I dislike the Texan accent (Dallas, Tyler: rentals, to buy, bill)

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

It must be the weekend, Texas Reb is back!
I agree. Though the New England accent isn't as harsh (to my ears) as the Boston accent, they most certainly do have an accent. Even the Boston accents aren't all the same! I lived up there for 8 years. When I first pulled into town I asked some firemen for directions and couldn't understand them!

That's how I felt when I moved to Texas and sometimes, I still can't although it's rare now not to be able to. It grows on one after a while.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

That's how I felt when I moved to Texas and sometimes, I still can't although it's rare now not to be able to. It grows on one after a while.

It does, doesn't it? I remember when I was a kid we'd kind of snicker when we heard someone speak with a really "country" accent.
I like that twang now that it's become so rare to hear around here. When I hear it, I know that Texas is still home.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

It does, doesn't it? I remember when I was a kid we'd kind of snicker when we heard someone speak with a really "country" accent.
I like that twang now that it's become so rare to hear around here. When I hear it, I know that Texas is still home.

Were you being a bit facitious when you spoke of a weekend and TexasReb being back, TXNGL? Welll, it DID prompt me to change my "status".

Anyway, I know what you mean. It is kinda like "comfort food"...that twang/drawl I grew up with.

Mine isn't "industrial strength" as I hear with some of my older kin at family reunions...but I admit it approaches it! And? What the hell, anyway. I ain't applying for a job at NBC or CBS! LOL

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

I agree ... that is so not so. Just one irritating example that comes to mind is, "idear" for idea, "are-ange" for orange. I've even heard Linda being call Linder. I just don't get from where that "r" comes. It doesn't matter though because southerners don't pronounce most words correctly either.

I'm from CA and although I don't have an accent, I do pronounce some words incorrectly, such as agg (long a) for egg, leg, peg, etc.

The national broadcasters don't have an accent. If any are from the south or the east, they've learned to rid themselves of such accents so they are understood well or as well as can be expected with all the speaking errors all humans make.

Linguistics is a topic always facinating and worth studying. Really though, it is the perception of dialect and accents that might be the best sub-subject of all.

That is, WHY is it that the Southern accent (particularly the "Upper South/WestTexas twang) has become, over the years, associated with Jethro Clampett and a 6th grade education?

Molly Ivans, in that PBS series "American Accents" said it got started sometime back around the WWII era. Historically, it kinda makes sense and falls into place..

My own take on it is that the South had always been percieved a bit backwater anyway, and that Hollywood imagery picked up on it. There exists a certain disdain for the South in many parts of the northeast and west coast (LBJ spoke of it in his memoirs) that is so deep rooted into their mindset it is a topic unto itself. The Texas westerns always showed Texans as gunslingin' rash fools and our southeastern cousins as a bunch of backwater hillbillies.

I wonder, did it make northerners feel better about themselves...or only re-enforce the image they had of us already...? Well, I talked with a prof of mine one time -- writing a feature story on the subject -- and she said (she was a native Texan), something along the lines of "Like it or not, a strong Texas/Southern accent makes one sound backward in the job market. It works well down here if you want to be a used car salesman, but not to go into the mass-media market." She even went so far as to bitterly lament and say "damn yankees...but that is the way it is!" LOL

Anyway, let me say, CC, I know you are from California and none of this is directed at you! On the contrary, you do us proud!

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Linguistics is a topic always facinating and worth studying. Really though, it is the perception of dialect and accents that might be the best sub-subject of all.

That is, WHY is it that the Southern accent (particularly the "Upper South/WestTexas twang) has become, over the years, associated with Jethro Clampett and a 6th grade education?

Molly Ivans, in that PBS series "American Accents" said it got started sometime back around the WWII era. Historically, it kinda makes sense and falls into place..

My own take on it is that the South had always been percieved a bit backwater anyway, and that Hollywood imagery picked up on it. There exists a certain disdain for the South in many parts of the northeast and west coast (LBJ spoke of it in his memoirs) that is so deep rooted into their mindset it is a topic unto itself. The Texas westerns always showed Texans as gunslingin' rash fools and our southeastern cousins as a bunch of backwater hillbillies.

I wonder, did it make northerners feel better about themselves...or only re-enforce the image they had of us already...?

Anyway, let me say, CC, I know you are from California and none of this is directed at you! On the contrary, you do us proud!

As in the case of CA, it is portrayed as crime filled, plastic, highfalutin, and filled with fruits and fairies. That is not the case as is not the case about Texas, cowboys, tumbleweeds, and the uneducated. Geez, it does get old, doesn't it?

I have a FB friend that was my ex-neighbor in CA. He was about 20 and I about 28 when I moved. He saw photos of my rural area and commented, "And you left southern CA for that?" Of course, I defended my "new" home as opposed to the city life there. CA is beautiful and there are days I really am sorry I ever left it, but it's all in the past. I think what bothers me the most is how much money I'd have if I would have stayed. Does that make me shallow? I don't think so, but what I would have liked is to be retired by now and had I remained there, I would have been. I "live" to be retired. I so can't wait to get away from all the crap people dish out, how lazy there are, and the stupid comments they make. Oh my gosh, I'm off topic. I'll quit!

[mrkool]

Well, I like it. So I cancel you out.

[Bill Henderson]

My Father had the deepest Texan drawl I have ever heard. He was also one of the most intelligent men that you would ever meet. Four Presidential Commissions, two from FDR during WWII, two from Ike after the war. He rebuilt the Phillipenes as PAPA,( Phillipene Alien Property Administrator). Juris Doctorate from George Washington U, General Counsel for the FTC, and lectured at at least four universities that I can think of. Anytime you see the words "No purchase neccessary", that would be one of the laws that my father was responsilbe for.
To those of you who would judge someone on how they speak, how do your credentials stand up against my Fathers'?

William Henderson

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Bill Henderson

My Father had the deepest Texan drawl I have ever heard. He was also one of the most intelligent men that you would ever meet. Four Presidential Commissions, two from FDR during WWII, two from Ike after the war. He rebuilt the Phillipenes as PAPA,( Phillipene Alien Property Administrator). Juris Doctorate from George Washington U, General Counsel for the FTC, and lectured at at least four universities that I can think of. Anytime you see the words "No purchase neccessary", that would be one of the laws that my father was responsilbe for.
To those of you who would judge someone on how they speak, how do your credentials stand up against my Fathers'?
William Henderson

Well said!

Like I mentioned earlier, to me, a good ol' Texas/Southern twang/drawl is the speech equivelant of "comfort food". Hell, when my time comes, I hope the last meal is chicken fried steak and mashed taters and black-eyed peas and fried okra and cornbread and all. Offered to the sweet tune of "y'all want some of this pecan pie...and pass them greens!

[Bill Henderson]

Thanks Texas Reb, sounds like a great dinner to me.
I am new here and am looking for info on Texas. I was born in the Great State but my parents moved to DC. when JFK was elected, I was very young at the time. I plan to move back in a few years, possibly to Tyler. As I have posted here on another thread, I was born in Dallas and my Father was born in and is buried in Daingerfield. Something has been pulling me back to Texas for a long time.
Any info on living in Texas would be greatly appreciated!
My two main hobbies are Fishin and Shootin, not neccesarely in that order!

[Chero]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

I hate any accent that makes people sound uneducated, which is most all the strong drawls.

Its not so much the drawl as it is the slurring of words together that make your point here. I think most accents are attractive if you can understand the english and the words are pronounced as in the dictionary for proper English grammar. For example bear is not pronounced like burr.

I enjoy hearing the different accents from different states. Lets say its adds some variety to the spice of life and keeps us guessing what part of the country you are from.