Why is the Southern Accent So Prevalent in ATL? (Atlanta: upper-class, home)

[mg83]

Honestly? I think many are faking - especially women/girls.

[Bravo35223]

Originally Posted by darkone

Birmingham is being used as an example of a much smaller, insular Southern city which has not had much domestic migration or growth. It clearly is different from Atlanta in many ways.

I do not appreciate your allegations and find them to be unfounded.

The metro Birmingham area has a population of 1.2 million, of which 240,000 live in the City itself.

The dominant employer is the acclaimed UAB Medical Center which has 20,000 employees. The vast majority of faculty are from outside the southeast and in a large number of cases, outside the U.S.

As recently as four months ago, the Birmingham-Hoover SMSA had the lowest unemployment rate of metro areas of over 1 million - according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Two of Birmingham's chefs were recently nominated by the James Beard Foundation as finalists (top 5)

1) Frank Stitt - Top Chef in the U.S.

2008 Nominees | James Beard Foundation Awards 2008 (http://jbfawards.com/content/2008-nominees#chef - broken link)
2) Chris Hastings - Top Chef - South

Birmingham has suburban public schools that blow Atlanta's out of the water...preparing students for Ivy League admission for simply paying your property taxes.

Show me a public school in the Atlanta metro that can compete with this...

Mountain Brook Schools - College Admissions, Class of 2008

And Newsweek ranks the Jefferson County IB school as #1 in the nation.

Jefferson County's International Baccalaureate School Tops (http://www.jefcoed.com/newsweek.htm - broken link)

Your views are provincial at best and a considerable education about our city is in order.

Incidentally, if you care to spend the time, here is what the city looks like...spend about 3 minutes getting the reality of what a beautiful city Birmingham is...in contrast to the image consistently put forth in the media....

//www.city-data.com/forum/birmi...ding-area.html

[gt6974a]

I'm from Acworth and it never really occurred to me I had one until I went to college. I would say that mine is not thick.

However, my wife grew up in Texas and Acworth but both parents are from Long Island and while they don't sound like the Sopranos, they definately pronounce words in their native toungue.

I can't really tell when I'm around friends or my family, but at work and other social settings I can tell the difference and they happily point it out. But I take my own shots as well.

My wife claims my accent becomes exponentially thicker as I drink .

[mxd.Brit]

I have been to Florida many times so when I came to Georgia I expected the same accent - Floridians don't have a southern accent IMO. I find it difficult at times to understand people on the phone especially, here in GA. I am worried about when I start work.

I just don't get how Floridians dont have the accent and yet they are the most southern geographically.

Outside of the Southern and New york accent "y'all" (might as well speak the lingo) sound the same to me.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by mxd.Brit

I have been to Florida many times so when I came to Georgia I expected the same accent - Floridians don't have a southern accent IMO. I find it difficult at times to understand people on the phone especially, here in GA. I am worried about when I start work.

I just don't get how Floridians dont have the accent and yet they are the most southern geographically.

Outside of the Southern and New york accent "y'all" (might as well speak the lingo) sound the same to me.

It's b/c Florida is not considered the 'South', only N. Florida. Once you get passed Gainsville going South, not many families that have lived there several generations. North Florida is basically an extension of Alabama and Georgia.

[Chris_Davis]

Originally Posted by mxd.Brit

I have been to Florida many times so when I came to Georgia I expected the same accent - Floridians don't have a southern accent IMO. I find it difficult at times to understand people on the phone especially, here in GA. I am worried about when I start work.

I just don't get how Floridians dont have the accent and yet they are the most southern geographically.

Outside of the Southern and New york accent "y'all" (might as well speak the lingo) sound the same to me.

A large part of Florida's population are transplants from up north seeking a warmer climate... aka "snowbirds." They mostly settle along the coast, which is where I assume you'd gone to since you've only visited (from what I gather from your post). If you travel inland in Florida (not sure why you would! ) you will find more southern accents... with the exception of Orlando.

It became a U.S. territory in 1821 (I think) and didn't become a U.S. state until 1845. Although it was part of the Confederacy I wonder if since it wasn't an entrenched part of the South for most of the history of America (colonies and statehood) if that contributes to the lack of accent as well. I think the transplants are really the larger reason for the lack of a southern accent.

[David Alleyne]

It seems that there's some sort of stigma some people have with using the word y'all, it's a contraction y'all. This issue wouldn't give me insomnia but if you have a problem with "y'all" then shouldn't you have a problem with "they'll" or "he'll"? I'm just saying.

[Cobb]

Duh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Is The South And We Speak With A D-r-a-w-l (southern Dialect)
That's Like Going To Italy And Asking Why They Speak Italian. Geeeesssssssshhhhh !!!>

[plessthanpointohfive]

Originally Posted by mg83

Honestly? I think many are faking - especially women/girls.

I think so, too. My mother, who never had an accent while growing up, suddenly took on a Southern Belle accent after she turned 60. Like suddenly she had to be this genteel old southern lady with her floppy hats, tomatoes, and floral dresses. She's right out of Steel Magnolias now-a-days.

[jas099]

I don't think my southern accent is noticeable unless I'm tired, find something really funny, or around family. People from other parts of the country notice right off the bat, but I think mine is pretty tame compared to some people.