Do Oklahomans typically have a Southern or Midwestern accent? (Oklahoma City: fit in, high school)

[MinnesotaJen]

I'm considering a job tranfer to Oklahoma City for work. Right now I'm in Georgia. My heavy northern Minnesotan accent sticks out pretty bad here in the Deep South. I'm not quite as bad or stereotypical as the movie "Fargo" but my accent is along those lines, haha. And Fargo's not even in Minnesota...

I've been to Oklahoma once years ago. The Southern drawl didn't seem as heavy as other people I've met from the Deep South or even Texas. I spent quite a bit of time with family in Iowa growing up. Most of the Oklahomans sounded they they had more of an Iowa-type of Midwestern accent. One of my co-workers was from Oklahoma and didn't sound Southern at all. But she was in her 60's and left the state after high school.

I don't have a problem with Southern accents and think they're kind of charming. But I don't fit in and I always get the "You're not from around here, are you?" questions. And it makes me feel like an outsider even though I've been in the same Southern city for three years now.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[okieplumber]

can't really see your accent mattering much in okc,not being from around here would be a bigger deal in a rural community.I doubt many will care in town, we get a lot of ppl from other places with tinker afb being located here so we're kinda use to it .

[Rubi3]

Many in OK will be fascinated by your accent. I think there are several accents in Oklahoma, depending on the area. I grew up in Southern Oklahoma and had what is often thought of as the sterotypical OK accent. After graduating college, I decided to change it and did. Generally, people in the northern half of the state speak in a more midwestern way. Of course, these are generalities.

[debzkidz]

Living in OKC, you will hear all kinds of accents. No one will care. A lot of people move in and out of this city all the time, from all over the country. The locals I know here have an accent that is not unlike that of my friends and family in north Texas, which is typically pretty mild. Not the stereotypical Texas accent.

There's a lady a business I frequent that sounds like she's straight out of the movie Fargo. I don't think anyone cares at all. People might comment on your accent, but they aren't going to hold it against you.

[Hazel Eyes]

I'm from California and no one has ever asked me where I'm from!....I hear a slight accent with a small portion, but it seems it's more than half that don't have accents here.

[#1soonerfan]

The native OKC accent is one with a bit of a twang but otherwise pretty neutral. Definitely not southern in the least bit. You might find that down by McAlester and Broken Bow, but not in OKC. I know far more natives that have zero accent. Depending on where you live in the area, your neighbors are just as likely to be from CA, IL, TX, etc. So you might get some light-hearted questions but I think you'll be fine.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaJen

I'm considering a job tranfer to Oklahoma City for work. Right now I'm in Georgia. My heavy northern Minnesotan accent sticks out pretty bad here in the Deep South. I'm not quite as bad or stereotypical as the movie "Fargo" but my accent is along those lines, haha. And Fargo's not even in Minnesota...

I've been to Oklahoma once years ago. The Southern drawl didn't seem as heavy as other people I've met from the Deep South or even Texas. I spent quite a bit of time with family in Iowa growing up. Most of the Oklahomans sounded they they had more of an Iowa-type of Midwestern accent. One of my co-workers was from Oklahoma and didn't sound Southern at all. But she was in her 60's and left the state after high school.

I don't have a problem with Southern accents and think they're kind of charming. But I don't fit in and I always get the "You're not from around here, are you?" questions. And it makes me feel like an outsider even though I've been in the same Southern city for three years now.

Thanks for your thoughts!

There is a difference obviously from Oklahoma (a mixture of Southern Plains/Southwest culturally) and Minnesota in more ways than just speech patterns.

In terms of dialect, and as DebzKidz accurately noted, the vast majority of Oklahoma is very similar to North Texas....IMO, someone from MN would think it sounds Southern (not Steel Magnolias = most of that is hokey/fakey stuff anyway).

In Tulsa/OK City (just like DFW and outlying areas), transplantation has to be taken into account. I think it's about a 50-50 shot from a slight/quiet twangy accent to neutral. In the rural areas the Okie accent can be very pronounced. In my line of work I see the difference in dialect all the time from city Okies to more rural Okies. The differences in tonation/accent can be quite drastic, especially to someone not from the South-Central region.

Someone from South Carolina/Georgia, et al. would think (what we call pure Okie) it sounds slightly Southern and Western rolled into one....with the stereotypical twang (Western South/Southern Plains of OK/TX), but not "Southern" and certainly not overly inflected and drawn out (<---that does grate on my ears some too) like you'll get in the Deep South. (Also, you need to look into the many Okies that have contributed to country music...and our own brand we call "Red Dirt." Finally, you'll find real cowboys/ranchers over here in these parts, not the fakey/wannabe cowboys you would get in some Deep South states.)

Examples from my own life: When I lived on the West Coast they thought the Fam and I had heavy Southern accents (obviously false and, of course, we accused them of talking funny.) In Boston, they definitely thought I had a Southern accent, in which I informed them I spoke fluent Okie. In the Florida panhandle (the Deep South), they thought I was from Texas. And, as any self-respecting Okie would, such an oversight could not go unopposed. Hence, I quickly ribbed 'em and told them that Okies have our own brand of speech (it truly does sound a lot like most Texans).

Bottom Line: Yes, many of us will sound different than you, but that's okay. We're very open to diversity here in our Great State. Someone (perhaps many) is bound to ask you where you're from if you speak Upper-Midwestern, but it will be done in a curteous and genuinely interested manner. Unless the person is being overly nosy and downright rude, don't take offense. Most Okies are very open to dialoguing with others/strangers/new acquaintances.

Welcome to Oklahoma and come over here to the Western Side and get some real BBQ. Oh, one last thing you need to know, much to the chagrin of our rival the Longhorns and little brother Oklahoma State, the SOONERS are a BIG deal here in these parts. Cheers.

[johnspecial]

There are quite a few people on this forum that don't really know what they are talking about. There is no such thing as a southwestern/southern plains accent. The Oklahoma accent is a variation of the southern dialect. It is very pronounced in areas outside the metro. That is the same for any southern state. She will not get teased, but people will know she is not from Oklahoma.
http://robertspage.com/diausa.gif

[swake]

Even by your map most of Oklahoma is in Midlands dialect along with most of the lower Midwest.

[IMG]www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/maps/MapsM/Map1M.html[/IMG]

[Dale Cooper]

Originally Posted by MinnesotaJen

I'm considering a job tranfer to Oklahoma City for work. Right now I'm in Georgia. My heavy northern Minnesotan accent sticks out pretty bad here in the Deep South. I'm not quite as bad or stereotypical as the movie "Fargo" but my accent is along those lines, haha. And Fargo's not even in Minnesota...

I've been to Oklahoma once years ago. The Southern drawl didn't seem as heavy as other people I've met from the Deep South or even Texas. I spent quite a bit of time with family in Iowa growing up. Most of the Oklahomans sounded they they had more of an Iowa-type of Midwestern accent. One of my co-workers was from Oklahoma and didn't sound Southern at all. But she was in her 60's and left the state after high school.

I don't have a problem with Southern accents and think they're kind of charming. But I don't fit in and I always get the "You're not from around here, are you?" questions. And it makes me feel like an outsider even though I've been in the same Southern city for three years now.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I can't think of a soul who would care. And why would it make you feel bad if someone did comment? Goodness. It shouldn't make you feel like an outsider. It should make you feel like someone is interested enough to ask.