Naked or Nekkid: The Charm of Southern Accents

My children spent their early years in the South before we moved to New England. To this day, my heart responds with fondness to Southern accents and phrases.

The Diversity of Southern Accents

There's no fence separating the South from the North, and the accent doesn’t necessarily get stronger the further south you travel. The accent varies from state to state and even within each state. I’ve heard much deeper drawls from Virginia than from Greenville, South Carolina, where I grew up. Charlestonians have a much stronger accent than those from “Hotlanta.” The accent is even stronger when you get to Alabama, especially LA (Lower Alabama).

The Flavors of Regional Pronunciations

I love the flavors of the different regions of the States, especially the pronunciation of certain words. I remember my Massachusetts daughter-in-law saying “bot-tul,” with a definite emphasis on the second “t.” In the South, we say “bod-ul,” as if it only has one “t” that sounds like a “d.”

A Tale of Southern Pronunciation

Daniel moved with me to New England when he was nine years old. He certainly brought along lots of Southern pronunciations and accents. I remember his embarrassment when he was reading out loud in his eighth-grade English class. He pronounced “naked” as “nekkid.” His English teacher was quick to point out that “nekkid” was not a word! The poor child was mortified. I doubt he even realized there was another way to pronounce it! Oh well, we can’t escape mortification as we grow up. It just happens, even as adults.

Fencing in the South

Do you want to fence off a section of your farm? Daniel recently added more fencing to his property, and when Rachel asked him, he said it was the southern section of the pasture. I stopped and looked up at the sun on his mountaintop so I could determine the direction. I don’t usually think in directional terms.

Louis Page: Your Fencing Treasure Trove

Louis Page is a treasure trove of fencing supplies. If you need help, call Terry at 978-486-3116 or email her at sales@louispage.com.

All my best regards in gratitude,

Debbie Page

CEO, Louis E. Page Inc – Woman-owned business and Family-owned since 1893. (That’s right! A little more than 131 years ago our family ancestor Louis Everett Page founded the company in Boston)

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