   Hear "I"in a Southern AccentUs Southerners don’t always say I with the same crisp sound as the unhillbillies. You’ll often hear it stretched or shifted to ah or ahh, especially in a slow drawl. Play the clip to hear how it sounds in real Southern speech, then - if you're up for a challenge - practice it yourself with our tips and sentences. Example Audio in Sentences1) "I don't think I wanna pet'at pole cat." Translates to "I'm not interested in petting that skunk." 2) "I bet you cain't eat'at whole mess o'beans." Translates to "I bet you can't eat that entire pot of beans by yourself." Say It Like a Southerner
Regional NoteSouthern accents vary widely from state to state and even holler to holler. The examples here reflect speech patterns common to rural Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, western North Carolina, north Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas, and aren't meant to represent lowland or coastal "Deep South" varieties. Nor are the examples perfect - accents can be hyper-regional. They're provided for curious learners, actors and content creators, and ESL speakers who want a friendly introduction to authentic pronunciation. Learn more on the Southern Accent hub page. | ...
About Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more... |
Listen to our audio clip a few times, focusing on the long "ah" sound, then repeat until it feels natural or matches our audio clip.