Why do people in Georgia talk slow? (Atlanta: live in, metro)

[California1952]

Originally Posted by Trotter67

Intresting link.

Today in Northern England we use some words used from that link.

In East Lancashire ..the (R) is over used, car becomes carrrrrrr.

The (G) in ING missed of ..I'm going Bowling becomes Bowlin

Over using the letter (A)..Aint becomes Aaaaint

For example, someone from East Lancashire would say. I Aaaaint Warshing the Carrrr today > i aint washing the car today

Lots more!

[Gottasay]

I once saw in a PBS documentary that the coastal southern accent may have been influenced by African slaves and their descendants -- eg., the nanny may have been African or of African descent and the kids would pick up on the accent/cadence from her.

[Prytania]

Well I have one friend who laughs at me because she says instead of saying for example syrup, I say surp. Or instead of Tulane, I say it like Too LANE (with a twang on the lane part).

Now I don't hear it...but I find some of this quite funny.

[Katsmeeyow]

EBONICS????????????? Surely you jest? WHAT???? That is such an insult. Do you know that? Was that your intent? Why in the world would you enter a GA thread from California and say such a thing? Good Lord.

Southern American English - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The way we speak, actually the way anyone speaks is a part of their heritage, and to malign something because perhaps "you don't get it" is simply obtuse.

Are you speaking of the African Americans in GA and other southern states? Or the population as a whole? I too have been in many elementary schools, middle and High schools. I have seen a range from accents that seem almost too concise (with soft vowels of course) to something that sometimes is difficult to understand - unless you ARE a native. What you are talking about is a very small percent of our Southern dialects.

Shame on you!

[streamvista]

This is yet another stereotype that is entirely incorrect. In some rural areas, you may detect a stronger accent and pronunciation of words. But, it hardly equates to being slow or talking slow.

If you travel the world, you'll notice dialects are a part of our culture as humans. Some dialects may sound fast (i.e. Chinese) and others may sound slow (i.e. Scottish dialect, Caribbean dialect). But, in the end, I seriously doubt that average speed of the human brain or the capacity for speed of speech varies that much. It may just be personality, upbringing, and education that impact the pace of speech.

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by Gottasay

I once saw in a PBS documentary that the coastal southern accent may have been influenced by African slaves and their descendants -- eg., the nanny may have been African or of African descent and the kids would pick up on the accent/cadence from her.

i guess that explains why people along the southeast coast talk slow, but what about inland areas like Atlanta ?

[cityrover]

if i talk fast people like you dont understand. so i've slowed it down for your benefit

[Ollie1946]

sorry, were you listening too fast??? let me try again...

[David Alleyne]

Originally Posted by AlphaShin

I've been everyone in this state and for some reason 90% of the people I've heard talk, sound robotic, it's like they are being forced to talk or something. To have a conversation in this state is almost like communicating with a person through sign language.

F.A.I.L

[WanderingImport]

Wow.. Time for this thread to be CLOSED. Moderator??