Saturday, April 3, 2010

Southern Accent and Sayings

Even though every one speaks English in the United States, each region has its own accent. Of all the regions, the Southern region accent or drawl is very famous. When a woman from Southern region speaks with that southern drawl, it is considered very charming and sexy. Most of the Americans are fascinated by southern accent.

There is always this joke that when Henry Kissinger and President Jimmy Carter met, they had to bring their own translators. Henry Kissinger with his thick German accent and Jimmy Carter with his Southern drawl.

Southern drawl can be described as a gliding diphthongization of stressed vowel. For example, they pronounce “yae-yis” for “yes”. “ti-ahm” for “time”. “ah” for “i”. "Ah'm dyoo home at fahv o'clock” means “I am due home at five o’clock”. “dyuty” for “duty”.

Short i is pronounced for short e. Therefore, Memphis is mimphis and Tennessee is Tinnissi.

Final consonants are often weakened. “mo” for “more”. “bes” for “best”. “flo” for “floor”

I can go on and on and on.

President Bill Clinton is from South. His wife Hillary Clinton is not from South. When she was campaigning for the Democratic Party’s nomination as a candidate for the President of USA (against Obama), she used fake Southern accent to woo the Southern voters. Take a look at it.



In addition, Southerners have their own sayings and special meanings for words. Here are some of them:

Ain't that the berries! (that is great!)

Caught with your pants down. (surprised and unprepared)

Do go on. (you must be joking)

Don't let your mouth overload your tail. (talking too much)

Don't bite off more than you can chew. (attempt what you can accomplish)

Go hog wild. (have a good time)

Go to bed with the chickens. (in bed early)

In high cotton. (rising up in society)

Every dog should have a few feas. (no one is perfect)

Like two peas in a pod. (act and think alike)

That takes the cake. (surprised)

Well, shut my mouth. (shocked and speechless)

AIRISH- cold

CHUNK- throw, toss

DIXIE- Southern States of the U.S.A

HOLD YOUR HORSES- (be patient)

MUCH OBLIGED- thank you; hope to return the favor

PIDDLE- waste time, doing nothing

RECKON- think or supose so.

SHINDIG- dance or celebration

SOUTHERN BELLE- Southern lady

SPRING CHICKEN- young thing

SWEET TALKING THING- has a good line

WORRY-WART- one who is annoying

YOSELF – yourself

CO’COLA – coca cola

53 comments:

  1. I don't know what you're talking about.
    Southerners don't have an accent.

    Regards,
    Ross Perot

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
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  2. Hey SG,

    You said, "When a woman from Southern region speaks with that southern drawl, it is considered very charming and sexy."

    Well isn't it just as SEXY and charming when I say - SHAZAM...or GOOOOLLLLY...or SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

    Regards,
    Gomer Pyle

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for your comments Ross. I have not seen you running for U.S. President lately. What are you doing nowadays.

    When you sold your Company (EDS) to Ford Motors, you got a seat on the Board of Ford Motors. You started to creat trouble. Ford paid you $700 million for you to resign from the Board of Directors. Boy, you know how to make money.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for your comments Gomer. Yes, when you say these words it is equally sexy and charming, at least to your husand Rock Hundson.

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  5. Hey funny how so many colloqial terms we use today are from the South. Btw I'm reading a book called 'Lost Continent' (travels in small town USA) & a lot about Southern accent was mentioned there too :):) coincidence!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for your comments lostworld. Lost Continent is a wonderful book. Author Bill Bryson tries to relive his childhood vacation trips and travels through 38 states by car. Some his comments are hilarious.

    ReplyDelete
  7. now that's interesting..I am soon planning to write a post on Mumbaiya lingo..Mumbai people speak different Hindi than others..:)

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  8. Thanks for your comments Neha. I think you should write one one Mumbai lingo.

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  9. SG the first two commenst toh ekdum fataka hai :) nice one eh !!

    i guess whats natural in one place becomes funny in another..be it accent or rituals :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. The regionally flavored lingo is always interesting.I loved the sayings and the meanings you have mentioned in your post.Thanks.

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  11. ha ha now thats interesting... initialy i thought southern accent as telugu and tamil :)... cyu around

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  12. Thanks for sharing!! Nice one!!

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  13. funny.. :D

    didn't know the meaning of some of the sayings you had listed...informative :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for your comments Sulagna. I liked the first two comments also.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for your comments Kavita. Yes, Southerners have their own lingo. Their accent is sweet and sexy.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for your comments HaRy. I am glad you were surprized that I actually meant Southern USA. Did you think I was going to comment about "dai ivola thaan limitu ithuku mela pesane saavadichuruven".

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for your comments Swatantra. I am glad you liked this post.

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  18. Thanks for your comments Titaxy. I am glad you liked this post.

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  19. Hi SG
    I am back after a break.
    I liked your post though it was tough for me to understand some of the things.
    The sayings and its meanings were informative.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You reminded me of the book and the movie 'Gone with the wind'. Southern accent is shown beautifully in this movie and book.

    Thank you, this is interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for your comments Chitra. And, welcome back. Don't worry. Even here in USA, it is difficult to understand the "southern language".

    ReplyDelete
  22. he hehe I totally can relate .. I am in birmingham in Uk and we have so many accents here Dudley.. pronounce DUD with a ooo DOODLEY
    and a BUs is a BOOS...

    its also called black country accent..

    I have been to places where i cant understand what they r saying .. but they r speaking english..

    I love the scottish accent at one stage i was actually thinking of taking lessons to learn th accent..

    Nice article

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. Ahhhhh. Gone With The Wind. Such a classic movie. I still remember that famous line from that movie. Rhett Butler to Scarlett O'hara: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thanks for your comments Bikram. Yes, I have heard about different accents spoken in England. Interesting indeed. Scottish accent is very easy to learn. All you have to use the worlds "wee", "Aye", "bonnie", and "lassie" as often as possible. And pronounce E as though it has been cut off in the middle, creating an "eh" sound. hahaha.

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