Our accent... (friend, hear, move)

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by leonard

OK, I have an unfortunate problem.

I unconsciously mimic accents. Not bad at it either. This happens when ever I talk to a customer anywhere in the world. I just slowly start to change my accent (well OK Californians don't have a real "accent" we just talk really fast) to fit without even noticing it. Probably goes back to all my drama classes, etc.

Now, if I do that, but make no indication that I am being disrespectful, will I catch grief over it, or just be .......?

In Texas and North Carolina, where I lived for a while, they didn't seem to notice or if they did they just ignored it.

How about Kentucky?????????

People probably will know the accent is recently acquired, but no one will care. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Most people do pick up a saying here and there like y'all, but native Kentuckian's speak fairly slowly and drawn out and that is something most don't adapt to. It is just too different for them. The cadence is very unnatural for those not from here...unless they are from even further south. I do the same thing you do where I mimic accents and I have since I was a child. Children will pick up any accent they are around up until they are about 25. My sister and her four children moved all over the country when the children were little and they would adapt their accents each time. They lived next door to a German family with small children for several years when the youngest children were just learning to talk. The kids had a German accent...lol. Then they up and moved to Dallas, TX. No one could understand a thing they said.

[masonsdaughter]

Originally Posted by dixiegirl7

People probably will know the accent is recently acquired, but no one will care. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Most people do pick up a saying here and there like y'all, but native Kentuckian's speak fairly slowly and drawn out and that is something most don't adapt to. It is just too different for them. The cadence is very unnatural for those not from here...unless they are from even further south. I do the same thing you do where I mimic accents and I have since I was a child. Children will pick up any accent they are around up until they are about 25. My sister and her four children moved all over the country when the children were little and they would adapt their accents each time. They lived next door to a German family with small children for several years when the youngest children were just learning to talk. The kids had a German accent...lol. Then they up and moved to Dallas, TX. No one could understand a thing they said.

What she said.

[blue_eyedgirl]

I still have my accent and I've been out of KY for a little over six years. Its not as strong as it used to be but its still there and whenever I talk to or visit my family it comes back big time. On the flip side though its funny to hear how my speech has slipped into my hubby's. Cracks me up to hear him say "yall" "fixin" or "yes ma'am".

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by blue_eyedgirl

I still have my accent and I've been out of KY for a little over six years. Its not as strong as it used to be but its still there and whenever I talk to or visit my family it comes back big time. On the flip side though its funny to hear how my speech has slipped into my hubby's. Cracks me up to hear him say "yall" "fixin" or "yes ma'am".

My hubby is the same way but it is even funnier when the person saying it is Irish

[blue_eyedgirl]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

My hubby is the same way but it is even funnier when the person saying it is Irish

I bet it is. I love Irish accents so I bet's its even hotter with a little Southern drawl added in .

[leonard]

Originally Posted by blue_eyedgirl

I still have my accent and I've been out of KY for a little over six years. Its not as strong as it used to be but its still there and whenever I talk to or visit my family it comes back big time. On the flip side though its funny to hear how my speech has slipped into my hubby's. Cracks me up to hear him say "yall" "fixin" or "yes ma'am".

When living in Texas it was amazing how quickly I dropped the "g" from the end of words.

Had to work hard at fixin that ornery little problem

[masonsdaughter]

I say sandwich fixins when I talk about stuff to fix sandwiches with. It cracks my husband up and he's an old kentucky boy too. Word conservation here. It's quicker, easier, and it gets the job done. Anybody else use this terminology?

[blue_eyedgirl]

Originally Posted by masonsdaughter

I say sandwich fixins when I talk about stuff to fix sandwiches with. It cracks my husband up and he's an old kentucky boy too. Word conservation here. It's quicker, easier, and it gets the job done. Anybody else use this terminology?

Yep, I do and I'll also say a "dressed" burger or sandwich. Not so much up here anymore because you get looked at like you just sprouted an extra head but I tend to slip back into it at home. I think "fixin" and "dressed" are starting to fall out of common useage but I heard it so much growing up with my Mom that it still sticks.

[marandaezell]

I am originally from Paducah, KY. born and raised there, lived there until I was about 19 years old. I then moved to North Eastern, OK. I lived there for 1 year. I have been in Kansas since leaving OK in 2005. After several months of living in Oklahoma, I tried to change my accent, due to being made fun of. People mocked me and tried to put on an accent to mimic mine. My son was only 3 when we left KY, he does not have an accent at all. My friends, co-workers and immediate family can tell when I am tired, because they say that my accent pops out real thick.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by marandaezell

I am originally from Paducah, KY. born and raised there, lived there until I was about 19 years old. I then moved to North Eastern, OK. I lived there for 1 year. I have been in Kansas since leaving OK in 2005. After several months of living in Oklahoma, I tried to change my accent, due to being made fun of. People mocked me and tried to put on an accent to mimic mine. My son was only 3 when we left KY, he does not have an accent at all. My friends, co-workers and immediate family can tell when I am tired, because they say that my accent pops out real thick.

To me Paducah has a Midwestern type accent. Not very Southern at all....