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Listen: How To Speak With A Certain Southern Twang

Gerry Dincher
/
Flickr/Creative Commons

"Hain't dat white rice over yonder a-sittin' sigogglin'?"

That sentence is mostly non-sense, but it's also tells a quick and fascinating history of the Appalachian dialect.

Listen to our Eric Mennel take a lesson in Appalachian-speak from NC State linguist Walt Wolfram. (The lesson takes under two minutes.)

In addition to teaching hapless reporters about language and accents, Walt Wolfram collects audio and video of accents from around the state through his North Carolina Language and Life Project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUMe2vunEfA&list=UUv9o-ocsGAWdGznovmwquqQ&feature=share&index=1

Eric Mennel prepares the afternoon/evening "drive time" newscast on WUNC. Previously, he was a producer for The Story with Dick Gordon. Eric has reported for All Things Considered, This American Life, 99% Invisible and other radio programs. He covered protests and security measures at the 2012 Republican National Convention for WUSF Tampa and NPR News. One day, he hopes to own a home with a wrap-around porch.
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