When we first moved here from northern parts about 15 years ago, I thought that people in this area of Kentucky had a lovely, subtle drawl. Over time, I realized that it must have been my imagination, because I no longer hear that subtle drawl. Even if someone at my college reunion thought that I had one. How silly.
A few years ago, HS went to a summer program that included high school students from all over the state. He was amazed to learn that he could barely understand some of their dialects.
I picked BD up from camp today. It’s a church camp a couple of hours southwest of here, so they draw from a pretty broad area. As kids are prone to do, she prattled on and on in the car, telling me stories of her five days at camp. And she told these stories with a marked western Kentucky accent. It made me chuckle.
At least until the second or third time she said “I don’t got…” My appreciation of a rural influence only extends so far.
UPDATE: It must be some sort of new camp virus that’s going around–MommaK’s daughter is experiencing similar symptoms!
15 Comments
Hi, here via Michele’s!
HA!!! That is so funny! My daughter turned into a Valley girl and we live in freaking Virginia!!
Glad she is home and enjoyed herself:-)
I just put mine up. I want to trackback to you but I don’t see how.
Every time my daughter comes back from soccer camp or a work-out with the local pro team she has an Australian accent (guess where her favorite player is from??). Cracks me up.
The lack of grammar reminds me of my son’s “Middle School Speak.” I wish I had a dime for every time I say “Excuse me? English please.”
too funny …I moved from Las Vegas to Kentucky when I was 17 and thought everyone talked so funny ,saying bub for bulb ,far for fire , ..lol but after living there for 10 years I got so used to evern picked up on the drawl a little .Not the words …lol After moving to Houston and then going back to Ky to visit wow ..there were times that I did not understand some people as well …I love a country accent though ,there just something about it !!Glad to hear your lil one had fun at camp
Ack! And I think I’ve got the virus, too. Because I tend to pick up a person’s inflections in voice…if I’m hanging with a Brit, I’m speaking Brit, etc…
Y’all!
Michelle sent me! Hope your daughter’s back to talkin’ like a normal kid soon! Oh wait… she is talking normal in kidspeak I guess!
NOT here via Michele’s…made it on my own!
I hear ya! My dad has talked like that for as long as I can remember and, being an English geek, it has always drove me NUTS! Especially now that he lives in Colorado, where MANY of them tend to speak like that!
Haha! I know kids pick up accents so easily. My sister went away for 2 weeks to a camp once and came back with an English accent! Needless to say, my brother and I ripped her shreds for it! Good times!
As long as I’ve lived down here (1969) people here say “youstill have a yankee accent” and people in NJ say “you’re southern accent is so cute”.. Beats me………….
Here via Michele this morning.
My natural accent would send your daughter into fits (Boston–what happened to the r?)
Hi,
I saw your name on Michele’s M&G. My First Wife LOLed when she saw your comment on my site yesterday. She said to tell you that Gloria and Chancie are one and the same. Have a great weekend.
Thanks for visiting an affair to remember. Love your site – it’s great. Have a good weekend.
I’ve seen your name all over the place, but this is my first visit from MommaK’s. I’ll surely be back!
Let ‘em loose in summer camp and you never know what will happen.