UT researchers say Lone Star twang is fading (Dallas, Midland: house, buying)

[BevoLJ]

I have found that I never really lose my accents, they only change depending on who I am talking to.

I grew up in Texas, went to school in Boston, then LA and lived in Australia and South Africa and now live in Austin, TX and London, UK. My friends always make fun of me when my accent changes depending on who I am talking to. If I am on the phone or meet someone from Boston, England, Texas or wherever I have lived I unconsciously switch my accent back to theirs. I don't even notice it until someone says something to me. It is more dramatic of a change when I am talking to someone in person than on the phone, but it still happens on the phone. It is creepy.

Anyway, it could be something like that happening a lot around Texas. Texas is a fast growing state with a lot of people moving in from many other places. So more of those we talk to everyday in Texas aren't Texans and don't have the accent.

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

On the other hand, a guy held the door for me at the post office (southern NM, yet) one day, and I said, "Thank you kindly, much appreciated."

He looked at me and said, "What part of Texas are you from?"

Did he get that from the accent per se, or the politeness?

Like everyone has said, could have been both, plus as mentioned the phrase. Regardless, I bet it sure made you feel good, am I right?

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

I have found that I never really lose my accents, they only change depending on who I am talking to.

I grew up in Texas, went to school in Boston, then LA and lived in Australia and South Africa and now live in Austin, TX and London, UK. My friends always make fun of me when my accent changes depending on who I am talking to. If I am on the phone or meet someone from Boston, England, Texas or wherever I have lived I unconsciously switch my accent back to theirs. I don't even notice it until someone says something to me. It is more dramatic of a change when I am talking to someone in person than on the phone, but it still happens on the phone. It is creepy.

Anyway, it could be something like that happening a lot around Texas. Texas is a fast growing state with a lot of people moving in from many other places. So more of those we talk to everyday in Texas aren't Texans and don't have the accent.

I had a neighbor who did exactly that! I never could get over it. One time I saw her talking to an Asian lady at the gym and I walked over and I'll be dang if she wasn't speaking in broken English just like the Asian lady was doing. I didn't say anything at that time, but later I asked her what in the hell was wrong with her and why did she do such a crazy thing.

LOL She said she didn't know why she did it, that it wasn't intentional, it just came out. She said she didn't even realize she was doing it unless someone called attention to it. Too funny.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by lonestar2007

Like everyone has said, could have been both, plus as mentioned the phrase. Regardless, I bet it sure made you feel good, am I right?

Yep, it sure did, LOL!!

[dallasboi]

Native Dallas African Americans have a deeper twang PERIOD.(not all of them)

Example:

Y'all= Yowl
Fixin To= Fins to, or Finsta
gonna= Gone
Barber shop= Bobby shop
I don't care=On Ker
Come here= Comere
Birth Day=berthay
Sister=Susta
Got your nerve=Gotcho nerv
Hair=hare
Trying to=Tryna
That's not Yours=Thats notchers
Playing=plan

I could think of a thousand more......

[Austinite101]

I've never had the Texas twang. However, after living in Tokyo for a few years when I was younger, I've developed something similar to what BevoLJ was saying. I can't pronounce the 'L' sounds in English after speaking to a Japanese person in Japanese. It will take about a minute to completely wear off though. It's really embarrassing too.

[hitchhiker2012]

I find myself picking up ebonics and some southeastern bad grammar. Modern slang and music influences a lot of us I guess, dog.

[blkgiraffe]

Talking proper is boring. There's no soul or color there. It's just bland and vanilla.

[lame_excuse]

Originally Posted by debzkidz

I tried to stop because I know it's not proper English.

No such thing as "proper English", just dialects.

Originally Posted by stan4

Dude...I have a strange Texafornia accent, y'all.

This, plus a slight bit of Ebonic.

[westhou]

I thought Texans have more of a drawl instead of a twang. I thought the twang was more of a Southern accent.