Tragedy has once again struck the sweet, sweet life of mrpeenee. I recently realized I have somehow dropped the lovely and useful Southern word of "y'all." "Y'all" is a wonderful word since standard English uses the same word ("you") for both the singular and plural second person pronoun, which is obviously stupid. It is also a prominent feature of a Southern accent and I was slightly horrified to notice I had switched to using "you guys" instead.
I am not ashamed of my Southern accent, even though a drawl like that is commonly associated with a lower intelligence. Uh, fuck you, that's what I say to that. And so I have made no effort to eradicate it even though I left the swampy embrace of the South decades ago. Still, living away from other people speaking in that way eventually eroded my accent to something, dare I say it, more Californian. That's why I'm surprised when people comment on my speech. "Honey," I want to say, " if you think I have an accent now you should have heard what I started out with."
R Man and I were once listening to some NPR story about how Southerners speak and how the accent varies so drastically from place to place in the South. One of the examples they offered was that urban people in the South would switch "these and those" for "dese and doze." I told R Man "I don't talk like that" only for him to point out I had just said "I don't talk like dat."
While we're on the subject of speech, I have noticed the real rise in people dropping the double consonant in the middle of a word, like button or butter or kitten and replacing it with like a glottal stop so that they wind up saying something like "bu' on" and "bu' er" and "ki' en". I used to think of this as a phenomenon in British speakers and a signifier of lower class, but now it seems to have jumped to America and is pretty prevalent. As usual I blame the internet for this and so much more.
Guys, I wouldn't mind having a chat with:
That cock in #1 would given anyone a glo'all stop.
ReplyDelete#9 just loves being the pass-around bottom.
I would happily get in line for that pass around buffet.
DeleteI apologise for the glottal stop. Although I make a point of not writing how I speak! I love my accent - common as muck - but I love it.
ReplyDeleteSx
Oh, you and your glottals
DeleteI'm from Wales, and people in London still pick up on my accent. Couldn't give a shit, to be honest. Far better than that godawful "upward inflection", where every sentence sounds like a question... Jx
ReplyDeletePS I'll take the "Ben Affleck lookey-likey" at #1, the simple lad at #6 and the houseboy at #7, please.
I was very struck by the simple lad myself.
DeleteDid y'all notice that cartoon at the top of the entry? It is 2024 and Elon Muskox is still trying to make linking brains and computers come true - because the drugs haven't worked for him. (An' stop trying to bu'er those ki'ens!)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, too
I don't care how much it might increase my intelligence, I refuse to wear that ugly hat
DeleteDon't know why blogger sometimes makes me comment as Anonymous... but I started out life speaking French, moved to Souther California then Honolulu... and then London... and finally NYC... people always say..."You're not from here are you?" it always sounds less accusatory and friendly in the south.... besides I've always been a sucker for a southern accent. BozB
ReplyDeleteYour accent must be very complex by now.
DeleteYears of diction and vocal training has erased any trace of an accent. BozB
DeleteI say talk like you want and just ignore everyone! I find any of most accents and local language very charming, low of high class.
ReplyDeleteAnd the guy in the van, I bet I've "ran into him" in the woods.
If I asked 10 random naked men if they knew you, I feel certain at least two of them would.
DeleteThe glottal stop! Ive been noticing it too, primarily among people who were educated in the northeast.
ReplyDeleteAlso "you guys" always and forever. I've never been a "ya'll"er.
I will not your word said against "y'all".
DeleteAfter a few scoops of medicinal down my neck, my self taught Mayfair accent goes down the shitter and my old northern accent comes out like you wouldn't believe, and I don't blush at the C word either. You've surpassed yourself with the men selection.
ReplyDeleteI would try to imitate an up north sound, but we both know I would just embarrass myself.
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