Southern Accents

So I've been on the phone calling auto recyclers all around the country trying to find a bellhousing off a 2.5L Dodge Dakota. I've talked to people in Texas (Austin), Arkansas (Little Rock), and Georgia (Albany).

The Texan's accent didn't sound too far off of how people around Fresno speak.

The Georgian came in a distant second to the Texan.

The gentleman from Arkansas by-and-far had the strongest accent. As the residents of California's Central Valley are supposed to share a linguistic heritage with Arkies and Okies, the fact he was the hardest to understand caught me completely off guard.

I can only imagine how us out here on the West Coast (from my experience most people along the Pacific from San Diego to Alaska tend to share an accent) sound to our countrymen from elsewhere.

Most I came into contact with had a total lack of accent. I quickly learned to tune mine down so that they could understand me. Of course they put subtitles on many of those Louisiana reality shows just so Joe Public can understand us.

Of course pretty much every Californian I dealt with was from either the Central Coast or south of it. Still can't get used to the way the black folk sound out there. Two of my best friends that worked with me are black guys from 10 minutes away from my house. They said the same thing.

I always watched black comics doing the "white voice" and thought "I ain't never heard any white boy talk like that". Well after working there, I see where that voice comes from. It sounds just like the white dudes over there.

Kinda funny story:
My first year in Cali, I had to go down to a fabrication shop in Oxnard. Since humans are a creature of habit and comfort, we tend to gravitate towards things we are most comfortable with. At that time I hadn't had many dealing with Hispanics so my buddy and I started BSing with the only black welder in the shop. After about 10 minutes of banter, he asked "where the hell you guys from". We said south Louisiana.....why??? He said "Ya'll are the blackest sounding white guys I've ever met." We looked at each other and I said "Dude, that's funny. We are considered white bread back home."

I absolutely hate how Californians say "bro". Ya'll say it like it is spelled. Hint for ya, it is short for brother. All one has to do to say it right is say the first syllable of the word brother. Make it sound like "bruh". Then you have it right.

I will say bro, broham, or broseph on occation, but usually when its someone im talking to, i refer to them as "man" if not theyre name or some title like dr, then its usually just doc. Sometimes dude if im sittin around with a friend BSing. Obviously growing up in the panhandle i grew up with a lot of backwoods slang country sounding people, but i certainly lack that accent. Im sure i have a little bit of a southern accent, sure, but slight. My mom said in all her adventures up in new england everyone always asked her if she was from virginia lol, so i guess maybe we have a virginia sounding twang, idk. I would say usually along the interstate corridors in florida, except the further south you go, people will sound like yankees, or just not have much accent at all. But up in the panhandle and between I95 and I75, most folks sound country

Always liked georgia and tennesee accents, especially on a woman. Callin you baby and sweety pie, and that comfortable feeling sort of hospitality in their voice.

Marconius wrote:Most I came into contact with had a total lack of accent. I quickly learned to tune mine down so that they could understand me. Of course they put subtitles on many of those Louisiana reality shows just so Joe Public can understand us.

Of course pretty much every Californian I dealt with was from either the Central Coast or south of it. Still can't get used to the way the black folk sound out there. Two of my best friends that worked with me are black guys from 10 minutes away from my house. They said the same thing.

I always watched black comics doing the "white voice" and thought "I ain't never heard any white boy talk like that". Well after working there, I see where that voice comes from. It sounds just like the white dudes over there.

Kinda funny story:
My first year in Cali, I had to go down to a fabrication shop in Oxnard. Since humans are a creature of habit and comfort, we tend to gravitate towards things we are most comfortable with. At that time I hadn't had many dealing with Hispanics so my buddy and I started BSing with the only black welder in the shop. After about 10 minutes of banter, he asked "where the hell you guys from". We said south Louisiana.....why??? He said "Ya'll are the blackest sounding white guys I've ever met." We looked at each other and I said "Dude, that's funny. We are considered white bread back home."

I absolutely hate how Californians say "bro". Ya'll say it like it is spelled. Hint for ya, it is short for brother. All one has to do to say it right is say the first syllable of the word brother. Make it sound like "bruh". Then you have it right.

Out here mostly only Bros (frat boys and frat wannabe's) say bro. I tend not to harbor much respect for that ideographic.

I never say bro and dont know anyone who does. Oddly though, I do say 'wassup'. Lol! And I hate it when people from hawaii say "bruh". Usually young people I think.

But then...they probably hate it when I say 'ya'll'.

Bro is very widespread here. Every southern Louisianian I know uses it quite often. I guess it is becuase of the large black population. They are the ones who originally started it anyway. A little secret is that most of Cajun culture, as far as food and music really came from either blacks or natives.

Thats a secret? Lol