Become a Native Oklahoman! Talk Their Language!
Monday, January 17, 2011 at 9:00AM | 5 Comments My grandfather worked for Ford in their glass factory. In the mid 70's, he was asked to relocate the family to Tulsa, Oklahoma from Detroit, Michigan. His wife, my Nana, passed away this past week. My cousin and I were tasked with going through her entire apartment to clean it out. Among all the crap, we did find a couple gems. One of which was a guide to "becoming a native oklahoman" with tips on how to pronounce words like an Oklahoman.
I never really thought I had an accent, until I moved to Los Angeles. I spent the next 2.5 years trying desperately to lose the "hick" lurking inside me (hehe) and have managed to stow it somewhere far away, only pulling it out when intoxicated or when I find it can help me get something I want (I'm so SORRY officer, I had NO idea I was speeding so much - said with the biggest Southern twang I can produce). But I have had several Brits tell me that they like my deep south accent and one woman even guessed that I was from Oklahoma (she said it was the way I say "what" but I still don't hear it).
Regardless of how I sound, this guide to speaking like an Okie is 100% dead on.
Click on the picture to see the full-size image.
My favorites (and ones I actually use) are:
- Arn - an iron (Ma's tard of arnin')
- Bobbed - barbed (a bobbed war fence)
- Dreckly - directly (I'll git it dreckly)
- Evenin - afternoon before supper
- Fraidy Holes - what we used to call the tornado shelter
- Furiners - foreigners - or anyone non-Oklahoman
- Lad - lied
- Fate - feet (they're on yore lags)
- Mere - mirror
- Minners - Minnows (bait, for fishing)
- Purdy - Pretty (she's purdy as a pitcher)
- Rang - ring (you war it on yore fanger)
- Rahcheer - Right here (I was borned rahcheer in this here town)
- Rat - right (do it rat now)
- Salary - Celery
- Sourdeens - sardines
- Shar - shower (a light rain)
- Shurf - Sherriff (the Shurf put Clem in jail!)
- Thanks - thinks (He shore thanks he's smart)
- Tard - tired (Plum tuckered out)
- Worsh - wash (go worsh yer face)
Reader Comments (5)
One of my favourite memories of spending time with you is that 'Sorry officer' routine - you were giving an example of it in a bar somewhere in Valencia as I (vaguely) recall. And no matter how much you try and hide it, even a non-American like me can definitely hear the South coming out after a drink or two. ;-)
@Dave - Yes. I vaguely remember that also. Hopefully that was the last time you have to endure that. However, I still doubt you could pick out an Okie like that one Brit lady did on holiday! I don't even know if I can pick out my own accent in a pile of others. So when/where are these next drinks or twos going to happen? Hopefully not another via skype drunk session. Those wear on me.
Nah, I wouldn't know an Okie accent from any other Southern one at all. NFI.
Yeah Skype drunk sessions just aren't the same as the real deal. For starters, I really miss paying 20 bucks a cocktail in some swanky Manhattan bar like I would have been last time ...
I wish I knew. This real life idea is scaring the shit outta me even if it's only for a year or whatever. I've got an apartment application form sitting in my inbox that I'm not even daring to open right now because of what it represents. Christ, what do you mean I can't have six months leave this year and a job and an apartment? How the hell is that supposed to work then??
@Dave - a REAL LIFE apartment application? Like with a lease and everything? *shiver* I don't like the sound of that. I hope you figure this one out or there's no hope for the rest of us.
Yeah, it sucks. I still haven't opened it.
I don't want to be an adult any more. It's not fun.