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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waronxmas
I think it is fairly accurate. Of course, when you look at any linguistic map in America in 2010 it should be taken with a grain of salt, particularly when it comes to the big cities.
As for native populations however, I believe it is spot on. If you notice all of the pink areas on the East coast north to south line up with, surprise surprise, the major British colonial areas. I have read a few studies that non-rhotic pronunciation began to emerge prior to British and American English deviating...and that American English is closer to the way English was spoken during colonial times and it is in fact British English that has changed more drastically.
However, the portion that is pink in Louisiana and Mississippi is mostly likely the direct result of the infusion of Acadians (as well as other factors). The portions through Alabama and Georgia streak straight through the Black Belt where AAVE is widely spoken and which is also non-rhotic.
Yes that's the classic 'Big Daddy' type Delta accent, which sounds similar to the 'old southern' accent of the coastal Carolinas. I'm not sure if it's accurate but don't the characters in Gone with the Wind speak non-rhotically (maybe incorrectly?)? Surprised most of Alabama is non-rhotic according to this map, thought only southern AL was non-rhotic.
Yeah had no idea DC was supposed to be non-rhotic. Non-rhoticism would be found in more of New England, but is decreasing among the younger demographic.
Location: The Greatest city on Earth: City of Atlanta Proper
8,486 posts, read 15,002,372 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
Yes that's the classic 'Big Daddy' type Delta accent, which sounds similar to the 'old southern' accent of the coastal Carolinas. I'm not sure if it's accurate but don't the characters in Gone with the Wind speak non-rhotically (maybe incorrectly?)? Surprised most of Alabama is non-rhotic according to this map, thought only southern AL was non-rhotic.
Here's the funny thing about the movie "Gone With the Wind", the accents used in the movie were almost exclusive what you would have not heard in the time period portrayed during that era.
That's the obvious answer most people would think of, but to your point, a person living in that part of Georgia at that time would have than likely been from Savannah, Charleston or some where else in the Lowcounty and had a non-rhotic accent. By the time the Civil War had rolled around, the people living there had only relocated to the area around Atlanta 30 years prior after the Cherokee Nation was removed by the Federal government to Oklahoma. Most of the new residents came from the Coastal areas and imported their culture and dialects to the area.
Their dominance was short lived however as after the Civil War Ulster Scots, regular Irish, newly freed African-Americans (who contrary to popular belief did not exist in large numbers in North Georgia in the antebellum era due to the more industrial economy) moved en masse to the city to work in the numerous factories and railroads that sprang up during Reconstruction. Many of the residents who came pre-war did remain, but many of them returned to the coast as they had lost everything by way of Shermans total war tactics.
This meant they were outnumbered by the now (back then) working class majority, and thus did not have a big impact on the development of the dialects in Atlanta city proper aside from those of the upper class.
Again, I disagree vehemently with the map showing that Washington DC (my lifelong home area) is rhotic (pink) -- and with it showing that 95% of both New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as the upper peninsulas of Tidewater Virginia are non-rhotic (not pink). Has the cartographer ever visited those areas ?
Again, I disagree vehemently with the map showing that Washington DC (my lifelong home area) is rhotic (pink) -- and with it showing that 95% of both New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as the upper peninsulas of Tidewater Virginia are non-rhotic (not pink). Has the cartographer ever visited those areas ?
I agree. You should see the edge of pink extend AT LEAST as far as Concord (Cahnkid) and Keene. I'm less sure about South Carolina. Does the non-rhoticity really extend beyond the Lowcountry?
I grew up in Tidewater and I'm non-rhotic (especially if I'm angry or tired and my own auto-correct isn't on), but most of the kids I grew up with were not. I think the accent of the TV spokesman posted above is only found among folks age 60 and older. My grandparents speak like him, but my parents did not, and people in my generation do not. Younger people there have a mix of "General American" and "Nascar Southern"
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Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,466 posts, read 44,100,317 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by waronxmas
Here's the funny thing about the movie "Gone With the Wind", the accents used in the movie were almost exclusive what you would have not heard in the time period portrayed during that era.
That's the obvious answer most people would think of, but to your point, a person living in that part of Georgia at that time would have than likely been from Savannah, Charleston or some where else in the Lowcounty and had a non-rhotic accent. By the time the Civil War had rolled around, the people living there had only relocated to the area around Atlanta 30 years prior after the Cherokee Nation was removed by the Federal government to Oklahoma. Most of the new residents came from the Coastal areas and imported their culture and dialects to the area.
Their dominance was short lived however as after the Civil War Ulster Scots, regular Irish, newly freed African-Americans (who contrary to popular belief did not exist in large numbers in North Georgia in the antebellum era due to the more industrial economy) moved en masse to the city to work in the numerous factories and railroads that sprang up during Reconstruction. Many of the residents who came pre-war did remain, but many of them returned to the coast as they had lost everything by way of Shermans total war tactics.
This meant they were outnumbered by the now (back then) working class majority, and thus did not have a big impact on the development of the dialects in Atlanta city proper aside from those of the upper class.
Most of the settlers in northern GA at the time of GWTW would have been second generation Virginians or South Carolinians, and not from the low country of those states but more likely from the upcountry. My family, that came to Henry County, GA in the 1820's, were fairly typical. They came from Chester County, SC (upcountry) and before that Fairfax County, VA.
A couple like the O'Hara's would have been anomalous (he first generation Irish, she a native of Savannah) in north GA.
BTW, the vocal coach on GWTW was a native of Macon, GA.
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