Where is the Southern accent strongest? (school, live in, affluent)

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

What do you think is the main factor dictating that? Rural vs Urban? Family upbringing? How many generations you've lived in a place? Socio-economics? Or simply a regional thing?

Btw I love most southern accents, more so than the boring standard American i hear on tv all the time.

I dont like to talk about this, but I grew up in generally what is called "Upper Middle Class". I speak English without bad grammar. I simply have a more pronounced "drawl"

Improper English would not be limited to the South- its really just that. Improper.

Perhaps rural does have a bit to do with it. I grew up in part of the suburbs of DC- but I also spent a lot of time in the countryside of Northern Virginia as well. Riding horses, and foxhunting on large estates.

I think our speech patterns are formed in early childhood. You can change them later on- but my influences stuck with me. Being an Actor, though, I can do different accents , so its not really an issue for me.

[Trimac20]

Yes, I for one don't think Southerners' grammar is especially bad, it's just as bad up North, I would guess...indeed Americans as a whole have faults aplenty. The Virginia Piedmont or Carolina or something type of southern has traditionally been seen as genteel, while that in West Virginia or Alabama is seen as more 'hick.'

[StAcKhOuSe]

Mississippi and Alabama.

[/thread]

[thedudewiththeplan]

Parts of GA (Meriwether County for example) have such strong accents I cannot understand a single word the person is saying!

[Richmonder27]

If we are going totally on an unscientifically based perception of "Southern" accents (as there are so many different ones!),

I think conceptionally- the strongest accent people have the perception of (even Southerners would seem to concur with this) are in Tennessee.

For some reason, I dont know why, but people think "Are you from Tennessee?? if you have a very very strong Southern accent.

This is how "Tennessee" Williams got his nick name. He had a strong drawl, and in college up North thats how he got the nick name.

[PeterRabbit]

Columbia, SC = annoying southern accent. Atlanta = pleasing southern accent. The people in both places are like that too. The Tennessee accent is strong. I guess it's alright.

[thedudewiththeplan]

I have to disagree PeterRabbit. I found the people and accents much less pleasing in metro Atlanta than Columbia SC.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by thedudewiththeplan

I have to disagree PeterRabbit. I found the people and accents much less pleasing in metro Atlanta than Columbia SC.

I like the Carolina/Virginia accent the most, actually...followed by a Mississippi delta accent. The worst is probably Texas or Georgia.

[Spade]

You need to change that central Texas to East Texas. Central Texas is just about gone in the major cities and is diminishing as other cities start to grow. Some of them never really had it anyway.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I like the Carolina/Virginia accent the most, actually...followed by a Mississippi delta accent. The worst is probably Texas or Georgia.

I dont care for Texas- but I disagree about Georgia. I love Georgian- especially in Savannah!