So, Like, What Did Ya'll Say?

Yesterday I attended my ESL class. During the class we were asked if we had ever experienced feeling inferior in our English language skills. I related the following stories:

I learned to talk while I lived in Georgia. By the time I left Georgia to move to California, I had a really strong southern accent. My California teacher was not able to understand much of what I said. She referred me to a speech class.

I remember going to speech at least 2 times, probably for testing and evaluations. The last time I went to speech, the speech teacher walked me back to my classroom where I overheard him tell my teacher that I did not have a speech impediment, only a southern drawl.

My other language experience was when I moved back to the south. I was moving from California and had determined that I would not get another southern accent. The students at my school did not appreciate my fine diction and articulation. They told me that I sounded like a "Yankee." I was actually quite pleased that I was able to get rid of my southern accent.

My family tells me that when I travel to the south, I tend to pick up some of my old southern accent. I really don't believe them.

Living in Utah I have heard my own children say things like melk for milk, clane for clean, mounain for mountain, but'n for button.

If I were to put Georgia, California, Arkansas, and Utah into one sentence.. it might sound like....

"Hey Ya'll, like, I am so sure going to the store to buy me some melk and but'ns."