What do you think of Southerners with no southern accent? (fit in, transplants)

[Trimac20]

Are they any less southern for it, iyo? I think it's a shame that many young people especially in places like Houston have a boring General American accent. It's a shame they are ashamed of it and associate it with being untilligent or a 'hick.'

[miamiman]

It depends on what you're definition of "Southern" is. Do I make the presumption that they're smarter than Southerners with an accent? Yes. I do think that Southerners who are quick to lose their accents are probably less giddy with "Southern" pride and culture than the rest of their counterparts.

I am always delighted when I meet a Southerner with no discernible accent. That says to me that they're more interested in trying to fit into general society than to sound as though they have a mouthful of grits and super glue.

[FlashM]

Originally Posted by miamiman

I am always delighted when I meet a Southerner with no discernible accent. That says to me that they're more interested in trying to fit into general society than to sound as though they have a mouthful of grits and super glue.

I like your point.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by miamiman

It depends on what you're definition of "Southern" is. Do I make the presumption that they're smarter than Southerners with an accent? Yes. I do think that Southerners who are quick to lose their accents are probably less giddy with "Southern" pride and culture than the rest of their counterparts.

I am always delighted when I meet a Southerner with no discernible accent. That says to me that they're more interested in trying to fit into general society than to sound as though they have a mouthful of grits and super glue.

To me it is those who consciously try to change their accent - not those who naturally try to lose it - who are insecure. Smacks of snobbishness, and pandering to stupid northern stereotypes. If you live in the south you'll speak southern because that's just how they talk there. Nothing to do with having southern pride, or being a grit-chomping, yankee hating son or daughter of Dixie. Although there are probably some who exaggerate their natural accent, but I'm guessing they're a minority.

[Iconographer]

Generally, the 'urban' Southerners (ie Atlanta residents) have less of an accent. My guess as to why is that during our upbringing we were more often exposed to accents outside our region due to the heavy influx of transplants. I don't think in most cases it's a matter of trying to 'hide' our accent.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by miamiman

It depends on what you're definition of "Southern" is. Do I make the presumption that they're smarter than Southerners with an accent? Yes. I do think that Southerners who are quick to lose their accents are probably less giddy with "Southern" pride and culture than the rest of their counterparts.

I am always delighted when I meet a Southerner with no discernible accent. That says to me that they're more interested in trying to fit into general society than to sound as though they have a mouthful of grits and super glue.

I'm a Yankee, Ohio born and bred and now a proud Michigander, but I have to ask, what in the world is wrong with Southern pride? People don't have a right to be proud of where they come from? So if you speak in a dialect that you learned from your parents who learned it from their parents and so on, you are supposed to ditch it in the name of "trying to fit into general society"? A "mouthful of grits and super glue'? That is such a condescending statement! I'm guessing here that by "fitting into general society" you mean being more like you and less like them? Then why don't you go to Georgia or South Carolina and talk only in a Southern accent while you're there so that you can fit into their "general society"?

Personally, I find a Southern accent charming and people who speak with one confident of where they come from. It's only the media that has portrayed people with Southern accents as backwoods hicks who dropped out of the third grade. Can't we distance ourselves from silly media stereotypes and allow people to be who they are with no preconceived notions?

[blkgiraffe]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Are they any less southern for it, iyo? I think it's a shame that many young people especially in places like Houston have a boring General American accent. It's a shame they are ashamed of it and associate it with being untilligent or a 'hick.'

Houstonians have southern accents; it's just not as heavy as places like in smaller Texas towns or cities in Alabama or Mississippi.

[johnatl]

Silly miamiman.....everyone knows you don't mix grits with superglue.

It ruins the flavor.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by miamiman

It depends on what you're definition of "Southern" is. Do I make the presumption that they're smarter than Southerners with an accent? Yes. I do think that Southerners who are quick to lose their accents are probably less giddy with "Southern" pride and culture than the rest of their counterparts.

I am always delighted when I meet a Southerner with no discernible accent. That says to me that they're more interested in trying to fit into general society than to sound as though they have a mouthful of grits and super glue.

And do you feel the same way about people in Boston or NYC with strong accents? Are they not trying to fit into mainstream society?

I get the feeling the only accent you have a problem with is the Southern one.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by jluke65780

Houstonians have southern accents; it's just not as heavy as places like in smaller Texas towns or cities in Alabama or Mississippi.

Even here in Alabama many folks in the cities (Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville) speak with a more neutral accent, it's folks like me from smaller towns that have a stronger accent.