English (Southern)

English (Southern US)

Germanic

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Southern American English is the regional dialect of the U.S. South, characterized by the Southern drawl (vowel breaking and diphthongization), the pin-pen merger before nasals, monophthongization of /aɪ/ to [aː], extensive use of 'y'all' and 'fixin' to', and grammatical features such as the double modal ('might could'). It is the substrate of African American Vernacular English and a major influence on Country and Blues music traditions.

Where it is spoken

31 core words in English (Southern US)

Water

water

/ˈwɔːɾɚ/

Fire

fire

/faːɹ/

Sun

sun

/sʌn/

Moon

moon

/muːn/

Star

star

/stɑːɹ/

Mother

mother

/ˈmʌðɚ/

Father

father

/ˈfɑːðɚ/

I

I

/aː/

You

you

/juː/

Name

name

/næɪm/

Eye

eye

/aː/

Hand

hand

/hæːənd/

Heart

heart

/hɑːɹt/

Love

love

/lʌv/

Tree

tree

/tɹiː/

House

house

/haːʊs/

Dog

dog

/dɑːɡ/

Cat

cat

/kæːt/

Eat

eat

/iːt/

Drink

drink

/dɹɪŋk/

One

one

/wʌn/

Two

two

/tʰuː/

Hello

howdy

/ˈhaʊdi/

Thank you

thanks

/θæːŋks/

Good

good

/ɡʊd/

Cuckoo

cuckoo

/ˈkʊkuː/

Computer

computer

/kəmˈpjuːɾɚ/

Sushi

sushi

/ˈsuʃi/

Words compared

Compared with related Germanic languages

Meaning English (Southern US)English (Appalachian)English (AAVE)EnglishEnglish (West Country)English (South African)English (Canadian)
Water water /ˈwɔːɾɚ/ water /ˈwɔːɾɚ/ water /ˈwɑːɾɚ/ water /ˈwɔːtə/ water /ˈwɔːtɚ/ water /ˈwɔːtə/ water /ˈwɑɾɚ/
Fire fire /faːɹ/ fire /faːɚ/ fire /faːɚ/ fire /faɪə/ fire /faɪɚ/ fire /faɪə/ fire /ˈfaɪɚ/
Sun sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/ sun /sʌn/
Moon moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/ moon /muːn/
Star star /stɑːɹ/ star /stɑːɹ/ star /stɑː/ star /stɑːɹ/ star /stɑːɹ/ star /stɑː/ star /stɑɹ/
Mother mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ mama /ˈmɑːmə/ mother /ˈmʌðə/ mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ mother /ˈmʌðə/ mother /ˈmʌðɚ/
Father father /ˈfɑːðɚ/ father /ˈfɑːðɚ/ daddy /ˈdæɾi/ father /ˈfɑːðə/ father /ˈvɑːðɚ/ father /ˈfɑːðə/ father /ˈfɑðɚ/
I I /aː/ I /aː/ I /aɪ/ I /aɪ/ I /aɪ/ I /ɑɪ/ I /aɪ/
Page 1/4

Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
English (Southern US)
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 看到的 那套西装
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Compare with closely-related languages

Ek wil 'n pak aanpas wat ek gesien het ‌in 'n winkel oorkant die hotel
Jeg vil prøve et jakkesæt som jeg i en butik overfor hotellet
Ik wil een pak passen dat ik zag ‌in een winkel tegenover het hotel
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
English (Southern US)
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel

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