I clicked through to learn about the calming effect of the color pink and was pleasantly surprised to find the bulk of the post was about the negative perception of southern US accents, a subject very near to my heart.
I moved to the south from the midwest in my formative years. At the time, I never thought there was a chance my accent would change, and indeed had plenty of moments where I could not interpret what southern folks were saying at first. For around a decade, I continued to sound like my family, but that was about the time that my pattern of speech began to change–I started saying “y’all,” and “fixin’ to,” for example. within the following decade, the accent itself started to appear. It comes and goes. It seems that I sound more southern the more comfortable I am, and more northern when my situation requires more immediacy, but of course I have no hard data. Although, I am pretty certain that–in the same way that yawns are contagious–the accents of the company I keep really does sway mine.
I’ve known several people who, like Colbert, decided in their youth to flatten their accent due to media pressure. I understand why, but it makes me so sad. Especially because I view my second accent and my “southern-ness” as tremendous gifts. I now (sometimes) speak the same way as many of the people who I love and admire the most. because of this, when I see gratuitous, disparaging remarks or depictions of my people, it not only immediately discredits the speaker, it also makes me fairly upset.
That eminent scientists who are both grown and also brilliant could still be susceptible to the same pressures as their juvenile counterparts is… fucking dumb as hell, if I’m being honest. I’m certain they are all aware of how Feynman sounded. How else was he supposed to sound? He’s from Queens. If you assume that his accent meant he was some kind of goombah, then that is a reflection on you, not him. I’d be surprised if he ever dwelt on it. But back to the south. If anyone would like to explain how a southern accent makes the speaker sound dumb to James Carville, I will gleefully grab some popcorn so I can enjoy watching him eviscerate you. So, I sincerely hope this makes it back to the folks at Oak Ridge. Y’all split atoms. you shouldn’t have to defend yourselves to anyone anymore, including your professional peers. anyone steps to you, the appropriate response should be to crank up the accent a notch just to troll 'em. remember to stack those modals!
