Apparent Influences in Southern Dialects

The South is treated as a “monolith” in the first web site listed with its “hillbilly music”, “rebel flag”, and “syntax”. Most visitors would probably have a grin on their face as I did when scrolling through the list of “southern sayings” such as; “A fish out of water”, “As hard-headed as a mule”, and “Barking up the wrong tree”. The descriptive dialect of the south does indeed separate itself from many of the other states in that respect. The third web site utilized a “strategy of condescension” as Dr. Goodward, while intelligent and well versed uses regional dialects of the south to demonstrate that it is not improper English being used but a variation of grammar used. “This is a tactic whereby an empowered individual [Dr. Goodward]…appropriates [preserves a record of] the subordinated language…” (Lippi-Green, 208). He does not disrespect the south with the use of the southern dialect, although he is educated and articulate he wants to preserve a part of his heritage. The forth website “Wikipedia” explains the evolution of “Southern American English” being born from our ancestors who immigrated to the region between the 17 and 18 hundreds. Those immigrants were Protestants from Ireland, France, England, and Scotland. Interestingly enough, those who migrating to other territories seemed to pick up each other’s dialect and “mesh” them together creating our regional differences in “Southern Twang”. When we “southerners” are made to feel a little lower than an intellectual because of our accent we need to realize that it is nothing more than being narrow minded. As the Author Lippi-Green writes: “Clearly it is difficult for northerners and mainstream language speakers to take seriously the idea that [we] the south could be content…” (214). Therefore, our accents reflect our culture and environment we were exposed to while forming our language skills between the ages of 2 and 6. Unless we take action to “lose” our accent it will always remain with us as a testament to our heritage, culture, and background not our intelligence or lack thereof.