The distinct drawls and twangs that dominate America’s Southeast as we know it may be dying off, new research suggests. A North Carolina State University study has noted a gradual shift away from the drawn-out vowel pronunciations widely associated with Southern speech, which experts say is ‘disappearing’.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=s0fHYMC4rF4
Is the Southern accent spreading?
“The boundary for Southern speech actually has spread,” says Mr. Fought. “And we’re seeing fairly large fingers and puddles of more or less Southern speech north of the Ohio River and West of the Mississippi into the Plains.” Other linguists aren’t so sure, noting that locale doesn’t always dictate dialect.
Are accents declining?
First, accent changes are unpredictable. There’s no evolutionary reason that the vowels are shifting, they just are because that’s part of how human language has always worked. Second, that accents are still shifting and changing today, which means that English will never become fully homogeneous.
Are we losing regional accents?
According to the first set of results from an app mapping changes in English dialects launched in January by the University of Cambridge, regional accents are dying out. The English Dialects app, downloaded 70,000 times already, has generated data from 30,000 users across 4,000 locations.
How attractive is a Southern accent?
A recent survey by Cupid.com of 2,000 men and women found that the Southern twang’, especially from the yellow hammer state, of the south was voted first place as the most attractive in the U.S. The Southern accent came up on top with 36.5% of the vote followed by New York in second with 16.5%.
Are Southerners more polite?
While this makes Southerners more polite, it’s also something of a double-edged sword. Good hospitality and manners are well-known stereotypes of the American South. Psychologists believe that the South is so well-mannered because it has a culture of honor, where an individual’s reputation is highly valuable.
How do you say hello in Southern accent?
Howdy. This is a Southern way to say hello. Howdy!
Is the American accent dying?
What I came to find out during my time recording the podcast is that accents and dialects aren’t dying. Instead, they are constantly changing, though usually at a very slow pace. The significance of evolving accents is actually much bigger than merely sounding different than we used to in the past.
How do you talk without a Southern accent?
Pronounce your vowels and consonants more clearly and quickly.
- “Clip” or shorten your vowels.
- You can try to speak with your mouth in more of a circular shape to achieve the effect of rounding out your vowels instead of flattening them.
- Place the accent on the second syllable of words such as cement and umbrella.
Are accents changing?
Accents are being diluted
Regional accents are changing over time. As people move about the world more and more, accents are becoming more diluted. It’s what linguists call “leveling,” where regional expressions and varying speech patterns become more uniform.
Is the British accent disappearing?
Regional accents across England are slowly fading, and are being replaced nationwide with a more ‘southern’ way of speaking, according to research.
Are American accents homogenizing?
Exposure to mass media is not homogenizing American language or making us all talk the same. Although some localized dialects are dying out–for example in Appalachia and on the islands off the Carolinas-that is due to population movement, not the media.
Where does a Southern accent come from?
The main origin of the accent comes from British immigrants. The older Southern American accent, which became less prominent following the Civil War, had stronger similarities to the British accents of Northern England.
What is the ugliest accent?
The “Scranton accent” is getting national attention. Scranton is the number 2 seed in gawker.com’s contest for “America’s Ugliest Accent.” It’s sometimes called “Coal Region speak.”
Where is the Southern accent strongest?
Another 16% say the Southern coast has the strongest regional accent, while New York and Texas were tied, with 13% saying these states had the strongest accents.
What accents do Americans find most attractive?
Nationally, southern accents were voted as the best and sexiest among participants; New York were picked as “most likely to make someone sound smarter” and midwestern accents were voted as “most trustworthy.”
What are Southerners known for?
25 things every Southerner knows to be true
- “Tea” is synonymous with “sweet tea.”
- Saturday means college football.
- School will always be canceled when it snows.
- You own at least one item that is monogrammed.
- Everything is fried.
- The saying “Bless your heart” is not a compliment.
Is the South hospitable?
Many scholars of the South defend the notion that contemporary southerners continue to display distinctively hospitable behavior, despite producing little more than colorful anecdotes as evidence.
How can I be polite in the South?
One of the hallmark character traits of polite people is that they listen more than the talk. They’re quick to ask questions, attentive to the responses, and never interrupt. Rather than constantly turning conversations back to themselves, they are eager to give other people the floor.
What do Southerners say weird?
Words Southerners Say Weird
caint – can’t (I caint do that.) fitt’in – fixing to, about to (I’m fitt’in to buy one.) fitty – fifty (Can I borrow fitty cents?) i’moan – I am going to (I’moan go to that game.)
How do Southerners say goodbye?
Here are the sayings to use.
- Church is finally letting out.
- Church is out.
- Don’t take any wooden nickels.
- Don’t let the door hit ya’ where the good Lord split ya.
- Holler if you need me.
- It’s time to heat up the bricks.
- It’s time to put the chairs in the wagon.
- It’s time to swap spit and hit the road.
