The Stereotypical Southern Accents (visiting, time, black)
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I think the southern accent is being heard less and less in many places, particularly metro Atlanta, even among some natives. I know a woman who is close to my age and she was born and raised in metro Atlanta. When I started talking to her, I thought she was from Ohio. What I am witnessing is that the southern accent among many people is starting dissapear, especially among people born after 1980. I was born in the south(New Orleans), lived in the Northwest and Southwest(Seattle area and DFW metroplex) and lived in the south permanantly since 1992(South Carolina and Georgia). When people talk to me, many think I am from California, or somewhere in the Midwest. I haven't picked up the accent. I think part of it is that many northern transplants are moving in and some of the children pick of their parents accent rather than the southern accent and then pass their accent along to other children who were born in Georgia.
Metro Atlantans thin they don't have an accent, but they most certainly do. Their accent isn't as strong as rural Tennessee, but the definite Southern twang is still there. I can usually tell an Atlanta (or Houston, Charlotte, etc.) muted Southern accent in a heartbeat.
Metro Atlantans thin they don't have an accent, but they most certainly do. Their accent isn't as strong as rural Tennessee, but the definite Southern twang is still there. I can usually tell an Atlanta (or Houston, Charlotte, etc.) muted Southern accent in a heartbeat.
How is that even possible when approx. half the population here is not from the South.
Metro Atlantans thin they don't have an accent, but they most certainly do. Their accent isn't as strong as rural Tennessee, but the definite Southern twang is still there. I can usually tell an Atlanta (or Houston, Charlotte, etc.) muted Southern accent in a heartbeat.
Metro Atlantans thin they don't have an accent, but they most certainly do. Their accent isn't as strong as rural Tennessee, but the definite Southern twang is still there. I can usually tell an Atlanta (or Houston, Charlotte, etc.) muted Southern accent in a heartbeat.
You are super gifted if you can spot an Atlantan just by hearing them speak. I'm from here and I can't even be sure that I'm speaking with a native or not and I've even had people tell me that I sound like I'm from another state. I really need to record myself and let it be picked apart because when I lived in TN I had a girl ask me if I was from Louisiana and some of them thought I was from the Midwest. I will say that my accent is shot because of the friends, family, and coworkers I talk to daily. I'm soft spoken but when I speak up I enunciate without really thinking about it (because I'm irritated from repeating myself) and I'm sure that affect my accent too.
You are super gifted if you can spot an Atlantan just by hearing them speak. I'm from here and I can't even be sure that I'm speaking with a native or not and I've even had people tell me that I sound like I'm from another state. I really need to record myself and let it be picked apart because when I lived in TN I had a girl ask me if I was from Louisiana and some of them thought I was from the Midwest. I will say that my accent is shot because of the friends, family, and coworkers I talk to daily. I'm soft spoken but when I speak up I enunciate without really thinking about it (because I'm irritated from repeating myself) and I'm sure that affect my accent too.
I'm from metro Atlanta, and I've had non-southerners, while visiting, ask me where I was from. When they hear that I'm from Georgia, they're like, "Where's your accent", or "you don't have much of an accent", etc. Thus, I don't know.
By the way, I have lived in Georgia my entire life.
I'm from metro Atlanta, and I've had non-southerners, while visiting, ask me where I was from. When they hear that I'm from Georgia, they're like, "Where's your accent", or "you don't have much of an accent", etc. Thus, I don't know.
By the way, I have lived in Georgia my entire life.
Yeah I get that a lot too and I've been in Texas for almost 20 years now.
Another reason why the southern accent is getting weaker is because it's one of the most stereotyped accents in America.
In the northern cities there's also a relatively strong accent yet there's less tendency of it getting weaker because most people there aren't even aware they have an accent.
People are more conscious of the southern accent and those who have it are more likely to eliminate it, deliberately or not.
Btw, I'm not saying that the southern accent(s) is bad. In fact I love it. But the process explained above has been happening quite subliminally over the decades.
The problem with people getting rid of their accent through training with a speech expert of some kind is that it makes it worse for those who don't. It makes their accents stick out more. Soon, we all start sounding the same.
The same goes for trying to change up your accent depending on the person you are talking to. If somebody moves to the South, then they should know ahead of time that they're going to hear accents and should get used to it. If certain people stopped trying to modify their accents, then they (their accents) would be much more normalized.
...and if anyone would like to argue that the North to South migration hasn't had any effect on Southern accents then I would ask that you talk to my Southern father and then to me (Southern born and raised as well) and you'll hear quite a difference. My mother is from up North.
I also don't like using the word "stereotype" when talking about aspects of Southern culture. That word has a negative connotation a lot of the time and makes things that are fine sound like there is something bad about them.
I think the accent in coastal N.C. is still very strong, especially in Rocky Mount, Wilson, Greenville and Nashville. Really, from Roanoke Rapids clear to Fayetteville. You should hear some of the local advertisements on the radio. The used car lot ones in particular.
You are super gifted if you can spot an Atlantan just by hearing them speak. I'm from here and I can't even be sure that I'm speaking with a native or not and I've even had people tell me that I sound like I'm from another state. I really need to record myself and let it be picked apart because when I lived in TN I had a girl ask me if I was from Louisiana and some of them thought I was from the Midwest. I will say that my accent is shot because of the friends, family, and coworkers I talk to daily. I'm soft spoken but when I speak up I enunciate without really thinking about it (because I'm irritated from repeating myself) and I'm sure that affect my accent too.
Funny. I've been told I have a New York accent down South, and no accent at all out east (Philly). Go figure.
I love Southern accents. I could listen to a Southern man talk all day and be happy just listening to him. :0)
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