the very old still speak in that voice.

I am proud of my accent. I not only am from the South, I am proud to be of it.

Not to say that the South is perfect, not by a long shot. But it would have been a poorer life if I'd never learned to hear and love the warm resonance of the southern voice.

--James

PallasAthena · Post by **PallasAthena** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:06 pm

I have a rather generic American accent, which I guess is good considering the alternative--a New Jersey accent (I rather like my state, but I don't care for the accent)--and I don't pick up accents very easy in general (NOT useful when trying to learn a foreign language

). The only exception I can think of to this is that when I'm talking very animatedly or losing my temper, I sometimes begin to sound slightly...Irish...and that's just wierd.

The problem with accents is all the steriotypes that go along with them--level of educaiton, snobbishness, etc.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:13 pm

No matter who you are or what you do, someone is going to stereotype you anyway.

You might as well be you; it's what you're best equipped for, anyway.

--James

Ann · Post by **Ann** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:06 pm

I was out the other night having a bit of random fun and a woman asked me if I was Irish or Scots. I wasn't sure what she meant, so I told her I was Irish since my great grandparents were Irish immigrants. She said her Mom is from Dublin and she thought I was from there too. Honestly I wasn't trying to mimic anyone so I was genuinely surprised. I don't have an accent, but people ask me where I'm really from all the time, even in my home town. I must have unconsciously made one up, or maybe its from too much travel and studying too many different languages. Or maybe I have a speech impediment, I really don't know.

tuaz · Post by **tuaz** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:58 am

Speaking as a non-American, of course you all (ie, Americans) have accents!

Everybody speaks English with some sort of accent.

However, it seems to me that Americans do tend to take their "generic" American accent as the default/standard, and consider that NOT to be an accent at all. I don't really see that same attitude in the English or any other country's people.

Is it because it's truly a generic accent not linked to any region? Or does that generic accent actually originate somewhere, say California/Hollywood? I'm curious.

I'm not that good at distinguishing between your regional accents beyond recognising the more stereotypical accents from New York, New Jersey, Boston, the south (in general - I can't really tell the differences between the diff southern regions) and maybe those broadly from the mid-West who stretch out and broaden some of their words. Everything else I hear on TV I would consider a generic American accent.

chrisoff · Post by **chrisoff** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:33 am

Flogging Jason wrote: Although, I was terribly embarrased when I mistook a group of drunk Liverpool chaps for being Scots!!

I always think I've got a fairly neutral accent, then I go to England and spend a few days with people quoting Taggart at me

According to my English friends it gets worse the more I drink.

The stranger one was when I was in Newcastle for a weekend and some girls thought we were Irish. At least I think that's what they said, I couldn't understand much through their thick Geordie accent.

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:41 am

People from the "north" say I have a southern accent.

People from the "south" say I have a northern accent.

I've lived in the same area all my life - I just have MY accent......