Re: Language (Was:Re: Ebonics)

[Dale Thorn <dthorn@gte.net>]

Alec wrote:
> :If you read my complete post, you would note that I made a distinction
> :between "twang" (i.e., slurring words)
> Twang is _not_ slurring words; twang is speaking with a nasal accent. A
> good example is the principal's secretary in "Ferris Buhler's Day Off."

This is very interesting.  I've seen and heard examples that show
Yankee dialect to be more nasal, and you're saying twang is nasal.
Must be a Yankee trying to sound "twangy". BTW, the "accents" in a
lot of Hollywood movies are really atrocious to native ears.

P.S. A person whose name I forgot wrote a book called "Southern by
the Grace of God", in which he tells of going to New York and really
enjoying hearing native accents in Brooklyn, etc.  He explains that
since Big Media is trying so desperately (examples available) to wipe
out native accents/dialects, speech is becoming rather bland all over,
and he found the local accents in N.Y. to be a refreshing change from
the bland stuff, even though his personal preference was Southern.
Oklahoma, as I recall.