And a second thought on Ohio vs Kentucky, as someone who loves 15 minutes from Northern Kentucky Kentucky, there are people on that side of the river whose southern accents are more pronounced than people in Louisville.

When I was in college I worked a warehouse/distribution job in Florence, KY. On my first day my supervisor told me my accent was funny. He was a bit taken back when I told him I lived 15 minutes to the north.

(10-07-2026 03:17 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 10:46 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 09:02 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 10:20 PM)glacier_dropsy Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 09:27 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  When I was 18 and a high school senior, C-Jim, my English teacher was about 28 and quite lovely. All the lads wanted her. Notwithstanding my acne, lack of a chin, social awkwardness, poor sense of fashion and Southern accent and speaking style that made Hee Haw's Junior Samples sound sophisticated ... I might have had a chance.

I don't understand why southern accent is a negative?

Many years ago, I did a business consulting pitch to the owners of a small department store chain in NYC. They liked the pitch, but asked to speak privately to my boss. They bought the job.

Later, I asked my boss what the private meeting was about. He laughed and said they were concerned that I wasn't smart enough to manage the project. Due to my southern accent.

My boss assured them I was. They bought the job, which turned out well, and we actually became friends. They actually gave me a huge bonus check at the end, which of course I had to return.

I saw online recently that they finally went out of business. Apparently, they were the dumb ones, lol.

A lot of people in the north are bigoted about Southerners.

When I moved to Ohio in 7th grade and told them I had lived in Indiana and Kentucky before, a kid asked me:
"Are the kids in Indiana tall?" Answer-yes.
"Are the kids in Kentucky dumb?" Answer-no.

We are a little funny in Ohio, depending on where you are and who you are speaking with you might run into three different dialects. Even in Cincinnati you get a blend of all three depending on what side of the metro you are on:

Great Lakes Accent: Speakers often use the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, meaning short "o" sounds can sound closer to a short "a" (pronouncing "lot" more like "laht"). Some residents also say "soda" instead of the classic Midwestern "pop"

Central Ohio: This is much milder, "from nowhere" accent that lacks strong local stereotypes. It features the "cot-caught merger" (pronouncing "cot" and "caught" the same way) and the "pin-pen merger". You may also hear the "Pittsburgh passive," such as saying "the car needs washed"

Southern/Southeastern Ohio: This region shows more influence from the American South and Appalachia. It includes vowel shifts and a softer, slower cadence compared to the industrial north.

Cleveland has its own distinct accent. I remember a waitress in Houston and I correctly predicted she was from Cleveland.

Kentucky has East which sounds a lot like Dolly or Reba. Then western Kentucky. Central Kentucky around Lexington has a Southern accent but the primary characteristic is they speak quickly. My pet peeve is still repeating myself. Those Yankees couldn’t understand me because I talked so quickly. There was a National Geographic article in the 80s where the author said she needed an interpreter in Lexington.

(10-07-2026 03:57 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 03:17 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 10:46 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 09:02 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 10:20 PM)glacier_dropsy Wrote:  I don't understand why southern accent is a negative?

Many years ago, I did a business consulting pitch to the owners of a small department store chain in NYC. They liked the pitch, but asked to speak privately to my boss. They bought the job.

Later, I asked my boss what the private meeting was about. He laughed and said they were concerned that I wasn't smart enough to manage the project. Due to my southern accent.

My boss assured them I was. They bought the job, which turned out well, and we actually became friends. They actually gave me a huge bonus check at the end, which of course I had to return.

I saw online recently that they finally went out of business. Apparently, they were the dumb ones, lol.

A lot of people in the north are bigoted about Southerners.

When I moved to Ohio in 7th grade and told them I had lived in Indiana and Kentucky before, a kid asked me:
"Are the kids in Indiana tall?" Answer-yes.
"Are the kids in Kentucky dumb?" Answer-no.

We are a little funny in Ohio, depending on where you are and who you are speaking with you might run into three different dialects. Even in Cincinnati you get a blend of all three depending on what side of the metro you are on:

Great Lakes Accent: Speakers often use the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, meaning short "o" sounds can sound closer to a short "a" (pronouncing "lot" more like "laht"). Some residents also say "soda" instead of the classic Midwestern "pop"

Central Ohio: This is much milder, "from nowhere" accent that lacks strong local stereotypes. It features the "cot-caught merger" (pronouncing "cot" and "caught" the same way) and the "pin-pen merger". You may also hear the "Pittsburgh passive," such as saying "the car needs washed"

Southern/Southeastern Ohio: This region shows more influence from the American South and Appalachia. It includes vowel shifts and a softer, slower cadence compared to the industrial north.

Cleveland has its own distinct accent. I remember a waitress in Houston and I correctly predicted she was from Cleveland.

Yes, much more nasally and Short "O" sounds that makes a word like "pop" sound more like "pahp".

Incidentally I was originally born in the Ohio Valley, just outside Wheeling, WV. Given the blend of Appalachia and Pittsburgh being just 40 miles away you have an even more unique accent that is a blend of Pittsburghese and Appalachia. Instead of Yinz they say “y’uhns.”

(10-07-2026 02:58 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 12:13 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Having a strong accent (of any type) is not detrimental if you also offer a broad vocabulary, intelligence, wit and the ability to speak concisely (i.e., not ramble) and ask questions/listen.

But if you offer none of those characteristics and speak like, say, Reba McEntire (I hate to keep picking on Reba but she always come to mind regarding this topic), you will be perceived as a simpleton even more so than if you did not have an overwhelming accent.

You described me to a tee, none of those but while southern, Ive made a point over the years to soften it. I see and write words, leaving out letters or reversed. Its why I might have 3 to 5 edits on my post. I wont catch them all at once. So I keep my vocabulary, small, on purpose. Even words Iv used 10,000 times can still get screwed up. But a lot better than words I hardly use.


People can precise that any way they want but Im smart enough to have never had a boss since age 17.5 and retired at 52 doing that work that I started my Sr year of high school. I deal with people (when I worked) but on a one on one Im good, in a group.... not so much.

Im smart enough to use every negative as a positive. Rates were close to 17% when I started out. In home improvement, not very many people were borrowing money to get things done. I knew as young as I was it was going to be hard to get work. The old man that taught me almost everything about building a home from ground to roof (16 TO 17.5) I paid him to go on calls with me. I also used those rates to get me in the door. I carried 50% of cost for 2 years, interest free. It got me enough jobs and word of mouth that with in 5 years (age 23) 80% of my work was referrals. When you get to that point, unless you f' it up, you are set.

Im smart enough to see the housing crash coming 18 months before it did and start building up a war chest. Ended up with over 100 rentals bought dirt cheap and when prices jumped 300 to 500% I was smart enough to let someone else own all but 25 of my homes. I kept the 25 most valued ( paid offed)and that brings in more each month than I made in 90% of my best months as "boss" for 34 years.

Years ago, I taught public speaking courses at a college in Chicago. I purposely and consciously sought to drop my Southern accent.

In most cases, the "best" accent is no accent.

(10-07-2026 03:17 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 10:46 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 09:02 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 10:20 PM)glacier_dropsy Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 09:27 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  When I was 18 and a high school senior, C-Jim, my English teacher was about 28 and quite lovely. All the lads wanted her. Notwithstanding my acne, lack of a chin, social awkwardness, poor sense of fashion and Southern accent and speaking style that made Hee Haw's Junior Samples sound sophisticated ... I might have had a chance.

I don't understand why southern accent is a negative?

Many years ago, I did a business consulting pitch to the owners of a small department store chain in NYC. They liked the pitch, but asked to speak privately to my boss. They bought the job.

Later, I asked my boss what the private meeting was about. He laughed and said they were concerned that I wasn't smart enough to manage the project. Due to my southern accent.

My boss assured them I was. They bought the job, which turned out well, and we actually became friends. They actually gave me a huge bonus check at the end, which of course I had to return.

I saw online recently that they finally went out of business. Apparently, they were the dumb ones, lol.

A lot of people in the north are bigoted about Southerners.

When I moved to Ohio in 7th grade and told them I had lived in Indiana and Kentucky before, a kid asked me:
"Are the kids in Indiana tall?" Answer-yes.
"Are the kids in Kentucky dumb?" Answer-no.

We are a little funny in Ohio, depending on where you are and who you are speaking with you might run into three different dialects. Even in Cincinnati you get a blend of all three depending on what side of the metro you are on:

Great Lakes Accent: Speakers often use the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, meaning short "o" sounds can sound closer to a short "a" (pronouncing "lot" more like "laht"). Some residents also say "soda" instead of the classic Midwestern "pop"

Central Ohio: This is much milder, "from nowhere" accent that lacks strong local stereotypes. It features the "cot-caught merger" (pronouncing "cot" and "caught" the same way) and the "pin-pen merger". You may also hear the "Pittsburgh passive," such as saying "the car needs washed"

Southern/Southeastern Ohio: This region shows more influence from the American South and Appalachia. It includes vowel shifts and a softer, slower cadence compared to the industrial north.

Cincinnati definitely offers residents with Southern accents. But I never found it overly noticeable when I visited by brother (who lived in the city from 1998 to 2000).

(10-07-2026 05:14 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 03:17 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 10:46 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 09:02 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(10-02-2026 10:20 PM)glacier_dropsy Wrote:  I don't understand why southern accent is a negative?

Many years ago, I did a business consulting pitch to the owners of a small department store chain in NYC. They liked the pitch, but asked to speak privately to my boss. They bought the job.

Later, I asked my boss what the private meeting was about. He laughed and said they were concerned that I wasn't smart enough to manage the project. Due to my southern accent.

My boss assured them I was. They bought the job, which turned out well, and we actually became friends. They actually gave me a huge bonus check at the end, which of course I had to return.

I saw online recently that they finally went out of business. Apparently, they were the dumb ones, lol.

A lot of people in the north are bigoted about Southerners.

When I moved to Ohio in 7th grade and told them I had lived in Indiana and Kentucky before, a kid asked me:
"Are the kids in Indiana tall?" Answer-yes.
"Are the kids in Kentucky dumb?" Answer-no.

We are a little funny in Ohio, depending on where you are and who you are speaking with you might run into three different dialects. Even in Cincinnati you get a blend of all three depending on what side of the metro you are on:

Great Lakes Accent: Speakers often use the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, meaning short "o" sounds can sound closer to a short "a" (pronouncing "lot" more like "laht"). Some residents also say "soda" instead of the classic Midwestern "pop"

Central Ohio: This is much milder, "from nowhere" accent that lacks strong local stereotypes. It features the "cot-caught merger" (pronouncing "cot" and "caught" the same way) and the "pin-pen merger". You may also hear the "Pittsburgh passive," such as saying "the car needs washed"

Southern/Southeastern Ohio: This region shows more influence from the American South and Appalachia. It includes vowel shifts and a softer, slower cadence compared to the industrial north.

Cincinnati definitely offers residents with Southern accents. But I never found it overly noticeable when I visited by brother (who lived in the city from 1998 to 2000).

Bill, I have a bit of twang in my resonance. I work remotely for a couple HQ’d in the northeast. Recently, one of our Business Development people asked if I would sit in on a meeting with potential new business client out of Atlanta, and she said something to the effect of “since we spoke the same dialect.” I laughed and told her it was nowhere near the same, but since she was from Connecticut I don’t think she got it.

(10-07-2026 06:19 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 05:14 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 03:17 PM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 10:46 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 09:02 AM)TripleA Wrote:  Many years ago, I did a business consulting pitch to the owners of a small department store chain in NYC. They liked the pitch, but asked to speak privately to my boss. They bought the job.

Later, I asked my boss what the private meeting was about. He laughed and said they were concerned that I wasn't smart enough to manage the project. Due to my southern accent.

My boss assured them I was. They bought the job, which turned out well, and we actually became friends. They actually gave me a huge bonus check at the end, which of course I had to return.

I saw online recently that they finally went out of business. Apparently, they were the dumb ones, lol.

A lot of people in the north are bigoted about Southerners.

When I moved to Ohio in 7th grade and told them I had lived in Indiana and Kentucky before, a kid asked me:
"Are the kids in Indiana tall?" Answer-yes.
"Are the kids in Kentucky dumb?" Answer-no.

We are a little funny in Ohio, depending on where you are and who you are speaking with you might run into three different dialects. Even in Cincinnati you get a blend of all three depending on what side of the metro you are on:

Great Lakes Accent: Speakers often use the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, meaning short "o" sounds can sound closer to a short "a" (pronouncing "lot" more like "laht"). Some residents also say "soda" instead of the classic Midwestern "pop"

Central Ohio: This is much milder, "from nowhere" accent that lacks strong local stereotypes. It features the "cot-caught merger" (pronouncing "cot" and "caught" the same way) and the "pin-pen merger". You may also hear the "Pittsburgh passive," such as saying "the car needs washed"

Southern/Southeastern Ohio: This region shows more influence from the American South and Appalachia. It includes vowel shifts and a softer, slower cadence compared to the industrial north.

Cincinnati definitely offers residents with Southern accents. But I never found it overly noticeable when I visited by brother (who lived in the city from 1998 to 2000).

Bill, I have a bit of twang in my resonance. I work remotely for a couple HQ’d in the northeast. Recently, one of our Business Development people asked if I would sit in on a meeting with potential new business client out of Atlanta, and she said something to the effect of “since we spoke the same dialect.” I laughed and told her it was nowhere near the same, but since she was from Connecticut I don’t think she got it.

"A bit of twang in my resonance" ... I ponder a country music song lyric, C-Ave.

On the Cincinnati theme, do you like Little Kings Cream Ale beer? I do.

lol, I drank a lot of Little King’s in college. We used to get a 24-pack of those little 7-ounce glass bottles and go thru it like it was water.

(10-07-2026 12:13 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Having a strong accent (of any type) is not detrimental if you also offer a broad vocabulary, intelligence, wit and the ability to speak concisely (i.e., not ramble) and ask questions/listen.

But if you offer none of those characteristics and speak like, say, Reba McEntire (I hate to keep picking on Reba but she always come to mind regarding this topic), you will be perceived as a simpleton even more so than if you did not have an overwhelming accent.

My gripe is that those who are not native speakers think that they speak English well and rattle it off like a machine gun, most of the time they don't. I'll bet that when they speak their native language they don't do that but think that if they do it while speaking English that they will be perceived as intelligent when the opposite is true. Speak slowly even if there's a lot of "ums" in your talk. It's better than those who speak fast because at least you can understand them.

In El Paso the predominate accent is Spanish and it's so strong that there are many Anglos who have lived here for many years have acquired it too. We can be understood, it's just that there's a slight difference in the way it comes out. I still have a hard time with words that sound alike, like S**t, sheet, cheat, and for a time...piece. It would come out like piss until I got tired of my wife laughing at me I would make an effort to say it right. Beach comes out like the female dog for instance. It is what it is.

(10-08-2026 10:32 AM)CliftonAve2 Wrote:  lol, I drank a lot of Little King’s in college. We used to get a 24-pack of those little 7-ounce glass bottles and go thru it like it was water.

Eight-packs of the Little Kings 7-ouncers (6% ABV) are available in Nashville.

The cream ale, in general, is one of my favorite beer styles.

I'm trying to find Genesee cream ale beer (packaged) in Nashville markets. Apparently, it's available here.

(10-08-2026 10:50 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(10-07-2026 12:13 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Having a strong accent (of any type) is not detrimental if you also offer a broad vocabulary, intelligence, wit and the ability to speak concisely (i.e., not ramble) and ask questions/listen.

But if you offer none of those characteristics and speak like, say, Reba McEntire (I hate to keep picking on Reba but she always come to mind regarding this topic), you will be perceived as a simpleton even more so than if you did not have an overwhelming accent.

My gripe is that those who are not native speakers think that they speak English well and rattle it off like a machine gun, most of the time they don't. I'll bet that when they speak their native language they don't do that but think that if they do it while speaking English that they will be perceived as intelligent when the opposite is true. Speak slowly even if there's a lot of "ums" in your talk. It's better than those who speak fast because at least you can understand them.

My main criticism (regarding speaking in general) are native-born Americans who butcher the English language when they speak.

https://nypost.com/2026/10/07/opinion/co...n-know-it/
Back on the top a little:

"...A day after the incident, she texted one of her sex partners, saying “non (sic) of the sexual stuff was illegal and honestly I really liked being with u” — and she suggested another get-together.

She angled herself an invitation to the annual Halloween party at the frat where she was allegedly raped.

Up to that point, Doe’s statements and her behavior had been consistent: She considered herself a voluntary participant in group sex, after she’d deliberately downed 10 shots of alcohol.

After the alleged assault she solicited further contact with her rapists, considered them her friends and sought to revisit the crime scene for more partying.

For an actual rape victim, such behavior is inconceivable.

But the rumor mill was circulating: Jane Doe’s sorority mentor told her that people were shaming her as a “slut.”

The frat’s president disinvited her from the party “for her own good.”

Doe was furious.

That’s when she played the assault card, nearly a month after the incident.

Yet the campus rape industry cannot tolerate Doe’s earlier honest self-evaluation.

If females take full responsibility for their own behavior, the lucrative, bureaucracy-bloated grift will come crashing down. ..."

Years ago, and as I previously posted, I was reprimanded by the company I work for after a young female co-worker wrongly accused me of body-shaming her. The company said it had no choice but to believe her (and not me). The crusty old white man we all know and love as Bill Dazzle had no choice but to take his medicine. It was B.S. but I handled it as best I could. To be fair, I saw at the time that the company was in a no-win situation. And, overall, the company has been very good to me.

But in today's society, too many folks automatically believe the woman.

(10-08-2026 02:00 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Years ago, and as I previously posted, I was reprimanded by the company I work for after a young female co-worker wrongly accused me of body-shaming her. The company said it had no choice but to believe her (and not me). The crusty old white man we all know and love as Bill Dazzle had no choice but to take his medicine. It was B.S. but I handled it as best I could. To be fair, I saw at the time that the company was in a no-win situation. And, overall, the company has been very good to me.

But in today's society, too many folks automatically believe the woman.

Well in this case, they refuse to believe the woman. She said it was all legitimate. She didn't complain until the fraternity decided it was best she not come back for the Halloween Party.

(10-08-2026 02:04 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(10-08-2026 02:00 PM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Years ago, and as I previously posted, I was reprimanded by the company I work for after a young female co-worker wrongly accused me of body-shaming her. The company said it had no choice but to believe her (and not me). The crusty old white man we all know and love as Bill Dazzle had no choice but to take his medicine. It was B.S. but I handled it as best I could. To be fair, I saw at the time that the company was in a no-win situation. And, overall, the company has been very good to me.

But in today's society, too many folks automatically believe the woman.

Well in this case, they refuse to believe the woman. She said it was all legitimate. She didn't complain until the fraternity decided it was best she not come back for the Halloween Party.

Fair point.

https://x.com/TheOfficerTatum/status/210...33781?s=20

TMZ reporting texts from the woman saying they did nothing “illegal” and “it’s our body, our choice.”