Multi-Syllabic Southerners

While visiting many stores and gas stations on our excursion to the south, I was reminded of something I noticed while I lived in Charlotte, North Carolina. Inconsistently - depending on the person - a southern accent can render a single-syllable word multi-syllabic.

My name, for example, can go from a one-syllable word (Brett) to two syllables (Buh-rett) to even three syllables (Buh-ray-ett).

I'm not sure what the trigger for that is, but it's fascinating to observe. My wife, Tamara, is from Augusta, Georgia, and is a one-syllable southerner. Food Networks' Paula Deen, who is from Savannah, Georgia, is a multi-syllabic southerner.

Tamara: Whisk a dash of ginger in there.
Paula: Whee-yusk a day-ush of gin-juh in they-er.

If you've never noticed this before, you are now forever cursed to hear this inflection in some southerners.

by Brett Rogers, 11/15/2009 1:27:16 PM
Permalink

This was really funny! But then again I also have a very warped sense of humor.

Posted by Al (www.academyoflocalpolitics.com), 11/16/2009 10:27:03 AM

My mother is from Georgia. My entire life she has pronunced my name as (kah-ree-us) instead of Chris. My friends have found this to very funny over the years.

Posted by Chris, 11/16/2009 9:22:50 PM

Oh that one should be as blest as to have the pleasure of southern voices be a part of their day.

I can not agree that one would be cursed my sweet man... although I will admit that some of my stronger inflicting southern counterparts do make me shake my head at times.

Love the picture from today : ) It makes the soul feel warmer in our chilly, rainy 43 degrees!!

Posted by Tamara, 11/17/2009 9:39:30 AM

Kah-ree-us - hilarious!

And baby, thank god that I am Brett to you and not Buh-ray-ett.

Posted by Brett Rogers (http://www.beatcanvas.com), 11/17/2009 9:53:00 AM

I just call you mine!! ; )

Posted by Tamara, 11/17/2009 10:22:02 AM

I don't know if I'd ever make it in the south. Here I sit trying to pronounce the words as you've typed and every time I do my dog starts barking. :)

Posted by Pale Rider, 11/17/2009 3:22:18 PM

PR, you have me rolling with that one!

Posted by Brett Rogers (http://www.beatcanvas.com), 11/17/2009 3:25:06 PM

OK no more southern speak for me. I sound like friggin Forrest Gump.

Posted by Pale Rider, 11/17/2009 4:50:31 PM

Let's not forget about southerners not adding the correct amount of syllables to words either. "Tar" instead of tire happens to be my personal favorite. I was born and raised in Texas to a Georgian mother so I've been blessed to hear gems like that my whole life. My dialect is southern but a Georgian's dialect is almost like another language entirely.

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