How to Develop a Southern Accent
Speak slowly., Mix your vowels., Speak with a lilt., Drop your “g”s., Perfect a few phrases first., Be considerate.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Speak slowly.
People from the South are known for their slow drawl.
They have a drawn out way of saying their words, especially their vowels.
Part of sounding really Southern is matching the slow pace of southern speech., Another aspect of a Southern accent is mixing together some of your vowels.
For example, “pen” and “pin” should sound the same, like a mixture between the two words.
It’s the same with “tin” and “ten.”"Get" comes out "git," and "just" as "jist" or "jis" (almost drop the t). , A Southern lilt involves drawing out vowels to the point where, sometimes, they sound like two syllables.
For example, “bill” turns into “bee-hill” and “short” becomes “showat.”Practice using a lilt on , Say your words as though there is no “g” at the end.
This is common to most Southern accents.
For example, say “fixin’” instead of “fixing” and “fishin’” instead of “fishing.” You don’t have to do this with words like “thing” or “dog,” but words with an “ing” should lose their “g”s. “Fixin’” is also a word commonly used by people with Southern accents, when you’re trying to do something.
As in, “I’m fixin’ to go fishin’ this afternoon!”, Perfect a few phrases that you know you can say exactly correctly.
Maybe they are phrases you learned from the book you read, ones you’ve copied from a movie you watched, or ones that you learned from a friend or family member from the South.
Before you tackle the entire accent, work on these phrases."Jist-a-minute" and "Jist a second" are common. , Remember that many people speak with genuine Southern accents.
A person who speaks with a Southern accent does not have the option to switch it off.
If you imitate a Southern accent with the intent of poking fun at the speech pattern, you might offend or otherwise disrespect people who speak with Southern accents.
Consider also that the Southern accent is sometimes associated with certain stereotypes and subcultures.
This is perhaps most notable in a particular stereotype of Southerners as ignorant, uncultured, and poor.
Ask yourself whether it is discriminatory to imitate a Southern accent in this context. -
Step 2: Mix your vowels.
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Step 3: Speak with a lilt.
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Step 4: Drop your “g”s.
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Step 5: Perfect a few phrases first.
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Step 6: Be considerate.
Detailed Guide
People from the South are known for their slow drawl.
They have a drawn out way of saying their words, especially their vowels.
Part of sounding really Southern is matching the slow pace of southern speech., Another aspect of a Southern accent is mixing together some of your vowels.
For example, “pen” and “pin” should sound the same, like a mixture between the two words.
It’s the same with “tin” and “ten.”"Get" comes out "git," and "just" as "jist" or "jis" (almost drop the t). , A Southern lilt involves drawing out vowels to the point where, sometimes, they sound like two syllables.
For example, “bill” turns into “bee-hill” and “short” becomes “showat.”Practice using a lilt on , Say your words as though there is no “g” at the end.
This is common to most Southern accents.
For example, say “fixin’” instead of “fixing” and “fishin’” instead of “fishing.” You don’t have to do this with words like “thing” or “dog,” but words with an “ing” should lose their “g”s. “Fixin’” is also a word commonly used by people with Southern accents, when you’re trying to do something.
As in, “I’m fixin’ to go fishin’ this afternoon!”, Perfect a few phrases that you know you can say exactly correctly.
Maybe they are phrases you learned from the book you read, ones you’ve copied from a movie you watched, or ones that you learned from a friend or family member from the South.
Before you tackle the entire accent, work on these phrases."Jist-a-minute" and "Jist a second" are common. , Remember that many people speak with genuine Southern accents.
A person who speaks with a Southern accent does not have the option to switch it off.
If you imitate a Southern accent with the intent of poking fun at the speech pattern, you might offend or otherwise disrespect people who speak with Southern accents.
Consider also that the Southern accent is sometimes associated with certain stereotypes and subcultures.
This is perhaps most notable in a particular stereotype of Southerners as ignorant, uncultured, and poor.
Ask yourself whether it is discriminatory to imitate a Southern accent in this context.
About the Author
Evelyn Barnes
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
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