What is Your regional Slang?

[Netkeeper]

I'm guessing that's probably a west Texas thing, then, since my mother told me their accents are thicker over there. I'm near Austin.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Nope, like I said, more rural Central Texas, AFAIK. I'm in Wise County, just north of FW, and west of Denton. I hear it a lot up around the Grayson County area, too. It's mostly a "Hicksville" sort of thing. Meaning you will hear it a lot in farming areas, not so much in the urban areas like Dallas, Austin, etc. Probably because it's more of a "country" thing. Sadly, I've heard it more in the past decade than I ever did growing up- because I moved from the D/FW metro area to a small town that has little going for it.....

As for my accent, it really only tends to come out when I get excited about something. Otherwise, it's not especially noticeable. He just likes to give me a hard time since he grew up in NoCal.

[Blossombrooks]

Originally Posted by whatswiththeheadbands?

I say those things though...

Spoiler:

Lol, me too! I'm from Lincolnshire by the way, land of potatoes or as we call them 'tates'.

Discogod, I've not heard of bobbins either but I'm so going to add it to my vocabulary! Scranny, so I was told by my English teacher one day after I'd yelled it out in class, is a really old Lincolnshire saying. I picked it up from my grandparents. When I'm around them my accent gets much stronger too.

[Mona_Lisa]

Originally Posted by JamieH

For the most part, this page does a fine job of listing southern slang and pronunciations.

http://www.alphadictionary.com/artic...uthernese.html

I'm from east NC and have either heard or spoken many of them myself. Over the years I've tried to better my grammar and enunciation. Yet, I can slide right into sounding like a fellow you rather not meet from a canoe trip gone wrong.

Yeah this is me except I'm from West NC. People use to make fun of me because I tried to talk proper and use the "biggest" words I could think of but I still have that thick hillbilly accent.... So I gave up!
I speck what ever comes to mind however I want to say it.... But I have 80s slang I throw in from time to time that makes me a bit different (cool, awesome, totally)
Some things I say Jamieh's article didn't mention is
"Bless his/her heart"
"Good" Christian women say "Sheets, sugar, or foot" instead of sh*t
our parents whoop us, may threaten to knock you into next week...
we use the phrase "like a duck on a June bug"
"ain't that sumthn?"
We also use the term of something happening so fast" it will make your head spin".... for example: if I'm mad at someone I might say
" I'll smack you so fast it'll make your head spin"
But If I'm excited about going somewhere I might say
"I'll be there so fast It'll make your head spin"...

And of course it isn't just how we say things but our enunciation (pronunciations). I try hard with this one because it drives me crazy...

One that KILLS me is when my mom talks about warshiping the Lord

Needless to say when the idea of teaching people "Phonics" and to sound out words to spell them hit.... It was a hot mess!

Thank God for spell check

Originally Posted by pennydreadful

Agreed, I use "like" and "dude" all the time - I blame Mikey!

Me too... But I come across as the redneck surfer which is... strange

My husband says the three meals we eat a day is breakfast, dinner, and supper...
I say breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Every once in a while its confusing to even me.
We refer to all "Soft drinks" as Coke even though Pepsi is the drink of choice.
All Lard is Crisco
A1 is the only steak sauce!!! Lol!
And as someone else said all tissues are Kleenexes.

[Wingnut]

Raised on the Gulf Coast and lived in the Ozarks, a few of my favorites over the years...

-Hotter than a two dollar pistol
-Not regional, but my grandma called all toys "play pretties."
-"Carry me to..." instead of "Give me a ride to..."
-"You a lie" instead of "You're a liar"
-Missour-ah instead of Missour-ee
-Huckleberry = stupid person/mark/rube
-Tastes like mare mule piss

[JamieH]

I was going to get into "bless you/bless your heart" earlier, but I was too far into the post when I accidentally hit back on the browser and lost it.

Basically, it's a way to say you notice when someone has had a hard time of something or to point out that a person isn't all that bright.

Tell a story about a something unfortunate? "Well, bless you."

Repeatedly do something foolish? "Bless your heart."

The South can be oddly passive aggressive at times. Most of the time though people are incredibly nice to strangers. Which I've noticed kind of blows some people away who are not from the South. We aren't Canadian nice, but there are moments. Like trying to hold the door open for someone. The number of times I've gone to hold the door open for someone and get in a "no, you go ahead" exchange is uncountable.

Also, it's not just a Texas thing to say "I tell ya what" like you hear on King of the Hill.

I have noticed two reactions to a Southern accent in my life. One, the most common, people automatically subtract IQ points from you. And two, not too often, but it happens, some people find it cute and little sexy. Which I have found it's all about how you present yourself and the accent. Come off as a Southern Gentleman and you can seem tough yet kind and sweet. Of course it doesn't take much for people to just assume you are an uneducated ignorant hick that doesn't know any better.

But, like I said earlier, it all depends on where you're at when you say something that can determine how smart you come off to others.

[Mona_Lisa]

Originally Posted by JamieH

I was going to get into "bless you/bless your heart" earlier, but I was too far into the post when I accidentally hit back on the browser and lost it.

Basically, it's a way to say you notice when someone has had a hard time of something or to point out that a person isn't all that bright.

Tell a story about a something unfortunate? "Well, bless you."

Repeatedly do something foolish? "Bless your heart."

The South can be oddly passive aggressive at times. Most of the time though people are incredibly nice to strangers. Which I've noticed kind of blows some people away who are not from the South. We aren't Canadian nice, but there are moments. Like trying to hold the door open for someone. The number of times I've gone to hold the door open for someone and get in a "no, you go ahead" exchange is uncountable.

Also, it's not just a Texas thing to say "I tell ya what" like you hear on King of the Hill.

I have noticed two reactions to a Southern accent in my life. One, the most common, people automatically subtract IQ points from you. And two, not too often, but it happens, some people find it cute and little sexy. Which I have found it's all about how you present yourself and the accent. Come off as a Southern Gentleman and you can seem tough yet kind and sweet. Of course it doesn't take much for people to just assume you are an uneducated ignorant hick that doesn't know any better.

But, like I said earlier, it all depends on where you're at when you say something that can determine how smart you come off to others.

I think we use a lot of the Texas slang.... From what I have read on this post anyways...
And the part where you said "I have noticed two reactions to a Southern accent in my life" I totally agree with that whole statement!

[Katie]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

I have never heard either of those things from actual Brits or Southerners. Just on television.

My dad, grandparents and great-grandmother all say it.

It's my constant struggle in life to fight the stupid southerner label. I have a Master's degree and a 6 figure salary, but my family and acquaintences from out of the south still treat me like I'm slow.

[Mona_Lisa]

Originally Posted by Katie

My dad, grandparents and great-grandmother all say it.

It's my constant struggle in life to fight the stupid southerner label. I have a Master's degree and a 6 figure salary, but my family and acquaintences from out of the south still treat me like I'm slow.

But.... Why?
Aren't they Southerners too???

[Mayhem]

Originally Posted by JamieH

I have noticed two reactions to a Southern accent in my life. One, the most common, people automatically subtract IQ points from you.

That's because the average IQ in many of the Southern states is about 5-8 points lower than the US average. If you expected me to say something stereotypical, then sorry heh. I know a few Southerners, and most of them are on the ball in general, so I don't automatically assume.

[Katie]

Originally Posted by Mona_Lisa

But.... Why?
Aren't they Southerners too???

nope! My mother is from Washington State and most of her family lives in Washington, California, and Nevada.

I have also trained people at work from Chicago and South Florida. They always try and play "amaze the girl from Alabama". They don't realize I've traveled extensively and read constantly.

Even my boyfriend's father from New York City did this. Last time we visited we were driving through a tunnel from Jersey to the City, he made it a point to make sure I knew we were under water when we were in the tunnel.

Oh golly!

[JamieH]

Originally Posted by Katie

Even my boyfriend's father from New York City did this. Last time we visited we were driving through a tunnel from Jersey to the City, he made it a point to make sure I knew we were under water when we were in the tunnel.

Oh golly!

I'd have told him that's cute, but the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in VA does it twice, deeper and longer. "Aww, dats cuwte, y'all got an itty bitty baby tunnel." If people want to try and talk down to me I turn that **** around on them if given the chance. Treat others as you'd like to be treated, I believe it goes. Some people forget that's a two way street.

[JamieH]

Originally Posted by Mayhem

That's because the average IQ in many of the Southern states is about 5-8 points lower than the US average. If you expected me to say something stereotypical, then sorry heh. I know a few Southerners, and most of them are on the ball in general, so I don't automatically assume.

I don't deny lower average IQ of Southern US States, but where are you getting your data?

This link shows it's not that bad or many.

http://brandongaille.com/list-averag...erican-states/

Matter of fact, it shows that some States people might think are quite smart are actually below the average (ex. CA).

[Mayhem]

NOT the greatest link now given that part of the page features Jimmy Saville

As for tunnels under water, hello people, Channel Tunnel calling here