Thread: How to speak Southern Ya'll - The Queen's English

Okay, I wasn't certain exactly where to post this as little side bars have been going on in different threads about my southern expressions and if people from the Southern U.S. are thought of as less intelligent than others... blah, blah, blah.

Well, as I suspected, my mom did have most of "A DICTIONARY OF THE QUEEN'S ENGLISH, NORTH CAROLINA" that was published in Raleigh, N.C. by the Travel and Tourism Division, Dept. of Commerce, [between 1978 and 1988]

I have uploaded a PDF copy that she had (not the actual book, just a redacted version).

So, if you want to learn how to properly speak if you are ever in the south...examples:

Learn (teach): You have to learn a child how to read.
A fixin (preparing): I was a fixin to come to your home.
Deah (pronounced de-ah): Dear, Oh deah me, I just don’t know what’s going to happen
Recken (believe): I recken we’ll go to town on Saturday

Then take a look "Rat cheer (right here)" and download the file QueensEnglish redacted.pdf ya'll !!

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=b...fd8d2383f83d03

rockzmom

Oh my this brings back memories of things my father use to say to me growing up. (he grew up in West Virginia - so I am sure you can understand) LOL oh ....my sides are hurtin' hahaa.

I love southern accents.

Having grown up and lived in NC for most of my life I found that book rather interesting and funny. Reading it reminded me of my grandparents. Thanks for uploading it. I've been told my accent is real heavy and cute but I like to think it's not.

The only expressions from that book I still hear are "bless her/your/it's heart", "wored out" (worn out) and "mad as fire!" and fire tends to be drawn out to sound more like farr. Older women always call you "honey" "baby" or "darlin"(female only) as well, but even that is rare unless you are young like me then older women always call you that. Honestly if you tried to use any of the others we'd think yer done crazy in the head.

If you ever visit towns in the Appalachians you may find it incredibly difficult to understand the yokels up there. They basically mumble, combine words or just shorten them while speaking real fast. In most of the major cities the accents are not as thick and at best you just get somebody that sounds slack-jawed.

whee first post.

Whiteblur.... your first post! Welcome to MR! I am honored and glad I made you feel right at home!.

Be certain to go to :
"What's your native language?" and post there. http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...php?f=1&t=1654

And then to...
"Why did you choose to learn Russian?" http://masterrussian.net/mforum/view...hp?f=1&t=15949

Originally Posted by whiteblur

I've been told my accent is real heavy and cute but I like to think it's not.

When I came back from my summers in North Carolina, everyone said the same thing to me. I guess it depends upon where it is you are living now. As I mentioned, if you have traveled to a major city up north or to LA, it sounds cute, but they will think you are dumb. (also, it is a cutness of face factor too, if you look cute it helps as well when you sound cute with the accent )

Originally Posted by whiteblur

Older women always call you "honey" "baby" or "darlin"(female only) as well, but even that is rare unless you are young like me then older women always call you that.

Ouch....Well, I keep saying I am the old one on this forum... I use "Honey" and "Darlin" ("Sweetheart".. all those terms...)

Originally Posted by whiteblur

The only expressions from that book I still hear are "bless her/your/it's heart", "wored out" (worn out) and "mad as fire!" and fire tends to be drawn out to sound more like farr.

About "fire" that would be correct! I remember once someone in Norfolk, VA talking about a car fire on the radio and saying the "fire wall" of the car and it came out like "farr wall or furrr wall" My poor dad had no clue what the guy was saying, but my mom knew right away what he was talking about. Of course... fire wall!

I also hear a lot of the "bless your heart or soul" up here in this area even today.

Originally Posted by whiteblur

If you ever visit towns in the Appalachians you may find it incredibly difficult to understand the yokels up there. They basically mumble...

Yes, bring OZZY OSBOURNE or Keith Richards with you to translate!
[video:1v3jj9yh]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0fUwC0Czdc&feature=related[/video:1v3jj9yh]

Originally Posted by whiteblur

If you ever visit towns in the Appalachians you may find it incredibly difficult to understand the yokels up there. They basically mumble, combine words or just shorten them while speaking real fast. In most of the major cities the accents are not as thick and at best you just get somebody that sounds slack-jawed.

I had to translate a TV show (a semi-documentary) once in which the action was taking place in a small NC town. Of course, everyone was speaking as they do in real life. Not sure if that particular town was within the Appalachia, but their speach most certainly fit your description . And out of the entire series, that was the only (IIRC) untranscribed episode. I guess the transcribing company just gave up on it. Fortunately, I was able to get hold of a genuine southerner online (we were playing the same MMORPG together), and she was able to decipher the hardest parts for me.

I've lived one-third of my life down heah - the last third. So I don't have a southern accent, at least I don't think I do. Except that I cannot avoid saying "y'all". Every once in a while I slip up and say "insurance" or "umbrella" with the stress on the first syllable. And of course there's the phrase "couple-three" as in "Yall's truck'll be ready in a couple-three ars." There's no two ways about it.

I have been waiting for this clip to be posted online ever since I saw it live!

Talk about your SOUTHERN accents and expressions!! Hear Paula Deen and have a laugh at the same time! Paula is from Georgia, and is the author of several cookbooks and has her own TV show and also owns a restaurant.

I found it on Daily Motion so I am hoping it will work!!!

http://yacast.dailymotion.com/video/..._news?from=rss

Here is another link:
http://www.slashfood.com/2009/10/12/...how-staffer%2F

Originally Posted by rockzmom

I have been waiting for this clip to be posted online ever since I saw it live!

Talk about your SOUTHERN accents and expressions!!]

Dang, Al Roper done got thin!