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Okie Dialect
 
 
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The Okie Dialect is found mostly in rural Oklahoma
Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a U.S. state and a sovereignty located in the South Central United States and Southern United States of the United States of America ....
, a subdialect of American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
 of the English language
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
.

It is a byproduct of historic migration of settlers to the state from the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States

The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region of the United States, and organizations that need to subdivide the US are free to define a "Southeast" region to fit their needs....
 such as Arkansas
Arkansas

Arkansas is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States of the United States. Arkansas shares a border with six states, with its eastern border largely defined by the Mississippi River....
, Tennessee
Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
 and Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 with its' "country-western" sound in the late 19th century. There's a known Native American
Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
 influence in the dialect by the state's over 50 federally recognized tribal groups, some of them maintained or revived its' own native languages to this day.

Okie Accent is largely characterized by a twang which is the pronunciation of a word with elongated vowels and adding of extra syllables to increase the length of the sound of the words which serve to create a drawl.






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Encyclopedia


The Okie Dialect is found mostly in rural Oklahoma
Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a U.S. state and a sovereignty located in the South Central United States and Southern United States of the United States of America ....
, a subdialect of American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
 of the English language
English language

English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England and has lingua franca status in many parts of the world as a result of the military, economic, scientific, political and cultural influence of the British Empire in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries and that of the United States from the mid 20th century onwa...
.

It is a byproduct of historic migration of settlers to the state from the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States

The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region of the United States, and organizations that need to subdivide the US are free to define a "Southeast" region to fit their needs....
 such as Arkansas
Arkansas

Arkansas is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States of the United States. Arkansas shares a border with six states, with its eastern border largely defined by the Mississippi River....
, Tennessee
Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
 and Texas
Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
 with its' "country-western" sound in the late 19th century. There's a known Native American
Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
 influence in the dialect by the state's over 50 federally recognized tribal groups, some of them maintained or revived its' own native languages to this day.

Twang

The Okie Accent is largely characterized by a twang which is the pronunciation of a word with elongated vowels and adding of extra syllables to increase the length of the sound of the words which serve to create a drawl. i.e., the word "get" would be stretched out in a complex but subtle pronunciation of "gee-ut-ah", someone unfamiliar with the dialect or not listening closely would hear simply "git".

Lexicon

Some words used in rural Oklahoma but not in many other American English dialects (or with different meanings) are:

  • tump or tip over a container to empty the contents, (tah-uum-pah)
  • wallered-out or , increase of a circumference (wah'-lurd-ah a-yo-tah)
  • pertneer or , almost, (purt-neer)
  • dasent or , dare not


Well-known people with an Okie accent, all born in Oklahoma

  • Woody Guthrie
    Woody Guthrie

    Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an United States singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, Traditional music and children's songs, ballads and improvised works....
    , Folk musician
  • Reba McEntire
    Reba McEntire

    Reba Nell McEntire is an United States country music singer, performer and actress. Sometimes referred to as "The Queen of Country", she is known for her lively stage-shows and pop-tinged ballads....
    , Country/rock music singer
  • Will Rogers
    Will Rogers

    William Penn Adair ?Will? Rogers was a Cherokee-United States cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentary, vaudeville performer and actor. He was the father of U.S....
    , world-famous stage cowboy/comedian
  • Oral Roberts
    Oral Roberts

    Granville Oral Roberts is an United States Pentecostal televangelist and is also a leader in the charismatic movement....
    , Televangelist/minister


Recordings of the Okie accent

  • Characters: Will Parker, Ado Annie, in the Movie Oklahoma
    Oklahoma

    Oklahoma is a U.S. state and a sovereignty located in the South Central United States and Southern United States of the United States of America ....
  • Songs: Okie from Muskogee
    Okie from Muskogee

    Okie From Muskogee is an album by Merle Haggard and the Strangers, released in 1969. Haggard has stated that the title song on this album is somewhat of a satire....
     by Merle Haggard
    Merle Haggard

    Merle Ronald Haggard is an United States country music singer, guitarist, instrumentalist, and songwriter.Merle Haggard has become one of the true giants of country music, as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and instrumentalist....
    , a country single in the 1960s.