How conservative/stereotypical is Texas? (Houston, Austin: credit, move, oil)

[nep321]

I don't wanna live in a gay neighborhood though. I'm not opposed to it, but can't I just live in a normal neighborhood? I'm not talking about the kind that are very family oriented with kids living in every household, but I don't want to have to segregate myself from the rest of society by living in a gay neighborhood.

As for the southern accents, you guys say that Texas has a distinctive accent from the rest of the South. Does it kind of sound like George W. Bush or Rick Perry? And does my generation (people under 35) have that accent as well or is it dying out?

[DitsyD]

Originally Posted by nep321

I don't wanna live in a gay neighborhood though. I'm not opposed to it, but can't I just live in a normal neighborhood? I'm not talking about the kind that are very family oriented with kids living in every household, but I don't want to have to segregate myself from the rest of society by living in a gay neighborhood.

As for the southern accents, you guys say that Texas has a distinctive accent from the rest of the South. Does it kind of sound like George W. Bush or Rick Perry? And does my generation (people under 35) have that accent as well or is it dying out?

They sound like the TV show Dallas. Even the younger generation on the TV show has Texas accents.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by nep321

I don't wanna live in a gay neighborhood though. I'm not opposed to it, but can't I just live in a normal neighborhood? I'm not talking about the kind that are very family oriented with kids living in every household, but I don't want to have to segregate myself from the rest of society by living in a gay neighborhood.

As for the southern accents, you guys say that Texas has a distinctive accent from the rest of the South. Does it kind of sound like George W. Bush or Rick Perry? And does my generation (people under 35) have that accent as well or is it dying out?

What in the world is your whole point of this whole thread you started, anyway? As to the bolded part?

There is no such thing as a single "Texas accent", anymore than there is a single "Southern" accent. There are different varities of each, spoken all over the state/region. A "Texas accent" is, basically put, just one sub-variety of what is broadly known as "Southern American English.". Just as is the type spoken in west Tennessee, coastal Georgia, southern Mississippi, or north Louisiana. Linguistically speaking, none are any more "Southern" than the others are. Even if a few might better fit the "Gone With the Wind" stereotype as "Southern." To emphasize, within a regional context, a person from the hills of Tennessee would likely be more akin to the variety spoken in rural west Texas, than either would be in south Mississippi...and none of those in Tidewater Virginia. And the point continues...

The commonality of a "Southern accent" -- ranging, loosely speaking (no pun intended)-- from western Texas to the northern South Atlantic -- is not so much a common denominator of pronunciation...but certain shared inflections and idiom that easily offset it from the type spoken in other parts of the country; to the point of something very "different".

It may be the drawl or the twang, or just "coke" or "y'all", but Southern American English has a character all its own...and those who speak it can easily recognize and understand it with their fellows...

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Interesting observation...and it seems to be one of those "areas" where regional idioms comes into conflict with one another. For instance, the "salisbury steak" thing? Down here (at least in my native experience), a "salisbury steak" and meatload are two different critters.

The former is something like a simple hamburger fried steak, served with gravy and lots of spices and such...whereas "meatloaf" involves quite a few more ingredients (tomato sauce, etc) and a more involved method of cooking. And is sliced in the final product.

On the other hand? It seems like -- from this perspective -- that what we call salisbury steak, really doesn't have much of a hold up there...? Or they are just one and the same up there?.

The Differences Between Meatloaf & Salisbury Steak | eHow.com

I agree. Meatloaf to me has always been what you just described. Salisbury steak and meatloaf are nothing alike. Neither here in Texas nor way out west.

[Lakewooder]

You know of course, that George W. Bush was born in Connecticut...

[sobo16]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

You know of course, that George W. Bush was born in Connecticut...

And George H. W. Bush was born in Massachusetts!

But anyway, nep, would the prevalence or lack of an accent really affect your decision to move to a certain area?

[nep321]

Originally Posted by sobo16

And George H. W. Bush was born in Massachusetts!

But anyway, nep, would the prevalence or lack of an accent really affect your decision to move to a certain area?

Well, if it's mixed between accents and non-accents, I can live with that. I'm sure I'd get used to it over time. But I have narrowed down my options to Houston vs Austin. Can anyone tell me which metro would be better for me? Thanks.

[dorpus]

Austin is more collegey, Houston is bigger and more business-like. Houston is next to the ocean, so the summer are humid and will feel like the planet Venus. Austin will feel like a dry sauna during the summer.

p.s. Houston has more Texas natives, if you are seeking to avoid them.

[TrueDat]

Houston will have more job opportunities but, judging from your posts, you'd probably like Austin more.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

Houston will have more job opportunities but, judging from your posts, you'd probably like Austin more.

Well, I'm looking at job postings online in my field and I'm amazed at the volume of jobs available in both cities! Why is job creation so prevalent in Texas? Did Rick Perry do something?