The Durham Accent

But why?

I'm from Durham, NC (sort of...)

I like accents, I guess (dat Linguistics degree, tho)

This is admittedly a little self indulgent

Also: It's so hot right now

... no really.

Anyone know why?

Brought to you by...

Southern Charm, filmed in Charleston, SC (not NC). Featuring former State Treasurer, Thomas Ravenel.

Okay, so the inspiration was this guy from SC. But is the accent accurate?

Let's ask Walt Wolfram:

William C. Friday Distinguished University Professor at NC State University

Founding Director of the North Carolina Language and Life Project (NCLLP)

Early pioneer of the study of African American English (Black English)

Not that Wolfram

We've done over 3,500 interviews everywhere in North Carolina over the last 30 years. And no one has ever said that there is anything unique about a couple of vowels in Durham.

But maybe the dialect coach told Isaacs to focus on just a few key sounds?

Nobody after puberty can just step in and learn a dialect like that.

So while that's more or less settled, that brings us to the question about the difference between a dialect and an accent.

Dialect: A variety of language spoken by a particular group of feature, which includes differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Accent: Specifically concerned with pronunciation. A difference in a way of pronouncing words.

An interesting, not 100% scientific dialect map

https://aschmann.net/AmEng/

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All dialects are consistent and rule-bound, and their rules can be measured and described with (yes) descriptive methods.

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A selection of defining characteristics of Southern American English (SAE)

"The Drawl"

Triphthongization: Changing of a monophthong (single vowel sound) to a triphthong (triple vowel sound), as in "dressed." Diphthongization may also occur.

Monophthongization may also occur, such as in "nine."

Reflexive Dative (maybe preserved from older varieties of English?)

I'm fixin' to get me a new shirt

He's gonna catch him a big one.

It's just like using self in python?

Multiple Modals

Standard American English has strict word order and only allows one modal auxiliary per verb phrase, such as "I might go to the store."

Southern American English, on the other hand, allows for multiple modals (or modal stacking). So phrases like "I might should go to the store" are considered grammatical.

So many modals

may could	might could	might supposed to
may can	might oughta	mighta used to
may will	might can	might woulda had oughta
may should	might should	oughta could
may supposed to	might would	better can
may need to	might better	should oughta
may used to	might had better	used to could
can might	musta coulda
could might	would better

In Conclusion:

Is there a "Durham Accent?": No

Is the character Timothy Ratliff speaking something similar to what might be spoken in Durham?: Maybe?

Should we have a The White Lotus Viewing Party?: Probably.