Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Howdy Ya'll


Growing up in Virginia, I found most of my familial roots in neighboring North Carolina. My mother's folks were from the central and eastern parts of the state. My dad's relatives migrated up to southeastern Virginia from northeastern North Carolina.

When I went to college, I refused to admit that my roots were entrenched in the south and southern culture. My father, definitely a Tidewater Virginia native, pronounced things a little differently like:

- House pronounced as houes
- Out pronounced as ouet
- A Thousand pronounced as ah thoesend
- Store pronounced as stow
- Fork prounced as foke

At Oral Roberts University, I tried my best to eradicate my southern lingo and accent by replacing it with more neutral terms. I enunciated clearly and articulately as to not be mistaken for a southerner. I guess I was a little too uppity for my own self.

Now all that has changed. I can hardly wait to get back home to my southern roots in Virginia. I love listening to my dad speak his Tidewater-ease, visiting with my southern friends, and enjoying good southern cooking. Yes, we southerners like to have bread with our Thanksgiving meal, even though we have dressing. And we like our sweet iced tea. We enjoy our southern festivals and southern music. Friday nights would just not be southern Friday nights without high school football games in the fall. We like our quits and crafts. We love our North Carolina apples and Frasier Fur Christmas trees. And we love saying the word, "ya'll".

People I've met here in Nashville love the southern culture they experience. We have a lot to offer. And don't you forget it, ya'll.

No comments: