Accents, dialect, and social perception.

[WVUPharm2007]

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Ok, here's the rub. I'm from Appalachia. I'm from a small town. Due to the geography of my upbringing, I have this bizzare, but, oddly, neccessary, liguistic trait where I have two accents. I have my hick accent, which I use around friends, people I'm comfortable being around, etc. And I have my "sterile" accent. One in which I sound like a normal joe from Anytown, USA.

I didn't really notice this until a few weeks ago, but I literally am a chameleon in social situations. If I'm with the guys watching WVU games, I sound like a hick, if I'm at work talking to a physician, I sound like a guy trying to do the audio book version of a Tom Clancy novel. My voice is the color beige, it's flavor vanilla, it's material styrofoam. It makes Ben Stein sound Bostonian.

I've never thought about it before, but a person's accent can instantly alter another person's perception of you within the first 10 seconds of meeting you. Barney Fife, Cletus from the Simpsons, The Beverly Hillbillies. All speak with "improper" accents, all portrayed as ignorant fools. I'm afraid, as I think I should be, that speaking with the coloquial verbage present in Appalachian speech that I would be written off as a country bumpkin before a person actually had the time to judge my character. Hence, whenever I do anything where I need to appear like I know how to tie my own shoes or greater, I slip into my dingus from Connecticut voice.

So what should I do? Suppress my endogenous dialect or just be me?

Anybody else ever notice themselves doing this?

 

[Shovingit]

I have a similar issue. Mine however, is more or less backwards:

I was raised in suburban metro Atlanta. When I was very young, our area was pretty much rural, not much net influx of people. Therefore, the general dialect was a strong southern drawl.

However, as the city of Atlanta has exploded in the last 15 years, so has the metro area. Nowadays, you can't find a 2BR house being built in my area for less than 500k. A melting pot of up-and-coming businessmen, their desparate housewives, 2.5 kids, and golden retrievers, the area became less fileld with the old hicks of my childhood, and more populated with outsiders. As this transition occured, and I grew up, the dialect melted into a very slight if at all present southern drawl. There are obviously exceptions, people moving in from rural areas, etc. However, the general population is more or less John Doe, faceless, accentless.

I myself have no recognizable accent in my general speech, with my friends, in a professional situation, etc. This ceases to be the case, however, whenever I get my oil changed, engage in casual conversation with the leftover metro-Atlantans from before the massive influx of out-of-towners. My sevens become "sevem"s, my is nots become "ain't"s, and my plural forms of you invariably become "ya'll"s.

 

[MountainPharmD]

So how many banjo's do you own?

 

[dgroulx]

I'm originally from LA, so I don't have any southern drawl. I find the Virginia southern accent charming. I've never heard the West Virginia accent.

I would just be yourself.

When I lived in England, the people from the Cornwall / Devonshire area had a unique accent which was considered "country bumpkin". I wonder if all countries in the world consider the south in this manner?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

So how many banjo's do you own?

I own a violin. But thanks for proving my point.

 

[DHG]

I'm also from appalachia and YES, I notice myself doing this too. I always sorta liked the southern accents of Georgia and South Carolina (a little different from the appalachian version, though unless you're from the south you might not notice the difference)... they sound more refined. Or sumpin'.

If you're actually IN appalachia (WV/TN/VA/NC mountains) and as long as you use proper grammar, you can probably use your "real" accent... I mean, I do. Now if you go up north or out west, the sad fact is that you will be judged by your accent. First impressions do mean something. That;s a tough call...I know from experience from when I travel that I automatically (without thinking about it) use my bland accent when I travel. Yes it is a strange thing, isn't it?

I notice now that when I go back home my accent comes back out. When I get back to school it sorta goes away again.

And OH YEAH- I have a violin too. Rock on. 😆 Maybe there's something to stereotypes after all???

BTW, Parkersburg is like big city by WV standards ;-) Small town my arse.

 

[cdpiano27]

I live in NC, play piano and violin but classical.

But I love the instruments native too Appalachia such as the dulcimer, and I do love country music as well, as classical music.

I like country music so much because it is unique to Appalachia itself and no one else in any other part of the world could write it. And the words are so much like what real life is like there, and is indicative of the people in that region.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I prefer bluegrass. (Think O' Brother Where Art Thou?) That's real soul.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

BTW, Parkersburg is like big city by WV standards ;-) Small town my arse.

We got *2* Walmarts.

But that's just because there is a river that cuts the town in half. People DO NOT cross the river unless they have to. The Southsiders stay on their side, we Northsiders stay on our side. The two sides really don't like each other. We Northsiders like to call the Southsiders river rats. It's like calling an Irish person a Mick. It REALLY gets under their skin. It's actually quite bizarre. It's like the French and Englsh. I've only been to Southside, like, 8 times in my life. 5 of those was to make out with this girl I was seeing for 3 weeks. Anybody from Pburg knows what I'm talking about.

 

[Gauden44]

The way a person talks is used a lot to judge said person. It's just human nature, a fact of society. Thus, I'd suggest using your non-country accent when in the pharmacy or anything professionally related.

 

[cycloketocaine]

The way a person talks is used a lot to judge said person. It's just human nature, a fact of society. Thus, I'd suggest using your non-country accent when in the pharmacy or anything professionally related.

I have the biggest hick accent. I used to call a friend in Cali and he would make fun of me. Oh well. We have pow wows and go to Indian festivals where I live.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I make fun of people with Californian accents. Pop culture has me convinced they all have an IQ of 75. Based upon who their governor is, this may not be too far off.

 

[ForcedEntry]

Whenever it is really important I bust out the Sean Connery voice.

 

[Shovingit]

I make fun of people with Californian accents. Pop culture has me convinced they all have an IQ of 75. Based upon who their governor is, this may not be too far off.

http://www.aceviper.net/estimated_iq_of_famous_people.php

Arnold has an estimated IQ of 135...

Don't know if i buy that, but I'd say he's a pretty bright guy, just doesn't speak english as well as a US politician should.

I'm of the opinion that you should be born in the US to run for office, but thats another issue.

 

[ZpackSux]

Arnold was a wealthy real esate investor before the movie days.
Don't let his accent fool you. He's a smart man. He's a republican in the Kennedy family.

 

[sdn1977]

I just spent 5 days in NC since my daughter now lives there while going to school so I heard this particular accent a lot!

The accent is wonderful! Don't lose it - even in professional situations. When I hear the NC accent & the other variations on "southern" accents....I think - nice, very, very nice, kind people because that has been my personal experience. I've not traveled in the south much, but I found the same in GA & SC as well.

Now..I think when you fall into poor grammar...that might peg you more as a hick. But...I have not found poor grammar and the accents to go together automatically. In fact, I was just at a medical school ceremony & 3 of the physicians who spoke had different southern accents & 1 had a Boston accent - none of them were hicks!

As a pharmacist, I love hearing the accents when I call or get called to transfer rxs. I try to take time to chat a bit also...hows the weather, etc...

Funny...we have so many different languages spoken in CA, we don't think of ourselves as having a noticable accent. But..lots of people can tell I'm from CA by the way I talk. I think its more how we phrase things rather than the way we say the word - who knows...

But - I like accents!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

http://www.aceviper.net/estimated_iq_of_famous_people.php

Arnold has an estimated IQ of 135...

Don't know if i buy that, but I'd say he's a pretty bright guy, just doesn't speak english as well as a US politician should.

I'm of the opinion that you should be born in the US to run for office, but thats another issue.

If my IQ is higher than yours, you shouldn't be the head of an entire state. I'm a damned idiot. There is no way in hell, without tons of training, I would be ready to tackle such a task. What experience did this guy have other than being married to whatshername from NBC? It was a stupid political ploy.

 

[sdn1977]

If my IQ is higher than yours, you shouldn't be the head of an entire state. I'm a damned idiot. There is no way in hell, without tons of training, I would be ready to tackle such a task. What experience did this guy have other than being married to whatshername from NBC? It was a stupid political ploy.

Be careful! The last actor we had as a governor became a president😱

That goes to show the rest of the country didn't realize what was apparent to 49% of us here in CA.😳

I'm not an Arnold fan - in no way would I admit to that! But...he did save stem cell research in CA & went against the Bush administration to do so. For that one thing alone, he has my respect, altho.....there are so many other things which show how little he knows about governing a state the size of some countries!

 

[alwaystired]

I prefer bluegrass. (Think O' Brother Where Art Thou?) That's real soul.

in favor of a nickel creek crossover to more mainstream?

 

[ethyl]

I can relate. Born in Louisiana, obtained the redneck accent. Raised in Germany, Alaska and Florida. Whenever I'm around a southerner I'll talk like I'm in the backwoods of Louisiana. Whenever I'm from normal sounding folk, my voice is deeper, more nasally 😳, and articulate.

 

[meg]

This post reminds me of "Flavor of Love 2"! Don't know if anyone watches that here.. but "Buckwild" had that accent and then when she got kicked off Flavor Flav was like "Where the &*(# did your accent go?" haha Ok.. totally random, but hopefully relevant.

 

[cycloketocaine]

This post reminds me of "Flavor of Love 2"! Don't know if anyone watches that here.. but "Buckwild" had that accent and then when she got kicked off Flavor Flav was like "Where the &*(# did your accent go?" haha Ok.. totally random, but hopefully relevant.

Heheheeee. I saw that clip last night. She was shady.

 

[bananaface]

I speak more clearly at work than in other situations. When I am around my cousins I somehow end up using a local speech pattern that is best described as a cross between a valley girl and the MicroMachine Man. As long as your accent poses no communication barriers, it doesn't matter if you have an accent. People will get over their initial impressions once they actually interact with you.

 

[NCRxgal]

Interesting question.....I too, have an accent of my own, rather I might even consider it a dialect. Around family,friends, and my colleagues at school, I use a variety of shortened words and fragments that only they could probably understand, but in the professional world, I try to relate to people in a "common tongue" so that they can understand me. As a pharmacist, I think that you should adjust your "tongue" according to your consumers, especially to pass on pertinent information so that they can understand you, but you should never feel like you are losing your identity in the process. I suggest you find that happy medium. Easier said than done. I guess you can tell if people understand by whether or not they are constantly asking "What you say?" or "huh".....lol

 

[medicalCPA]

I was searching for something and found this thread...Wanted to revive it. I have one "natural" accent, and one I'm trying to adopt. The former is my Nigerian accent - which I didn't even know I had until I arrived here 4 years ago - and the latter is the generic American accent I've been working on so that people can actually understand what I'm trying to say (I've not eliminated my home accent, but suppressed it enough so that Americans don't keep saying "Huh?" when I utter a word). When I get a call from home, people say my accent becomes thicker. And once, my family called me at work and found it difficult to believe that I was the one who was speaking .

Accents are not necessarily bad, and in my experience, it's been better to switch between the two so that people are able to hear what I say.

I grew up speaking a pidgin English which (I just discovered) is related to the Gullah language. Odd.

 

[norafena]

I have a foreign accent...When I open my mouth, people get ready to tune out (what a foreigner has to say anyway) 🙄....As I proceed, they straighten their back, widen their eyes and rise on their toes....The look on their face is priceless
It is very inetersting to see how people respond to appearances. LOOK, accent, anything that gives an instant cue.
Are our brains so lazy that we have to categorize the other from the first glance?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I used way too many commas when I started this thread way back when....

 

[GatorRxGirl]

Commas must be a hick punctuation thing.

 

[loo]

When in Rome...

Accents are just a part of who you are. Flaunt it.

Southern accent= hot, hot, HOT!

I wish a had a southern accent; but alas, I am a Northerner who sounds a little Canadian...damn.

 

[loo]

I have a foreign accent...When I open my mouth, people get ready to tune out (what a foreigner has to say anyway) 🙄....As I proceed, they straighten their back, widen their eyes and rise on their toes....The look on their face is priceless
It is very inetersting to see how people respond to appearances. LOOK, accent, anything that gives an instant cue.
Are our brains so lazy that we have to categorize the other from the first glance?

Where are you from? Personally, I am a very auditory person and not so much visual..guess I'm in the minority.

 

[loo]

My voice is the color beige, it's flavor vanilla, it's material styrofoam.

Umm...I don't think you have any problem being yourself!

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Umm...I don't think you have any problem being yourself!

Ha....right...

Hell, I almost got kicked out of pharmacy school for being myself. Several times, in fact. Oh, no...they punish people that are honest with themselves and others. They want little carbon copies of the borg children they have created in their minds. Most people go along with it because they have no self-respect. Personally, I just don't like lying to people no matter how uncomfortable it makes them or me feel. I straight up told a faculty member that I thought there rotation wasn't very exciting and that it wasn't my thing. And what happens? I get reprimanded. Of course, every other student I ever rotated with told me behind the professor's back that they thought the various rotations were more pointless than even I thought they were...but they put up the facade. They pretended to be the perfect little student that loves being there. Just smile and tell everyone what they want to hear.

But call a spade a spade. Truth is punished, lying is rewarded. I know what telling the truth gets you. The world wants faux opinions and people. Nobody cares about reality. It's too frightening. As long as they can bury their heads in the sand and people tell them that they are awesome, it's makes their entire world happy and fantabulous. They are content.

So...I'm just saying...the entire world revolves around lying to people as common courtesy.

 

[medicalCPA]

Ha....right...

Hell, I almost got kicked out of pharmacy school for being myself. Several times, in fact. Oh, no...they punish people that are honest with themselves and others. They want little carbon copies of the borg children they have created in their minds. Most people go along with it because they have no self-respect. Personally, I just don't like lying to people no matter how uncomfortable it makes them or me feel. I straight up told a faculty member that I thought there rotation wasn't very exciting and that it wasn't my thing. And what happens? I get reprimanded. Of course, every other student I ever rotated with told me behind the professor's back that they thought the various rotations were more pointless than even I thought they were...but they put up the facade. They pretended to be the perfect little student that loves being there. Just smile and tell everyone what they want to hear.

But call a spade a spade. Truth is punished, lying is rewarded. I know what telling the truth gets you. The world wants faux opinions and people. Nobody cares about reality. It's too frightening. As long as they can bury their heads in the sand and people tell them that they are awesome, it's makes their entire world happy and fantabulous. They are content.

So...I'm just saying...the entire world revolves around lying to people as common courtesy.

You know, un-PC as it is, it's quite true. And I lie all the time. I took a Personal Finance class this summer, and it was one of the most pointless classes I've ever taken. If you don't know anything about personal finance, just spend less than you make and invest what you save, and you will have learned over 90% of what is taught in personal finance classes. My professor wanted us to watch these DVDs and tell him 5 things we did not know before watching it. Had I been truthful, I would have said things like, "so-and-so speaker had a terrible haircut," or "I didn't know the director of Experian was so ugly." I knew the concepts; I hold an Accounting degree, for crying out loud. However, every week, I merely wrote platitudes titled, "Valuable idea #'s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5" just to get my A.

Whenever people ask me, "How are you?", I reply, "Fine, thanks," even though I'm not. It's easier to lie. People usually do not want to hear the truth.

 

[Pharmavixen]

I wish a had a southern accent; but alas, I am a Northerner who sounds a little Canadian...damn.

What's so specifically un-hot about a Canadian accent, eh??

 

[FruitFly]

I tawk like im from new yawk. No matter wherez I go, folks pick up on that from the first sentence.If you ever watch an episode of the Sopranos (albeit New joyzee), you'll see what I mean... Since so many people are originally from there, I find it helps socially.

When I go to a Giants game you will hear so much profanity and accent coming from me. At wroik, I try to tone it down a little...

 

[Pharmavixen]

I tawk like im from new yawk. No matter wherez I go, folks pick up on that from the first sentence.If you ever watch an episode of the Sopranos (albeit New joyzee), you'll see what I mean... Since so many people are originally from there, I find it helps socially.

When I go to a Giants game you will hear so much profanity and accent coming from me. At wroik, I try to tone it down a little...

It's always been weird to me, how the New York accent (yours) is so different from the southern Ontario accent (mine), considering our geographic proximity. The way you folks drag the short "a" sound into two syllables is especially distinctive. Like when I recently set off the car alarm on my rental car in western Ontario and didn't know what to do, and this woman in the parking lot told me, "Press the pa-anic button!!" and everyone knew she was from upstate New York.

My dad is from Billings, Montana. After immigrating to Canada (and after years of teasing from workmates), he's adopted a Canadian accent, but his original accent comes right back when he goes home.

When we were visiting my grandparents in eastern Montana, my grandpa said to my dad, "Whare's the fishin' powl?" My dad replied, "The fishin' powl is leanin' agin the wall." I remember my brother and I looked at each other in horror, and my brother, aghast, whispered, "Our dad said 'agin'."

 

[medicalCPA]

It's always been weird to me, how the New York accent (yours) is so different from the southern Ontario accent (mine), considering our geographic proximity. The way you folks drag the short "a" sound into two syllables is especially distinctive. Like when I recently set off the car alarm on my rental car in western Ontario and didn't know what to do, and this woman in the parking lot told me, "Press the pa-anic button!!" and everyone knew she was from upstate New York.

My dad is from Billings, Montana. After immigrating to Canada (and after years of teasing from workmates), he's adopted a Canadian accent, but his original accent comes right back when he goes home.

When we were visiting my grandparents in eastern Montana, my grandpa said to my dad, "Whare's the fishin' powl?" My dad replied, "The fishin' powl is leanin' agin the wall." I remember my brother and I looked at each other in horror, and my brother, aghast, whispered, "Our dad said 'agin'."

I just almost fell off my chair.

 

[Knipps]

My Dad was born and raised in NJ (with no accent) and my Mom was born and raised in Australia but has lived in Cali and Canada.

I think if you were to talk to me I wouldn't have much of an accent, you'd probably have to look into what I call things to tell where I'm from.

 

[norafena]

Where are you from? Personally, I am a very auditory person and not so much visual..guess I'm in the minority.

I am from 'not america'🙂 .. .
My accent does not have a defined origin as I lived in several places in this world andI speak four languages.

Generally I do not have a problem, as long as I am dealing with highly educated/cosmopolitan people. I was even repeatedly complimented for my "attractive accent"😳

 

[loo]

What's so specifically un-hot about a Canadian accent, eh??

I didn't say that the Ontario provincial Canadian accent per se was NOT hot...it's just very friendly nice and well...vanilla.

I will admit that the Quebecois (who speak English) Canadian accent is hot.

Canada is cool---don't want to start any wars now...😍

 

[loo]

Ha....right...

Hell, I almost got kicked out of pharmacy school for being myself. Several times, in fact. Oh, no...they punish people that are honest with themselves and others. They want little carbon copies of the borg children they have created in their minds. Most people go along with it because they have no self-respect. Personally, I just don't like lying to people no matter how uncomfortable it makes them or me feel. I straight up told a faculty member that I thought there rotation wasn't very exciting and that it wasn't my thing. And what happens? I get reprimanded. Of course, every other student I ever rotated with told me behind the professor's back that they thought the various rotations were more pointless than even I thought they were...but they put up the facade. They pretended to be the perfect little student that loves being there. Just smile and tell everyone what they want to hear.

What a coincidence!!! I nearly got kicked out my last year 2 months before graduation for falling asleep during a fellow student's boring presentation. Professor was, of course, a buttwipe. When asked why I had the audacity to fall asleep, I told him I'd been up all night with the 22 patients I had to cover on the hematology/oncology floor because Professor Buttwipe had advance notice that my preceptor was on vacation and had no backup to help should I need it. I was literally on my own and the f-**** knew it! Rotation was over in 2 days and you could only fail if you didn't do the work. After turning in the last project, I told him to go **** himself; and should he need to try to fail me, I'd let administration know how he had f'ed up in the first place and how the attending heme-onc doc at the hospital had my back. Lesson learned? If your BS meter is highly sensitive, don't ignore it. In other words, always be yourself. Maybe one day I'll learn how to be more tactful with my honesty...

 

[Farmercyst]

It's always been weird to me, how the New York accent (yours) is so different from the southern Ontario accent (mine), considering our geographic proximity. The way you folks drag the short "a" sound into two syllables is especially distinctive. Like when I recently set off the car alarm on my rental car in western Ontario and didn't know what to do, and this woman in the parking lot told me, "Press the pa-anic button!!" and everyone knew she was from upstate New York.

My dad is from Billings, Montana. After immigrating to Canada (and after years of teasing from workmates), he's adopted a Canadian accent, but his original accent comes right back when he goes home.

When we were visiting my grandparents in eastern Montana, my grandpa said to my dad, "Whare's the fishin' powl?" My dad replied, "The fishin' powl is leanin' agin the wall." I remember my brother and I looked at each other in horror, and my brother, aghast, whispered, "Our dad said 'agin'."

Where at in E. Montana?

 

[Pharmavixen]

Where at in E. Montana?

Absarokee, about 50 mi west of Billings, straight south of Columbus. (Looking on Google maps, that looks more central than eastern, really).

Canada is cool---don't want to start any wars now...😍

No worries...my husband, who like me was born in Canada, but of British immigrant parents, says I speak with an "American twang." (Some of his words come out sounding a bit British.)

Unless there are basic comprehension issues, I'd say be yourself.

Favourite accent-related story: when my husband and I were in Edinburgh, Scotland during the summer festival, a street vendor had this sign over his cart: "English Spoken. American Understood." Laughing, I pointed out this sign to my husband and read it aloud in the middle of the crowded street. And with my accent...anyway, among the British people all around us, much hilarity ensued.

 

[RX CARE]

However, as the city of Atlanta has exploded in the last 15 years, so has the metro area. Nowadays, you can't find a 2BR house being built in my area for less than 500k.

😱😱Woooooow....c'mon.....c'mon....c'mon meeennn! Exaggeeration hurts my feelings. While I recognize this is a thread from back in the day, I wish I had seen in back then to call BS. I mean who even puts up a 2BR for sale for half a mill...?...no matter how luxurious...
The funniest thing is that it's been 2 years and this BS still applies....and wait...we are talking about atlanta mind you...

 

[Shovingit]

😱😱Woooooow....c'mon.....c'mon....c'mon meeennn! Exaggeeration hurts my feelings. While I recognize this is a thread from back in the day, I wish I had seen in back then to call BS. I mean who even puts up a 2BR for sale for half a mill...?...no matter how luxurious...
The funniest thing is that it's been 2 years and this BS still applies....and wait...we are talking about atlanta mind you...

Whereas you would have been right to call BS in principle, you would have been wrong. I was exaggerating, but its still true. At that point there were no 2BR houses being built at all in my area, AND no houses being built for less than half a mil. Therefore you could'nt find a 2BR house being built for less than half a mil. Its nitpicking, but still accurate. Not that it was at all the point of my post...

 

[Shovingit]

and wait...we are talking about atlanta mind you...

And what exactly are you trying to insinuate here?

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Damn...I can get 5BR, 3000+ Sq Ft houses in my neck of the woods for a quarter mil. Viva N. WV/W. PA!

 

[Shovingit]

Damn...I can get 5BR, 3000+ Sq Ft houses in my neck of the woods for a quarter mil. Viva N. WV/W. PA!

Thats sick dude. I'm moving.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Thats sick dude. I'm moving.

Please do, we need pharmacists.

I'm thinking about inquiring about this house or this house. 25 minutes from East Pittsburgh, 25 minutes from work, 65 minutes to Mo'Town. I might even build my own place custom....land is cheap, labor is cheap...rust belt, baby. It's where the smart healthcare workers live. A higher percentage of the population needs care...and there are less healthcare workers to do do the job than other places. The cost of living is cheap as hell. And you are close to a major city. Cleveland and Baltimore are other places that offer such an atmosphere....and boy do they need pharmacists...

 

[medicalCPA]

Please do, we need pharmacists.

How desperately do you need them? I'm in the process of selling my soul (my working soul, anyway) to the highest bidder.