Yesterday I was helping a student with his essay. He was sitting at my whiteboard table which replaced my desk this year. I had my expo marker in hand and I was writing his argument. We needed to reword his premises. As I started to explain my ideas, I said “you might could change this to …”
And then I stopped.
“Ohmygod I just said ‘might could!'” I exclaimed. Everyone in the room–about five kids who come eat lunch and study or hangout in my room everyday–turned to look at me. One of them asked me to clarify. When I tried to explain to him that “might could” was not a thing, he stared at me blankly.
“It sounds right to me,” he said.
I know, that’s the problem, I thought.
This isn’t the first time a Southernism has escaped my lips. I have fully embraced “y’all”; I say it all the time, but I have mostly avoided the really, really “country” ones as we say down here.
But there was a time when I felt like everyone here sounded like they were speaking a different language.
…
It was a normal morning in my first Alabama classroom. There were 9th graders sitting in their desks, working on their essays or reading or something, when an announcement came over the PA:
“If you haven’t had your picture made yet, be sure to go to the theater after lunch. Again, if you need to get your picture made, come to the theater after lunch.”
I stood there for a full minute metaphorically scratching my head and mouthing “get your picture made” with furrowed brows. The kids sat there staring at their weird Midwestern teacher (who, by the way, they asked to say “taco” and “Dakota” and “Chicago” all the time).
Finally I said, “what?! What does that mean? Are you guys doing an art project or something?”
More staring. More metaphorical head scratching all around.
“Like, why are they making pictures?” I tried to clarify.
The kids tried to explain: “you know, we have to make our pictures for the yearbook.” Why don’t they just take it with a camera like normal, I thought. Finally one kid said, “Balfour is here so we can get our pictures in the yearbook.”
“Ooooooh, they ARE taking your pictures with cameras” I blurted. Why didn’t they just say that? I thought.
It’s been a long acclimation process, and while I haven’t become a true Southern gentlewoman, I have picked up a few things.
Ten years later, I still don’t say “make pictures” or “cut the lights on”, but I do throw around “bless his/her heart” and “y’all” like I was born here.
Happy slicing, y’all! 😉
Midwestern Heart in Dixie 
Yes, yes, yes! When I used to live abroad, I lost a lot of my WI accent. The wide a’s and the nasal way we get those au vowel combos faded into the generic “Middle America” accent–until I’d call home and talk to my raised-in-Wisco siblings. I’d end the call and ask my West Coast roommate a question. She’d just look at me and say, “What is WRONG with you?!” Stay strong! 😉
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I’m so comforted by just the slightest drawl and still pepper my speech with turns of phrase. Just last week I said they were gonna have to fish or cut bait.
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I grew up in Georgia and will never not say “y’all”. It’s just so darned useful! I miss having people say “bless your heart!” to me! Regional accents and vocab are so interesting to me (even though I’ve mostly lost my own regional accent!).
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I might could say many things about this post. In fact, I’m fixin’ to. 🙂 Loved it! I’m a Texas girl so I do talk like this–no put on in my y’all, y’all. Glad I ran across your post–I remember reading your blog a lot during last year’s challenge and always looked forward to what you had to say. Now I’ll bookmark you!
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When I first moved to Long Island, NY from Syracuse, NY., people said that I talked funny. Syracusans have a flat A. It is funny that regionalisms follow you wherever you go.
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Oh, yes, I can relate. We moved to Arkansas 17 years ago and it was difficult to understand some of their words. But I now use y’all, reckon, and fixin amongst others. And I have been teased about my “northern” accent many times.
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My mom moved from the Shetland Islands in Scotland to Arkansas, can you imagine?!?! Haha!
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This Southern Boy loved reading this! I have a recommended reading for you–Rick Bragg: My Southern Journey. I think he writes so beautifully about the South. Boy do we have our problems down here, but we also have so much beauty–in the land, in the music, in the food, and yes, in the language! 🙂
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Awesome, thanks! I will definitely add that to my Amazon wish list! Yes, it took awhile, but the south has definitely grown on me.
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My husband and I are both “Yankees” but our daughters are native Texans. The first time my daughter announced, “I’m fixin’ to get me some ice cream” we laughed so hard she never said it again. But when she was a teenager visiting family in the north she enjoyed the attention her southern accent got her. 😉
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yes, I get teased here for my “yankee” accent and up there for my “drawl”. Ay, ay, ay. 🙂
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This one cracked me up as a midwesterner in Maine- and learned that they don’t drink pop and have never sipped from a bubbler. Enjoyed this so much!
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