Do Oklahomans typically have a Southern or Midwestern accent? (Tulsa: living, pine)

[teakboat]

I hate to say it again, but Tulsa is about as midwestern as it is southern... Not many real southerners in my neighborhood, but people with midwestern and yankee ties yes. Not many southern accents around here. Tulsa has a manufacturing history with its oil, yankee and midwestern investors built much of the city. There has always been quite a bit of midwestern style industry, steel processing, machinists, etc.

So, blanket statements about Oklahoma are problematic.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by teakboat

I hate to say it again, but Tulsa is about as midwestern as it is southern... Not many real southerners in my neighborhood, but people with midwestern and yankee ties yes. Not many southern accents around here. Tulsa has a manufacturing history with its oil, yankee and midwestern investors built much of the city. There has always been quite a bit of midwestern style industry, steel processing, machinists, etc.

So, blanket statements about Oklahoma are problematic.

Agreed. While southern is the main thing it's not the only thing.

[deebin]

Never been to Oklahoma. Geographically, it appears to be Midwest.

Culturally and linguistically, I wouldn't know.

[GroovyC]

Or you can find a Bostonian who pisses everyone off because thats where I am from..sorry?

[GroovyC]

No one noticed my accent until I moved to Oklahoma from Boston. It is hard enough being from a Jewish neighborhood w. Jewish family and a biracial family, as well as a gay brother with a partner I love. Welcome to the bible belt buckle. Someone I work with said I talked different and it annoyed her. She treated me awful. And HR after looking for a job for years told me "I talk different"....mind you different viewpoints....so I guess that allows hostile unprofessional behavior. Hope you have more tolerance in this state.

[St-Brice]

Oklahoma is in the middle of all the regions of the US. Every part of the state is different, it's a plaid pattern East Oklahoma, which is about Tulsa to Durant to the Red River. West Oklahoma is like the panhandle and a little strip east of it, North is Kansas border to Greater OKC, South is ada to Texas Panhandle to Arkansas. Central is all of them. That's Greater OKC. I've grown up in Greater OKC from Norman to Oklahoma City (Not Edmond), and I sound like I speak Urban Boston-Urban Chicago-New York City all in one. I don't say y'all, I say you guys, as does everyone else I know. The point is, Oklahoma is a culture orgy. Most cities have their own cultural borders in them. My cultural border is a New York-Boston. Oklahoma was settled by New Yorkers, Chicagoians, Californians, Texans, Louisiani, the entire US. I mean, I was taught by my school the confederacy was evil and the south sucks and that the north is better. Every little part of the state is different.

[Youknowme1111]

Oklahoma is the SOUTH! Born and raised in OKC! you will see cows, chickens, pigs, deer, and people riding horses in the city! I worked at a call center years ago and I would speak to people from all over the U.S. Numerous times people would comment on my southern accent and one man from Boston told me I sound like a southern bell. I’ve always thought OKC was a smaller version of Dallas. My grandparents moved to OKC from Arkansas in the 50s when my mother was maybe 3 years old. My husband is from Illinois and he has trouble understanding some of my family because of their southern accents. You’ll see cowboy hats boots and wranglers and sweet tea is offered at every store/restaurant you go to. Can’t forget that we say yall and fixin to!

[MiserableInNebraska]

^^^ We have all of that minus the sweet tea in Nebraska/SD.

The two regions are pretty similar

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by MiserableInNebraska

^^^ We have all of that minus the sweet tea in Nebraska/SD.

The two regions are pretty similar

The Great Lakes region of the Midwest has very little in common with most of the Great Plains states. However, the transition between the Midwest and West is around 100 degrees longitude.

[Threestep2]

Originally Posted by MiserableInNebraska

^^^ We have all of that minus the sweet tea in Nebraska/SD.

The two regions are pretty similar

I may not be a native but you are incorrect.