Will my kids get an accent? (Richmond, Cana: moving, business, single)

[blueva]

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

Oy. How can "ant" be Yankee when the ENTIRE United States says it except for VA, CT, MA, and apparently Charleston, SC? I'm not being rude but have you ever been to the west coast, the midwest, other parts of the south like Georgia, Florida, Tennesse? These states would not be considered yankee AND they say "ant" Yes, they do. Yes, they do. Trust me. Your parents are WRONG. "ant" is not a Yankee thing.

Did you not read where I said that Connecticut and Massachusettes have many areas that say "ont"? The pronunciation stems from the English settlements in these areas. Gee whiz. Let this go already.

And when someone is considered to have no accent, generally it's referred to what you hear on tv from newscasters. Of course everyone has some type of accent but saying a person has no accent means that you can't listen to a few sentences and immediately tell where they are from. Ever take a course in broadcasting? Ever audiction for a commercial? Ever try to get into any type of performing arts? You will be expected to have what is considered "no accent."

Did you read this post? Seems the people in NC state have a lot in common with some people in Richmond. If an accent is not decidedly southern, it must be a northern accent. That is nothing but ignorance.

Again, not being rude, but you seem extremely defensive over Richmond and you seem like someone who has lived here their entire life and hasn't traveled very much outside of a few southern states.

And since southerners love civil war history so much, they may want to invest some time in reading about the Revolutionary War and look at the history of the word Yankee. It was being used by the English a good 100 years before the Civil War to describe all Americans and it's used to describe Americans to this day. Go to England and you will be called a yankee or yank. They dont' care if you are from the north or the south. I chuckle that the south uses the word yankee and they have no clue of the history behind the word they are using. History does not begin with the Civil War. You may want to travel back in time 100 years and you'll find a lot of good reading about how these horrible "yankees" defined our country.

Well, okay, I guess its not Yankee- it just sounds that way to me. Most people I know from the North say "Ant".

Also- if you say people born and raised in Richmond have no accent- I find that true of a lot of people in the South these days. I have been to Georgia and heard no Southern accents among the young people- yet they were fasincated by my Virginia drawl.

I went to tour Margaret Mitchell home in Atlanta- and the lady from Savannah, GA told me she loved my Southern accent. Well its funny because I thought going down there, they would think I would sound Northern, lol. I guess people my age are loseing their Southern "accents".

[Yankeerose00]

I guess people my age are loseing their Southern "accents".

Accents change with each generation and that is true even in the northeast. There are word pronunciations that are only heard among people over 60. It happens.

But I think a large part of different accents in the south is due simply to the fact that the south is an extremely large region. As I said before, it's far too large to label such a large region as being "southern" and to think that each state sounds the same. There are many different southern dialects ranging from very little to no drawl ( like my husband) to Gone with the Wind, to Deliverance accents. There is no "southern accent", but rather many southern accents. My husband is from Central Florida and his accent sounds like the people I spoke of in Richmond who had bascially no accent. You would never be able to hear him speak and tell where he was from. His parents are from an hour away in a town called Dade City. They have thick drawls. I lived in a town in Florida called Valrico. The natives had no accent. The town right next door called Plant City had drawls that sounded like they were from Kentucky. It was amazing how two towns right next to each other could sound so different.
So that my long and rambling point. When you are speaking of the south, you are speaking of a region that stretches from VA down to Florida and over the MS, LA, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and don't forget Kentucky and West Virginia. The area is far too vast for there to be one accent. The northeast is the same. NJ alone has at least 3 different accents depending on where you are in the state.

[blueva]

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

Accents change with each generation and that is true even in the northeast. There are word pronunciations that are only heard among people over 60. It happens.

But I think a large part of different accents in the south is due simply to the fact that the south is an extremely large region. As I said before, it's far too large to label such a large region as being "southern" and to think that each state sounds the same. There are many different southern dialects ranging from very little to no drawl ( like my husband) to Gone with the Wind, to Deliverance accents. There is no "southern accent", but rather many southern accents. My husband is from Central Florida and his accent sounds like the people I spoke of in Richmond who had bascially no accent. You would never be able to hear him speak and tell where he was from. His parents are from an hour away in a town called Dade City. They have thick drawls. I lived in a town in Florida called Valrico. The natives had no accent. The town right next door called Plant City had drawls that sounded like they were from Kentucky. It was amazing how two towns right next to each other could sound so different.
So that my long and rambling point. When you are speaking of the south, you are speaking of a region that stretches from VA down to Florida and over the MS, LA, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and don't forget Kentucky and West Virginia. The area is far too vast for there to be one accent. The northeast is the same. NJ alone has at least 3 different accents depending on where you are in the state.

Yes, I agree. There are Lord knows how many different dialects in the South. Even as a native Southerner, some Southern accents dont sound pleaseant to my ears. Like some Texans for example- often sound clipped. I actually like The Appalachian accents though- such as Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.

In Virginia we have at least 6 main accents. The Shenandoah Valley has one too- most people mistake me for Shenandoah Valley, even though I grew up in Loudoun County.

Richmond has at least 4 variations.

The "non" accents you speak of, as I said before, are probably Kansas/California TV accents. As everyone who speaks English has an accent. They just live in the South and happen to have no variation of "Southern" accent.

Nice thread.

[NJRAMAL]

Then theres people from the Northern Neck area of Va who say words like "house" and "mouse" as ... well how would I spell this... "moase" and "hoase" and they say "log" and "frog" as "lug" and "frug"... this accent carries on into Baltimore where I hear it from alot of people of that area.

[stockdale.35]

Originally Posted by vabred5088

Haha, conquered it. Y'all are trying real hard but Robert E. Lee still stands on Monument Avenue, along with his companions.

+BOOM* you just owned her

[stockdale.35]

yeah I wuz goan fity five mine-ahaur daun da highwey, umidity wuz high as uh barn swalla.

[blueva]

To seriously answer this post, I doubt anyone moving here would pick up a true Richmond "accent"- because thats limited to people over 65. No young people say "Rivah" or "Gyawden" or "Cyaw" or "Hoos" or "oot and "aboot" (not Canadian, its Southron!), lol. But they might if they are just being facetious. I know that younger people who have older relatives are aware of the old Richmond accent and will "ape" it but still- its not quite authentic, and you would be laughed at if you spoke that way today

Luckily, their northern accents may mellow out a bit and become more smooth and Southern. But I notice that Northerners who move South almost never lose their northern twangs, when Southerners move North they almost always lose their drawls.

I reckon its just conformity, lol

[rosette8]

I started this thread way back last winter. Well we moved here 2 months ago and I share with you what I have experienced.

First...I have been told we don't have an accent. Now maybe they think all NY'ers sound like the city or long island, but I have heard from many people....where are you from I don't hear an accent. I would say that it is much more of America than Kansas and California...but do agree that an accent can pinpoint where you are from.

I do hear the Riv-rah accent with the older affulent crowd. I find it lovely. It makes me happy to listen to them and very calm....would love to speak like that as it makes aninsult sounds nice!

Now for kids....I have not heard many of them with accents. A few here and there, but not many. Lots of Yes sir and mam (sp?) but even the kids with long family roots here....I hear only a bit of an accent.

So I doubt my kids will get the beautiful accent they longed for, but who knows. But I can tell you....I love Richmond. Everyone here is so nice, kind, and welcoming. We made the right move!

[blueva]

Originally Posted by rosette8

I started this thread way back last winter. Well we moved here 2 months ago and I share with you what I have experienced.

First...I have been told we don't have an accent. Now maybe they think all NY'ers sound like the city or long island, but I have heard from many people....where are you from I don't hear an accent. I would say that it is much more of America than Kansas and California...but do agree that an accent can pinpoint where you are from.

I do hear the Riv-rah accent with the older affulent crowd. I find it lovely. It makes me happy to listen to them and very calm....would love to speak like that as it makes aninsult sounds nice!

Now for kids....I have not heard many of them with accents. A few here and there, but not many. Lots of Yes sir and mam (sp?) but even the kids with long family roots here....I hear only a bit of an accent.

So I doubt my kids will get the beautiful accent they longed for, but who knows. But I can tell you....I love Richmond. Everyone here is so nice, kind, and welcoming. We made the right move!

First of all , Welcome to Richmond! Where did you move here from?

I think most people only recognize if someone has a heavy northern accent down here, they usually say "You must be from up nawth". But otherwise, most people wont even comment

My own experience, the southern accents EVERYWHERE are dying. With each generation- Richmond is no exception. I dont hear anything remotely "Richmond" in anyone under 40 years of age today- and Richmond had one of the most distinctive southern accents on the planet- not garden variety.

But anyways, no use worrying aboot the past.

Ill leave you with this clip of my grandmother though. She had "it".


YouTube - A Very Richmond Phone Call

[stockdale.35]

Originally Posted by blueva

First of all , Welcome to Richmond! Where did you move here from?

I think most people only recognize if someone has a heavy northern accent down here, they usually say "You must be from up nawth". But otherwise, most people wont even comment

My own experience, the southern accents EVERYWHERE are dying. With each generation- Richmond is no exception. I dont hear anything remotely "Richmond" in anyone under 40 years of age today- and Richmond had one of the most distinctive southern accents on the planet- not garden variety.

But anyways, no use worrying aboot the past.

Ill leave you with this clip of my grandmother though. She had "it".


YouTube - A Very Richmond Phone Call

Blueva, I would'nt think her kids would get an accent in the city as most southern cities dont really have accents anymore. Charlotte, NC lost it a while ago, ATL, Ga doesnt have it either.

I would think that they lived outside of Richmond they most definately would catch an accent, ie Chester, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Chesterfield. I just say that becasue I knew people and played against soccer teams down there.

You propably know other places too.