How do Southerners say Charleston?

The Charleston Southern Accent

We seem to avoid final and middle "r" sounds, so the name of our city is pronounced Chaahs-tun. Other words you may hear are: riv-ah - river.

Is there a Southern accent in Charleston?

Reed identifies roughly four main areas in the state where the Southern dialect differs: Charleston and its surroundings; the Pee Dee, the Midlands and a good portion of the Upstate, "which you might want to call 'Classically Southern'...and then you've got the upper part of the Upstate...so it's almost like Appalachia ...

What is the Charleston accent called?

The most unusual Charleston-area dialect is Gullah, a name that has a questionable origin but most likely comes from the Gola tribe of West Africa. Large numbers of West Africans were brought to coastal islands as slaves, where they learned English by mimicking overseers.

What do Southerners say weird?

Words Southerners Say Weird

caint - can't (I caint do that.) fitt'in - fixing to, about to (I'm fitt'in to buy one.) fitty - fifty (Can I borrow fitty cents?) i'moan - I am going to (I'moan go to that game.)

What are some Southern slang words?

How To Do A Southern Accent FAST

How do Southerners say pretty?

Where is the Southern accent strongest?

Another 16% say the Southern coast has the strongest regional accent, while New York and Texas were tied, with 13% saying these states had the strongest accents.

Does South Carolina have a Southern accent?

Natives from Charleston, South Carolina have a unique Southern accent, and not so much the slow drawl of our neighbors. Our accent was affected by the local African-American Gullah dialect, as well as different European influences.

Is Gullah still spoken?

Today. Gullah is spoken by about 5,000 people in coastal South Carolina and Georgia.

Why do Southerners have a drawl?

However, rural and less wealthy classes who came from Northern England settled in the South. And they did (and still do) pronounce the “r” sound in words. This is where the origins of the Southern Drawl lie. Note that there are places in the South that don't pronounce the “r” but still have a similar accent.

What words do Southerners say differently?

Are Southern accents dying?

The distinct drawls and twangs that dominate America's Southeast as we know it may be dying off, new research suggests. A North Carolina State University study has noted a gradual shift away from the drawn-out vowel pronunciations widely associated with Southern speech, which experts say is 'disappearing'.

What is a Southern accent called?

The Southern American English drawl, or "Southern drawl," involves vowel diphthongization of the front pure vowels, or the "prolongation of the most heavily stressed syllables, with the corresponding weakening of the less stressed ones, so that there is an illusion of slowness even though the tempo may be fast."

How do Southerners say pecans?

A lot of people say that southerners pronounce it as “Pa-kawn,” while northerners pronounce it as “PEE-can.” But in a survey which the National Pecan Shellers Association carried out, it was discovered that 70% of northerners and 45% of southerners pronounced it as “PEE-can.”

How do Southerners say pajamas?

When it comes to the pronunciation of the word "pajamas," the red zone (the South and East Coast) pronounce it like "father." The rest of the country, though, says the second vowel of the word as "jam."

How do Southerners say hot?

How do Southerners say sugar?

I should also note that we rarely use “r's.” Sugah for sugar, suppah for supper. We also don't pronounce “t's” and almost never use “g's” at the ending of words. Southerners say Adlanna for Atlanta. We also say puddin' and lookin'.

What is the most Southern thing to say?

What do Southern belles say?

Terms of endearment, such as sweetie, darlin', sugar, and honey, are commonly used by southern belles. While you should never use pet names to refer to your elders, these terms are great for friends, acquaintances, and children. Call your parents Mama and Daddy.

What do Southerners call the bathroom?

“Commode” While the commode may sound like the fancy captain's quarters on a cruise ship, it's really just another word for the toilet. You're more likely to hear a Southerner say this phrase than restroom or potty. However, a Southern belle may still call the bathroom the powder room.

What is a holler Southern slang?

These hollers may have some deep influence on the contemporary word holler (often pronounced holla) in Black and Southern English, a term for “hitting someone up” or “getting in touch.” This holler comes to prominence with the rise of hip-hop in the 1990s, when its sense expanding to “hitting on someone.”