Three more days and it's back to work. My plans fell through for my trip to New Jersey, which turned out to be for the best, and besides, it's just postponed to late April. But this has been a good week. You all know about Clyde's. And I wrote the first poem I didn't mind posting in months and months, have had time to think, read, watch TV and do more than let my mind rot. I've spent time with friends, who are quite nosey about the forwarded email I sent to them (wanted to know who else I had forwarded to, go figure), and watched a program about southeastern NC accents on public television.
That was interesting, actually. In this county and the next, there is a tribe of native americans called the Lumbee. Their accents sound a bit old english, and the theory is that they were descended from the Croatan and the survivors of the lost colony. It's not that hard to believe, if you listen to them talk.
The program showcased both sides of the coin - those who felt the accent was part of their heritage that should be continued, and those who spoke with a heavy southern accent who felt losing it would not be a bad thing - the reason being, when they're on the phone to New York, they want to sound more sophisticated.
I have to admit - this made my hackles raise a little. I would like to know why the southern accent is supposed to be interpreted as dumb as a dried out corn cob. Some of us might be a little naive, but...New York won't take us seriously if we say "y'all?"
"That was North Carolina on the phone...Couldn't understand a word they said, but it doesn't matter. Couldn't have meant much."
It's a pity...
My accent is not a heavy one. Every now and then, depending on which relatives from which part of the state I have been visiting with, I might say 'piper' instead of paper. I lapse into colloquialisms from time to time, but...it's part of where I came from, part of where the lady with the heavy accent came from, too. And I can't be ashamed of that, anymore than Boston, or New York can.
If someone feels the need to refine their speech, that's just fine. If they have a certain image they want to project, that's great. They should do it...but I'm thinking it won't make them a bit more intellectual than they were when they said 'y'all' and 'yonder'.
4 comments:
Good point. Enjoy the rest of your vacation. Paula
I was born in Virginia, moved to New York when I was five...spent all vacations and summers in Virginia till I was 17...therefore, I'm a New Yorker who says... "Ya'll come back and see me ya here?" in a sort of Yankee drawl with a twang of Long Island thrown in! I loved my Grams soft southern drawl she was from South Carolina....Sandi http://journals.aol.com/sdoscher458/LifeIsFullOfSurprises
Just having returned from the south, I agree with your post. To me, a slight southern drawl is charming. I've even been told I have more of one than my mother who tried purposly to lose hers years ago for fear of embarasment.
I have a cousin named Roy Wayne, as I young child I thought his name was Raw Wine!*
Occasionly, mom slips and comes out with yeller instead of yellow, and pinny instead of penny. But, she's smart as a whip at almost 85.
Glad you're enjoying your time Spice*... I myself am worldy because of the History, Discovery and Travel Channel!* :)
Hugs,
Tina*
Glad you had such a wonderful week off. I agree with you about regional accents. I am pretty adaptable; I tend to mimic the accent of whomever I'm with; and since I know some people with German, French, Puerto Rican and Chilean accents, it can be pretty funny -- but my husband always knows who I've been talking to! One of my best friends' mothers has a very Southern accent, and whenever I'm around her for a while I tend to pronounce my friend Dana's name as a drawn out "Dina". I love being around people with different accents and dialects. I think it makes things interesting, and I never really have any trouble understanding anyone. I even once knew a Kentucky lady from the mountains who said "hit" instead of "it". I thought that was beautiful.
Lori
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