Why do so many people all across Indiana speak with mild Southern accents? (Indianapolis: 2015, high school)

[Doughboy1918]

I'm not a native of Indiana, but having listened to several natives talk from all over the state (even as far north as the central parts, such as Indianapolis and Muncie), I couldn't help but notice so many had mild southern American accents. Linguistics such as William Labov, Charles Boberg, Jessica Pierson and Rick Aschmann have also pointed this out. Places on the same latitude in adjacent central Ohio and central Illinois however, almost always sound completely neutral.

Governor Eric Holcomb I think is a prime example of what I'm talking about. He grew up in central Indiana (somewhere that is pretty far north from anywhere considered culturally “southern”), yet while he has no drawl, he consistantly pronounces words ending in "en" as "in" and words like "hide" as "hahd";

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTjI3ZoRNCk&t=105s

Why do you think this is? Would be interested to get others thoughts on this.

[Listener2307]

Dunno why, but a lot of them do.
I was a trucker. From the south, but lived in Seattle, California, Chicago, Atlanta and more. So I've heard a few accents.
I have been saying for years that people from southern Indiana and even southern Illinois are southerners. They know it, too. At a certain point entering southern Illinois the accent changes as do the mannerisms. By the time you get to the Kentucky border they are southerners through and through.
Paducah has its own peculiar accent, and some of that leaks across the border.

[GraniteStater]

Accents are variable depending on the city in Indiana also. Martinsville or Shelbyville have a more pronounced southern accent compared to Bloomington or Lafayette, the latter two are both college towns with a younger population and more diversity in demographics.

[domergurl]

growing up near south bend, I always thought that Kentuckiana accents started south of US 30.

[Serious Conversation]

I'm from Appalachia. I have a thick Southern accent. Lived in Carmel for years. Once you get past Columbus or so, there are no Southern accents among people local to that area.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I'm from Appalachia. I have a thick Southern accent. Lived in Carmel for years. Once you get past Columbus or so, there are no Southern accents among people local to that area.

The Ohio Valley has lots of variability in terms of accents, but definitely more southern overall.

[LakeLifePA]

I grew up in Noblesville (20 minutes NE of Indy), and we didn't call it "Nobletucky" for nothing. Many of the friends I had in High School had families that came from both Kentucky and Tennessee.

[ischyros]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I'm from Appalachia. I have a thick Southern accent. Lived in Carmel for years. Once you get past Columbus or so, there are no Southern accents among people local to that area.

It certainly does still exist across rural parts and small towns even in the northern half of Indiana. I have family that lived their entire lives in a small town about halfway between Indianapolis and South Bend and some of them have a southern kind of twang to their speech. But weirdly not all of them do despite growing up together in the same small town.

[ciceropolo]

A lot of the linguistic differentiation throughout the Great Lakes / Midwest states is determined by the historic settlement patterns and countries of origin / culture. You may find Colin Woodard's books about the 11 different cultures of interest. As one person already mentioned, the US Route 30 as north south demarcation is fairly accurate throughout the area.



https://www.businessinsider.com/the-...es-2015-7?op=1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0YAR_vsQZ8

[EscAlaMike]

I worked with a woman from Merrillville who spoke with a very pronounced Southern accent. I think she was putting it on though or adapting to local customs, as women sometimes do.

I've found that women tend to adapt local accents when they relocate much quicker than men do.