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quote:
Originally posted by mbrookes
I really have to take exception to some of this. I have lived in Mississippi("The Most Southern Place on Earth") for over half a century and some of what you are attributing to southern is actually redneck and under-educated. Many of our word usagees are a bit strange (fixin’ to, over yonder, Coke, sweet milk, to name a very few) but the mispronounciations (Terbaccy, maters, taters ) are generally Yankee inventions. I don’t know anyone who talks like that.
There is no need to take exception. The examples are "actual" examples of words as they were stated. I lived in the North Georgia Mountains for several years working as a nurse. These phrases were used by most, in spite of education. Many of the people I worked with were college educated. I believe it is a cultural difference that many are very proud, and choose to continue using. None of these mispronunciations were "Yankee invented". I don’t believe how "far south" is the determining factor. There are many areas that are fairly isolated that have very strong local dialects, as in the mountains and barrier islands. I also found the farm areas of central Indiana to be an excellent example.