Saturday, April 18, 2009

Yes, We can read and a few of us can even write





The topic for this weeks Sundays Scribblings is Language.I haven't participate in a Scribblings in awhile but thought I woudgive it a try this week.

Paula Deen to me represents a true southern woman who isn't ashamed of where she is from or how she talks and although I know some people don't like her I do.

I grew up in the south and lived for 42 years there and is reflected in my language and my expressions as well as in my heart. I now live in Oregon but that doesn't make me any less a southerner. I love Oregon very much but my roots are in the South much like Paula.
I have lived here in Oregon now for 3 years and practically every day still I am asked where I am from . I find that some people are just inquisitive or have fond memories of the South others say it with a snicker and an attitude that because I talk with a drawl I must be stupid.This makes me so mad and for a while after I moved here I tried to change the way I talked because of it.

I have come to the conclusion that those people who find it funny should take a look at themselves and realize that a large majority of the people in the arts are from the south.The music that symbolizes America to the rest of the world jazz,country, bluegrass , rock and blues all got their start in the South.The food that is mostly closely identified as American to the rest of the world comes for the most part from the South.

I know that Mississippi has been the butt of many a joke but I am most assuredly not ashamed of being from there because from my state comes Elvis,Faith Hill, Tammy Wynette, Three Doors Down, Jimmy Buffet,William Faulkner, Willie Morris, Greg Iles,Eudora Welty, and Morgan Freeman and I could go on and on.

I am proud of the language I speak because it makes me who I am and it shows from where I come and helps me to find my way to where I am going.

Please click on the link for more info: Mississppi ,Believe it.
Also please go over to The Mermaid's Bookshelf for some new book posts.(Link is on the sidebar).










22 comments:

Annie Jeffries said...

Bravo Yolanda. Never be ashamed of your roots. It makes you who you are. I love southern flavored literature. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is one of my favs. Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels are a hoot. To Kill A Mockingbird is brilliant and Eudora Welty! No need to say anymore about Miss Eudora. Her name says it all.

I love watching Paula Dean's shows and have tried a few of her recipes. Must admit that sometimes I wonder if her speaking style is a carry over from real life or a little more put on for the screen. If it's real, well, that just goes to show what I know. LOL

I'm going to be up in the Portland area late in June. I feel like I've asked you this before, but to you live in the area? If so, a meet-up would be great.

Annie

p.s. Just bought Sookie #4 today. I'm about to settle down for some pleasurable reading.

SweetTalkingGuy.. said...

Yeah, it's strange how some people judge other people by their accent. We have the same thing in England.

The American Sandwich

Dee Martin said...

I grew up in Michigan but have lived in the south for 35 years - the earth has many accents and dialects. Why do we always concentrate on differences? It's a puzzle.

ellen said...

I am not a Southerner. I grew up in Hawaii, went to college in Oregon, lived in Indiana, Missouri and then in Georgia. I have been living in Oregon for the past 29 yrs.
I have to mention that some of the richest, most wonderful books, the stories with the most depth and beauty for me come from the South.
Music too...Today I was listening to Leontyne Price and marveling that that woman never hit a sour note. There are many other singers from the South whom I love..not just opera.
Where would we be without all of the writers you mentioned?...Flannery O'Conner, Carson McCullers, Zora Neale Hurston, Reynolds Price, Walker Percy, Harper Lee..how about Bailey White and one of my favorites, Ferrol Sams.
Forgive me if I have misspelled some of these names.
I just cannot imagine life without these beautiful writers, the richness of their words, and there are so many more..
Keep your voice..it is a priceless gift and one to treasure.

floreta said...

you shouldn't be ashamed or made to be ashamed for your accent. i live in oregon too and had a writing professor from the south. very smart man and i respected him a great deal. people who think others who talk "differently" are more stupid than them are just closeminded.. which shows a lack of intelligence.

Rinkly Rimes said...

Ouch! I wondered at the time of reading whether there would be repercussions! Any accent accentuated sounds awful. I have a pronounced English accent and I live in Australia. Imagine how I get teased!!!!

Char said...

I'm right there with you as I am a born and bred Alabamian. I proudly talk with a drawl but, yes, there are many people surprised that I have a brain too.

Cloudia said...

Be proud of your southern heritage, Sistah!
Aloha

Carolynn Anctil said...

I would never have known you had a Southern accent if you hadn't just told me. Now I feel I know you just a little bit more.

We all have an accent. I lived in Australia for a little over a year and I remember the moment when I 'heard' the Canadian accent. It was kind of an out of body experience. Very cool though. From what I heard, I like it. :o)

You have every right to be proud of your heritage. Own it, girl!

Cedar ... said...

A person's roots are what holds them up..... good for you for not trying to mask your way of talking or how you think. That same thing happens to us here in this very rural area in northern NY. Guess we have an accent too, from French Canadians who settled here. I prefer to celebrate our differences and wish more people would do the same.

Willow said...

I was born and raised in Oregon and I hear Oregonians use phrases and pronunciations that are uniquely 'Oregonian'. I wince at saying 'worsh' for 'wash' (yes, Oregonians do, they really do!) And then I was in Ohio last week and as it's a 'border' state between north and south I heard lots of southern drawl and I wondered what they thought of my western brogue. Isn't it AMAZING that we all speak English and understand each other?! I find it fascinating, not annoying.

Connie said...

I am reading a book called "We're Just Like You Only Prettier" which is a Southern gal's take on life. Pretty funny stuff, most of it is tongue in cheek humor. I have spent most of my life in the South and love living in South Carolina.
There is no where more beautiful than the South in the Springtime, plus there is nothing like southern hospitality! Your roots make you the person you are which judging from your blog...very special, honest and kind!!!

Judy Merrill-Smith said...

I grew up in New Hampshire with my own crazy accent. Brava for staying true to who you are.

Paula said...

Always be proud of where you're from. Years ago, I had a friend and co-worker from South Carolina. We both lived in California at the time and I will never forget our boss telling my friend that because of the way she talked that she sounded stupid. I was shocked at his words and could not believe that someone would think or say such a thing. I'm so sorry that you've had to feel that pain from ignorant people.
I am from the mountains of northeastern Oregon and will forever be proud of my backwoods, hillbilly roots!

Debbie in CA : ) said...

One of my dearest friends lives in Mississippi. I LOVE the way she talks!! My sister moved to North Carolina and picked up a teeny drawl. I celebrate each facet of life and accents intrigue me greatly. I love southern food and enjoy MANY southern writers. I guess I wasn't aware the accent signalled anything other than a regional flavor. Hold your head proud and drawl away. ; D

Gayle@Mountain Moma said...

I from Oklahoma, but have lived in Washington state for 20 years. I remember when we first moved here how I was treated. It is strange how people would assume you weren't intelligent because you are from the south. I worked so hard to loose my accent and then a few years ago I did a mid life thing and decided this is how I REALLY talk, and let myself slip back into my native talk. This is who I am, and now people seem to think it is charming.

Shelby said...

You are a true lady. A real Southern Lady.

I wish we could have tea today and just chat about life.

Hugs. From one Mississippian to another.

Amy said...

Although I've lost most of my Southern twang over the years and have eliminated "y'all" from my vocabulary, I still slip into my "It's coming up a storm" mode and other inbred Southern sayings. All things Southern-including dialects- rule!

Monique Kleinhans said...

Amen to that! Being a born and raised MT girl I sometimes get an odd look or two when I say something that makes perfect sense to me...but apparently not to the educated masses. I usually just chalk it up to the fact that they just haven't learned some of the more useful words to express themselves yet! ;)

Miss Hope said...

Fellow Southern Belle (South Carolina way...) here. My husband is in the military and I've found that putting that many people together from ALL over the USA makes for interesting conversations. I have been picked on so many times for sounding "ignorant" to which I replied that ignorance is a state of mind...where is yours?

I encourage my children to embrace their roots and where they come from. Sadly, my 5 year old has had teachers from the West and North and can't for the life of him say the word "ya'll". It's "you guys" all the way.

Thank you for a wonderful post!

Childers Corner said...

I love the south! We lived in Mississippi for a year in 2000. Boy, things are expensive there compared to West Texas. I confided once to my closest friend that I couldn't stand to listen to Paula Dean, She laughed and said, "But we sound just like her." I can't stand to listen to myself either lol.

Jacinta said...

I have always thought that people who judge based on such things as an accent are showing themselves to be the ones who are less intelligent. It is an example of their ignorance not yours.
I have never visited Mississippi, but it sounds like an amazing place.