I remember being a child in Tennessee. I would observe the differences in language and accent and it just felt wrong. My family was from Michigan and didn’t talk like some of the kids at my school. I knew it represented ignorance, even when I didn’t know how to put words to it. Examples:
These are the ones I can name top of mind. There were others that I don’t recall. In each case, the kids who spoke this way I perceived to be economically disadvantaged (looking back, but it’s really not fair for me to perform armchair analysis on a child’s memories). Oh, and the girl who said I used a swear when I said “oh my god,” at school. That shit didn’t matter at my house and I found it offensive that she said so.
ETA: I’m extremely biased against the American South. I’m not saying anything against you, personally, if you’re from there.
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