7 Southern US Slang Words To Sound Like A Local

The Southern US accent was recently voted one of the top 50 in the world, making a strong appearance at No. 9 in the world. We wanted to delve a little deeper and find out some characteristics of the accent to see why people find it so sexy.

It might take you a while to be able to speak in a proper Southern American accent but you will certainly learn a few tips for any potential travels to the region…

Here are 7 Southern US Slang Words To Sound Like A Local

What does a Southern US accent sound like?

The accent is incredibly distinctive and it is said to have formed initially from immigrants from Britain who arrived from the 17th century onwards. It was also heavily influenced by slavery and the immigration that continued throughout the South over the next couple of hundred years. You can read a full overview of the unique history of this accent here.

It can be known as a Southern drawl towards the Texas region, where the vowels are much longer and the words less separated.

Are there many different Southern US accents?

While the South might include more states the accents deemed the sexiest are generally seen to come from the following states. The likes of Florida, for example, has been omitted as the accent generally flattens out.

• Georgia
• Texas
• Alabama
• South Carolina
• Mississippi
• Louisiana

Even between each of these states there can be huge variations in slang, dialect and the overall sexiness of the accent. This is hardly surprising, given that Texas alone is the second largest state in the USA by size.

This video gives you a good break down of the various accents in the region…

What are some common sayings?

The accent really turns these into something special. Here are some examples…

• Over yonder = Other there
• Y’all = You all
• Til the cows come home = A long time
• She’s as pretty as a peach = That girl is pretty
• Hold your horses = Stop right there
• That boy’s all hat and no cattle = The boy is all talk
• Somebody opened the floodgates = The traffic is heavy

What makes the Southern US accent so sexy?

• The Southern accent is easily recognisable
• The accent is different to almost all other ways of speaking English. Many people find something different attractive.
• Movies such as Forrest Gump and Driving Miss Daisy make the accent popular
• This all makes the Southern accent famous around the world

You can see a list of the 50 Sexiest Accents In The World Here to see where your country ranks…