Heather, your video is a hoot! I can totally relate to your NYC story in which your boss at Columbia made fun of your accent. My dad's from Martinsburg, WV and I spent a lot of my pre-school years at his folks' place.When I moved to NYC in my early 20's to pursue a career it didn't even occur to me that I would be heckled for saying "y'all," since everyone around me while I was growing up used the expression.Like you, I had to work doubly hard to prove to my first boss that I wasn't a brain dead idiot. I finally learned to force myself to say "you guys" in place of "y'all." But to this day it still feels like I'm only addressing men, not women, when using "you guys," whereas "y'all" is so much more naturally gender neutral.I hope you follow through on your comment on wanting to write about Appalachia. The non-Appalachian world needs to hear your voice; it's the voice of a traveled, educated native daughter who STILL loves the place even after having seen what the rest of the world has to offer! And while we cherish all the old tales about hillbillies and moonshine, it's time for a new chapter to be told.
Hah! That was how I hear you say "Hi-ee". Or "hi".I LOVED this, it was awesome. I have all kinds of people tell me that I have a "Maritime" accent, meaning the provinces on the East Coast. My BFF constantly razzes me about how I say "about". She hears "ah-boot". But she lives in California. So she sounds like a surfer.After 17 years here, I know my Vancouver speech patterns are struggling. I don't have a hard T any more, I asperate(sp?) my T's,meaning a blast of air goes over my tongue before I place it on the roof of my mouth. Yes, I studied linguistics. ;)I had a hard time on Oklahoma, I actually asked a guy to repeat himself, because I didn't speak Oklahoman!! I am cnstantly busting into accents! I should do an accent vlog and read something in all the different accents I do, just for fun.
Nice to meet you, Dave! Glad to know I'm not the only one who had to overcome my Southern speech issues in NYC! And I agree–"Y'all" is more all-encompassing than "You guys" (though I've also been known to call random people "Dude," like some kinda surfer). I do hope I can write those stories someday. That might be next in line if my Viking novel doesn't get picked up!
And Jennifer, you have to do that video sometime! I know I would be laughing till I cried watching it! I *have* noticed your cute "a-boot" but I'm too politely Southern to mention it. Hee.
That's totally awesome, Heather! Loved it. You should vlog more often.As a Brit, I flip-flop between Americans saying I have a British accent and Brits telling me that I've picked up a Californian drawl. I think that I do sound American, but my wife swears not.
Thanks, Graeme! How did I not realize you're a Brit? But I did know about the Norwegian roots!And I had a Californian friend in college who told me Californians were the only ones in the US w/NO accent! Does your British accent get more pronounced when you're surrounded by British friends? I know my southern accent does.
Great vlog, Heather! I can definately relate to feeling out of place–I grew up as a diplomat's brat and country-hopped every few years. Some people say I have an accent, but I don't think I do, lol! Especially here in Kentucky, I sound like a Yankee compared to everyone else.
Heather,Loved it! Love that you're home where you can let that accent take root again – it really suits you, you know. I grew up on the mission field with people from all different cultures, languages, and accents, and never had one that could be pinned down. I've been told that I speak with a "proper" accent – what the heck is that??? The funny side to "not belonging" is that I have a tendency to pick up accents wherever I go…. Makes it fun for reading out loud to my kids – I do all the accents and different voices.Fun vlog – you're a natural. Don't lose the Ah.Blessings,Becky
Good blog post, nice efforts. It couldn't appear to have been penned any better. Reading this article piece of writing reminds me about my old boss! He usually kept babbling about this. I will email this post to him. Pretty confident he will probably have a high-quality read. Appreciate your posting!
And besides the crickets, you can hear someone's cherry bomb muffler racing by….
Heather, your video is a hoot! I can totally relate to your NYC story in which your boss at Columbia made fun of your accent. My dad's from Martinsburg, WV and I spent a lot of my pre-school years at his folks' place.When I moved to NYC in my early 20's to pursue a career it didn't even occur to me that I would be heckled for saying "y'all," since everyone around me while I was growing up used the expression.Like you, I had to work doubly hard to prove to my first boss that I wasn't a brain dead idiot. I finally learned to force myself to say "you guys" in place of "y'all." But to this day it still feels like I'm only addressing men, not women, when using "you guys," whereas "y'all" is so much more naturally gender neutral.I hope you follow through on your comment on wanting to write about Appalachia. The non-Appalachian world needs to hear your voice; it's the voice of a traveled, educated native daughter who STILL loves the place even after having seen what the rest of the world has to offer! And while we cherish all the old tales about hillbillies and moonshine, it's time for a new chapter to be told.
Hah! That was how I hear you say "Hi-ee". Or "hi".I LOVED this, it was awesome. I have all kinds of people tell me that I have a "Maritime" accent, meaning the provinces on the East Coast. My BFF constantly razzes me about how I say "about". She hears "ah-boot". But she lives in California. So she sounds like a surfer.After 17 years here, I know my Vancouver speech patterns are struggling. I don't have a hard T any more, I asperate(sp?) my T's,meaning a blast of air goes over my tongue before I place it on the roof of my mouth. Yes, I studied linguistics. ;)I had a hard time on Oklahoma, I actually asked a guy to repeat himself, because I didn't speak Oklahoman!! I am cnstantly busting into accents! I should do an accent vlog and read something in all the different accents I do, just for fun.
Nice to meet you, Dave! Glad to know I'm not the only one who had to overcome my Southern speech issues in NYC! And I agree–"Y'all" is more all-encompassing than "You guys" (though I've also been known to call random people "Dude," like some kinda surfer). I do hope I can write those stories someday. That might be next in line if my Viking novel doesn't get picked up!
And Jennifer, you have to do that video sometime! I know I would be laughing till I cried watching it! I *have* noticed your cute "a-boot" but I'm too politely Southern to mention it. Hee.
And OOPS, I have moved the box to the far right and can't change it! Ah, well…my vlogging skills are lacking for sure!
That's totally awesome, Heather! Loved it. You should vlog more often.As a Brit, I flip-flop between Americans saying I have a British accent and Brits telling me that I've picked up a Californian drawl. I think that I do sound American, but my wife swears not.
Thanks, Graeme! How did I not realize you're a Brit? But I did know about the Norwegian roots!And I had a Californian friend in college who told me Californians were the only ones in the US w/NO accent! Does your British accent get more pronounced when you're surrounded by British friends? I know my southern accent does.
Great vlog, Heather! I can definately relate to feeling out of place–I grew up as a diplomat's brat and country-hopped every few years. Some people say I have an accent, but I don't think I do, lol! Especially here in Kentucky, I sound like a Yankee compared to everyone else.
Heather,Loved it! Love that you're home where you can let that accent take root again – it really suits you, you know. I grew up on the mission field with people from all different cultures, languages, and accents, and never had one that could be pinned down. I've been told that I speak with a "proper" accent – what the heck is that??? The funny side to "not belonging" is that I have a tendency to pick up accents wherever I go…. Makes it fun for reading out loud to my kids – I do all the accents and different voices.Fun vlog – you're a natural. Don't lose the Ah.Blessings,Becky
This was fabulous! Just the title cracked me up, girl! Keep those vlogs coming! 🙂
Good blog post, nice efforts. It couldn't appear to have been penned any better. Reading this article piece of writing reminds me about my old boss! He usually kept babbling about this. I will email this post to him. Pretty confident he will probably have a high-quality read. Appreciate your posting!