Is the old Texas accent dying? (Dallas: population, map, party)

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by hellpaso

I've always had a "Memphis" accent. It's been tempered somewhat by years living on the border. I must sound really funny.
True story---working as a nurse in El Paso, I would often have to call offsite labs for results, pharmacies for prescriptions, etc. In quite a few occasions, the poor tech would say---"Ma'am, I can't understand one word you're saying".
And you should've seen the strange looks I got when I would say someone was "stove-up" or "swole-up" (well know medical terms in the South ).

Lol I would love to hear your accent.

[Scientific]

I've always loved these accent threads. As far as the Texan accent, its alive and well in a lot of areas of the state. The dying of accents is something going on around in many other parts of the country. I had a New Yorker tell me that the yuppie sections of the city is starting to sound like California Valley, with all the Westcoast yuppies moving up there. Chicagoans say the same thing about their accents dying too.

I grew up in Houston, and my view is based on what i grew up with. But I was around a lot of different people, from many parts of the city. Some had a twang, and others had no trace of it. The City is just coming onto its own, but within urban circles, I hear a distinct Houston/Southern accent these days I didn't hear in the 90s when I was a kid.

Growing up Latino, in predominant Latino sections, I tried my best right around high school to try and speak in a neutral "educated" accent. I tried to get away from the urban way of speaking. I knew a ton of friends, that had distinct "Urban Drawls". Its one thing to speak hood or ghetto, but some people fail to understand or realize, that a hood way of talking in Los Angles or Detroit, is very much distinct from here in Houston. Its why Puerto Ricans from the Bronx, would probably think Mexicans and Salvadorans from Greenspoint in Houston, may sound country to them. All within the urban circle. Heck Mexicans in Cali think Mexicans here sound black. Despite the fact that, its just a Southern urban drawl, in the mold of Nuyoricans and blacks. They were influenced by the surroundings, but you can tell the difference. I remember when i was in college and thinking Hispanics from San Antonio down to the Valley had a funny and weird way of talking.

[BillyH]

Originally Posted by Komeht

Y'all is one of the most use full words in the English language. I don't have a trace of an accent, but I'll never drop y'all.

My sentiments exactly, I parents moved to San Antonio when I was 5 from Illinois. I hear that word daily from Hispanics, blacks and whites alike and I will always use it. I also think of myself as accent free my cousin from Springfield, IL was here recently with a friend from Chicago. My cousins have never said anything about me having an accent accept for using the word yall. The Chicagoan said I did have an accent but very faint, she lives in Atlanta now and said it was nothing compared to Atlanta. My mother after all the years still doesn't use yall. I think the Texas accents are more pronounced the the rural areas.

[katygirl68]

Originally Posted by UTHORNS96

You've never been to the hood, then, lol.

No outsiders are moving to Acres Homes, Hiram Clarke, 3rd and 5th ward, south park, south bank, sunnyside et al.. That's why they've been talking the same way forever.

It's the same way in the Dallas hoods. I've always said that percentage wise, African-American Texans are maintaining their southern speech patterns at a higher percentage. This is mainly because outsiders aren't moving to the places AA's in Texas usually live in great numbers.

Is there a distinct southern speech pattern for African Americans? It seems to me that black people in the north have southern speech patterns as well.

[Kibby]

You live in Texas - you will pick up the local jargon and accent. You don't notice it much when you live here, but try traveling to Maine or the Northwest. Texas has always and probably always will be a land of "immigrants and emigrants" - the fairy tale of "this time they will change Texas forever" never seems to happen.

Texas is a State of Mind - most adapt and become Texans, some don't and leave. Some will spend their entire lives believing they can be the group that can "change" Texas and end their days finding they failed. The "accent" will remain because it is an amalgamation of what Texas really is ..... we are the sum of our parts with no part taking control ..... and we like it that way.

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Kibby

You live in Texas - you will pick up the local jargon and accent. You don't notice it much when you live here, but try traveling to Maine or the Northwest. Texas has always and probably always will be a land of "immigrants and emigrants" - the fairy tale of "this time they will change Texas forever" never seems to happen.

Texas is a State of Mind - most adapt and become Texans, some don't and leave. Some will spend their entire lives believing they can be the group that can "change" Texas and end their days finding they failed. The "accent" will remain because it is an amalgamation of what Texas really is ..... we are the sum of our parts with no part taking control ..... and we like it that way.

You do know there's no ONE Texas accent, right?

[xsatyr]

Originally Posted by Kibby

You live in Texas - you will pick up the local jargon and accent. You don't notice it much when you live here, but try traveling to Maine or the Northwest. Texas has always and probably always will be a land of "immigrants and emigrants" - the fairy tale of "this time they will change Texas forever" never seems to happen.

Texas is a State of Mind - most adapt and become Texans, some don't and leave. Some will spend their entire lives believing they can be the group that can "change" Texas and end their days finding they failed. The "accent" will remain because it is an amalgamation of what Texas really is ..... we are the sum of our parts with no part taking control ..... and we like it that way.

That's cool and all but Texas is changing and the accents are dying. Most people who are born and raised in the cities do not really have an accent. The youth in urban areas especially do not speak with an accent. Those accents are really only prominent in rural areas.

[Kibby]

Originally Posted by xsatyr

That's cool and all but Texas is changing and the accents are dying. Most people who are born and raised in the cities do not really have an accent. The youth in urban areas especially do not speak with an accent. Those accents are really only prominent in rural areas.

Check a map - it's true that Texas has a lot of large Cities that get a lot of attention in the media - we have always had a large immigrant/emigrant population .... it defines Texas. You either become a Texan or you don't. The lingo and accent creep into those that do remain and it may evolve, but it brings the sum of it's parts to that evolution. Try telling those folks that were "born and raised in Texas cities" that they are not "real" Texans because they were raised in a City. Do they pronounce Pedernales, Frugio and Gruene as spelled or as spoken? There are distinct "Texanisms" that transcend "accent".

Texas does "change" and has always done so ..... but on a basic level it doesn't "change" to wherever those who came here might want it to "change". They come and they go - But Texas remains Texas.

It works well.

[thenewtexan]

All accents erode overtime. I would say it has something to do with the fact that people are not as isolated as they once were, due to internet access, mobility, and education. There is a perception that employers frown upon certain accents, and universities are increasingly emphasizing this. No one wants to sound like the Clampetts, Jerky Boys, Cliff Clavin, or Marge Gunderson (from the movie Fargo) for that matter, when they walk into an interview. It's kind of sad because some of the most intelligent and educated people have these accents. (ok maybe not the jerky boys) Unfortunately, it's all about perception.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by xsatyr

The youth in urban areas especially do not speak with an accent.

I thought we had already agreed that they indeed do.