Conclusion

In our analysis of the Texan accent, we applied Erving Goffman’s dramaturgy theory to analyze the presentation of self through dialect. Under this theory, “He [Goffman] argued that life is a play-a play with a moral of sorts. And that moral is what Goffman and soial psychologists call “impression management” (Conley 134). In other words, we are all actors trying to convince our audiences of our role using props, scripts, costumes, and sets. For Texans, we often use our accent as a prop to convince others of our roles as Texans. However, there are some situations in which we wish not to be judged by our role. We wish people to perceive us as a slightly better version than our natural selves. Goffman specifies that the selves we use when we are managing our impression act out our role on the “front stage,” while back stage our innate natural selves act much more comfortably. In this respect, the Texan accent seems to be more prevalent in the back stage of people’s performances. In situations where Texans do not wish to be judged by their accent, such as in a business environment, he or she will attempt to suppress it on the front stage.

In our research of the Texan accent, we discovered that the main misconceptions are linked to the ancestry of the state. Overall, it seems that because most of the settlers here worked as farmers, this has created a reputation for the residents in which most outsiders perceive common character traits that correlate to this occupation. Because of this, Texans on average seek to consciously change their presentation of self in order to influence people’s impression of them as non-farmers. They act out their roles on the front stage.

Haoran from New York

My friend Haoran is from New York City. It was very interesting to talk to him about southern accent and Texan culture comparing with his hometown. I started the conversation by asking him why he chose to come down to Texas for college as a New Yorker. He said, “There is nothing wrong with it, isn’t it? Even though the whole country has a stereotype on Texas, it is still just a stereotype. I don’t see farmers and ranches in Austin area. Even though people have strong southern accent, like saying y’all all the time, I still like Texas simply because people down here are much nicer. ” Then I asked him, “Why do you say Texans are nicer?” “Ok, I’m from another state which is very far away. It was last year that I first came down here. I was a stranger, but people still treated me friendly. Well, in New York, people don’t really care where you are from since there are so many visitors there. People don’t start random conversation when they are waiting in line like what you guys do down here. Further, people address the authoritative figures properly. They always use sir and ma’am. And there are many things you can see in Texas. People are very polite. Like when you are on the bus, people always save seats for women and older people, at least on the UT bus. You can rarely see this in New York. People don’t care how you feel as much as you do in Texas. ” I think the conversation, again, lead to the impression management. Impression management is a process people use to control the perceptions or impressions about themselves. People think that they are judged or perceived based on their physical appearance, personality or other subjective opinions by other people. Impression management attempts to control these perceptions from other people through the development of self-presentation methods and techniques. Like Texans, people across the country have a stereotype over them. Even though the whole stereotype isn’t true, but partially, the impression people have on Texans is due to the way Texans behave and talk.

The History of Texans

We noticed that a lot of the stereotypes that people had about Texans come from the history of the state. Hopefully the term “six flags over Texas” is familiar to you, especially if you’ve been to the theme park of the same name. This references all the different countries that once owned Texas. Texas was passed around until in the 19^th century, under the Mexican leadership of Santa Anna, the state decided to become independant. The following battle is known as the Texan Revolution. The Texan’s won (obviously) and for a time Texas was actually its own nation before it became a part of the United States. This rich history seems to be what fuels the fire for the pride of Texans.

Furthermore, after the Civil War, the south needed a source of revenue and had an abundance of cattle. To trade the cattle with the north, southerners would have to go on long cattle drives. This drive went through Texas, and cities such as Fort Worth were primary stopping grounds for trade. This city is known for the “stockyards” were the cattle were taken to be traded. In addition to this source of revenue, cotton also became a high commodity for Texan trade. Farming was relied very heavily as a source of income for Texans. And so it seems that the Texans adopted a reputation for the culture that seemed to go along with these occupations. Texans became known for riding horses and wearing cowboy boots, because these were essential to the workings of our ancestors.

This, along with the immense sense of pride from the Texan Revolution seemed to solidify the traditional culture found here. It translated to a deeper tie to our cultural roots than those in other states. This tie creates a bonding affect for Texan inhabitants and a sense of unity for the pride of our state. This culture and patriotism even shows itself in the way we speak and the words we use. We show a deeper connection to the way people spoke in the past. And I mean really, can you blame us? I sure as heck know I’m proud to be a Texan.

Meghan from South Africa

Meghan is from South Africa, a country that has had a troubled history; she has lived in America for a few years now, but still has vivid memories of her initial thoughts of the people and culture in Texas. Meghan said that her incoming stereotypes of Texans were of ditsy pageant girls and country boys; she now has come to realize that people in Texas are whoever they choose to be… “Themselves”. This is evident through cultural artifacts too, for example in musical taste. She reported to us that preferences in South Africa tended to lean more heavily towards R&B and hip-hop and that there is a musical equivalent to country music, but no one there that she knows really cares for it; as opposed to Austin (and presumably other cities around Texas), where Meghan noticed the wide array of musical tastes. It seems that all the choices available for our listening pleasure have contributed to us being what she has termed “free thinkers”.

We asked her of her initial impressions of the people she encountered with Texan Accents and, as we had hypothesized, she thought that they were of lower intelligence level. But Meghan was quick to add that their manner of dress said as much about them as their speech, that someone who was mature and professionally dressed could make her think twice about her initial judgments. This corresponds to what we’ve learned this semester about Goffman’s dramaturgy theory and the way we present ourselves. Someone who is well-dressed, but still retains their Texan accent is giving two messages to their audience: they are a smart and capable person and they are proud of their Texan roots. This pride, she said, was evident in many other aspects of life as well, not just in the retention or amplification of the accent. The houses are “pure example of patriotism” as well; she must be referring to the lone stars and state flags Texans use to decorate their homes.

A major difference between Texans and South Africans that Meghan noticed upon arrival was a state-wide willingness to be more friendly with strangers. She said that she thought people in Texas were more open here because of the young age at which we drive and the freedom that gives us to go out and meet so many new people. Meghan reported that she feels so welcomed and safe here that she does not worry as much about locking her doors and windows at night as she used to back in South Africa. This supports our claims that the Texan accent can be associated some with notions of welcoming and hospitality. A willingness to be friendly with others, free thinking, and state pride have come to be associated with the people of Texas and their accents in Meghan’s mind. This means that to people who have had similar experiences as Meghan, people they encounter with Texan accents apparent on their front stage are giving off (whether intentionally or not) the messages that Meghan described to us.

So, what is the Texan accent anyways?

The Texan accent is actually different across regions of Texas, depending on the heritage of the first settlers there. The more commonly known “twang” originated from West Texas where the Scots-Irish, English, and Welsh settlers came from states like Tennessee and Kentucky. Although, the American south in general is known to have a recognizable way of speaking, each region has subtle differences. The accent would be found most similar to that of Texans in these states. This difference can be attributed by the “r” sound found in Texan dialect, whereas others southerners tend not to pronounce it. Other identifying factors include slurring words together, like “you” and “all” into “y’all.” Also, long, flat vowel sounds and disregarded “g” sounds characterize the dialect. The speed of sound is also a bit slower than average. Texans tend to say a lot less, but they draw it out. Some recognizable figures with the Texan accent would be George W. Bush. Want to know more about how to speak like a Texan? Here’s a link! http://www.wikihow.com/Imitate-a-Texan-Accent

How international students look at Texas

The first person I interviewed is one of my friends from Taiwan, and his name is Brian. He has been to the states man times since his family has business here. However, the places he went the most were California and Florida. It was not until last year that he decided to go to Amarillo to pursuit his master degree. He had a strong stereotype over Texas before he came. Like he said, “Texas is all about ranches and farmers. You will see lots of pick-ups on the street which you don’t see anywhere else in this country. Sometime, their accent is too strong to understand. ” Then he explained to me that the real west Texas culture in Amarillo and his assumptions matched at a great extent. Since I spent my first two years of college in Amarillo, I totally agree his idea. “Amarillo is definitely the representative of the stereotype. You see a lot cows on both sides of highway. You smell bull crap in the night and it stinks so bad. You can see 6 pick-ups out of 10 cars on the street. Everything here is big ”, he described his first impression of Texas based on the west Texas culture.

When I asked him about his comment on the difference between Texas and his hometown, he started laughing. “I really don’t know what to say. To be honest, Amarillo, Texas is such a country place. I’m from Taipei, Taiwan, which is one of the biggest cities in Asia. We have everything back there except ranches and farmers. ” Even before I asked him about his comments on Texans and Texan accent, he said, “Texans have a strong southern accent. Sometimes it is too strong to understand, especially when I talk to the old people in small towns. Man, it takes me forever to figure what the person is trying to say. However, one thing I noticed that Texans are very polite, not only the way they talk but also the way they behave. For example, they also say ‘ma’am’ and ‘sir’ which you will barely hear in California. Also, one thing I like the most about Texas is the way people drive. They are not aggressive at all. ” For sure, the southern or Texan hospitality is very unique. In terms of sociology, the whole conversation falls into the category of impression management. Texans were historically recognized as ranchers and farmers. And I think this is where the stereotype comes from. However, Texans try to establish their images by spreading the southern hospitality.

Irene is an international student like me. We are from the same city in China. When I started the interview, it seemed like that she didn’t know what to say. She told me that she didn’t know anything about Texas before she came here. She only had a general idea of America, like everywhere should be like New York City, where you see skyscrapers everywhere. However, after studying and living here for two years, she started to have an idea of Texan culture. One thing interesting is that she has been affected a lot by Texan culture, her accent as well he behavior. Imagine this, there is a girl with some sort of Asian accent talking to you with the word “y’all” all the time. Isn’t it interesting? Besides that, she uses phrases like “I’m fixing to” which is commonly heard in Texas. Also, she used to care about the way she dresses so much like all the fashion stuff. After two years in UT, her taste totally changed, jeans, t-shirt and flip-flops are pretty much everything she wears. In terms of sociology, people change their tastes and thoughts because the environment makes them do so. As an outsider, Irene tries to present herself as an insider in Texas culture. She tries to manage her accent, the way she dress, and everything else so that she will be recognized. Similarly, that’s what the Texans do. They establish a Texan image. Further, people growing up in Texas are affected by cultural environment. No matter you grow up in Texas, there’s some sense of unity in Texas culture, for example, people are very friendly. Another thing she mentioned was that she noticed Texans have a significant sense of state pride, “you can Texas state flag everywhere, like on the plates, in public parks, in private garden, it’s everywhere. But you don’t often see the state flag when you visit other states. I have been traveling a lot across this country. To be honest, I don’t see other states care their flags as much as Texans. The significant sense of state pride can also be seen through their accent. I don’t know how to explain this, but it is obvious that they are very enjoyable when they talk in southern accent. ”

Charles from Florida

Charles is a freshman born in the Phillapines and raised in Florida. In high school, he moved to Houston, Texas.

On the perception of Texans:

Charles stated that before he moved to Texas, he assumed that everyone would be farmers riding their horses to school. He admitted that he thought that Texans would also be less intelligent, poorer, and overall “country.” He stated that he realized when he came here that he was wrong in his assumption. However when he hears someone speak with a heavy accent, he still immediately associates this with lower intelligence although he tries not to judge so quickly. It seem

s that a heavy accent will always be a prop for the actor of lower class and intelligence. He did not notice that Texans were any friendlier than those from his home state. He felt that there was an almost exact parallel between the interactions of people from Texas as well as Florida in terms of the friendliness of strangers and the respect given to authority.

On what the accent says about the culture

Charles stated that what seemed to be most different between the people from Florida and those from Texas, was the dialect and the cultural traditions. He stated that in Florida, there didn’t seem to be this unique cultural tie across the state. People in Texas wear cowboy boots, listen to country music, and speak differently because it is a part of their heritage. There is not a way of being that creates such unity among the people in Florida.

Conclusion

Charles agreed that he perceived those with a Texan accent as being of lower class and intelligence, although he realizes that this often disproven. He did not feel that Texans were any friendlier than people in Florida. He very obviously agreed that Texans had a much more apparent cultural pride that they indicated through their accent.

Brian from Callisburg, Texas

Brian is from Callisburg, a small town near Waco, Texas

, where he grew up all of his life. The primary occupation of the resident’s is farming. He is a business major and very involved in the Texan culture. He even showed up to the interview wearing cowboy boots.

On impression management:

We asked Brian, a “True Texan” how he managed the impression he gives off to people through his Texan accent. The only time that Brian hides his accent is in business situations. He says this is because most people assume once they hear him speak, that he is of a lower class and intelligence level. However, he emphasizes it in situations that involve manual labor, because he assumed to be more of an expertise in this area. It seems that Brian emphasizes his accent the most when in emotionally charged situations. He says this is because he is the most familiar and most comfortable speaking this way, so in moments where he is unguarded it becomes more prevalent. We can see from these examples that Brian’s use of his accent most usually signifies back stage behavior. When he is in situations where he wishes to be respected for his intelligence, he drops it which signifies that it is front stage behavior.

On what the accent conveys about the culture:

Brian did feel that people were a little more respectful in their language towards the elderly and that strangers were friendlier to each other. However, he clarified that this is a trait common among southern states in general, not just among Texans. There seems to be much more extensive openings in the region in that people are not apt to quickly transition to the purpose of the conversation. They often spend a greater amount of time in the introduction to the conversation. Brian had recently visited Florida. In fact, when questioned about the similarities between Texans and Floridians, he states that they were equally friendly. It seems that the major difference between Florida and Texas is the cultural tie people here feel for each other and their state. In fact, the pride people feel for their state here is one of the most prominent features found in the culture here.

On what the culture conveys about the people:

It seemed to me that overall, Brian feels that Texans are a more hardworking and driven people who often look to help others. The common stereotype is that Texans think slowly, are more friendly, and simple. After further discussion about his personal experience with running farms, it seems that most of the well-known traits of Texans are a result of the common ancestry tradition of farming and cattle ranching. This occupation placed a great emphasis on outdoors work that required the help of many people. It seems that the occupation influenced the personalities of the people here, which have carried on through the generations. In this way, the accent is perceived as a prop for the script of farmers and cattle ranchers.

Conclusion

Overall, after talking to a native Texan, it seems that he did agree with the perception of Texans as being lower class and intelligence. He agreed that Texans had higher levels of friendliness in comparison to northern states. And although he did not immediately trace his accent to a sense of pride, he did state that he felt like more of a Texan when he spoke with an accent and then later related Texans to having numerous admirable traits. Conclusively he then related his accent to a sense of pride for the state.

Amanda from Diboll, Texas

Amanda is a girl who comes from a place that she calls “Deep East Texas”. She says that everyone from her home town speaks the same way she does, with a heavy Texan timbre. I asked Amanda what kind of first impression her accent made people have of her; she responded, saying that it made people “tend to perceive [her] intelligence as lower than theirs”. This contributes to our claim that to have a Texan accent is to be associated to a group that is of lower intelligence.

However, when asked if she would ever hide or emphasize her accent based on the people she was with, Amanda said that she would not do either; she claimed that there was no point for her to try to cover up her accent because it “can never be hidden completely” so people will still make comments on it asking where she is from or what kind of horse she rides. Her willingness to carry her sound as part of herself, regardless of the people she is coming into contact with indicates a certain level of pride in her heritage. In addition to this, Amanda said that she feels a certain connection to people who have an accent that is similar to hers. The pride and camaraderie that Amanda feels in relation to her accent is important because one of the latent functions of language and pronunciation is to bring people together due to commonality.

Amanda views her accent as a mode of self-expression. She does not attempt to make her heritage a backstage secret about herself but instead displays her variation on the script on the front stage for everyone to hear. As mentioned before, this up-front show of association to a particular region automatically places Amanda in association with the stereotypes that are inherent to the region. She has recognized that her accent may give off an unintended message of ignorance, yet she does not experience nay role conflict between her college student self and her East Texan self because she is open to answering the questions of strangers about the horses they think she has or the tractors she must ride.

Shannon from Paris, Texas

Paris, Texas is a small city located a couple of hours northeast of Dallas which, according to our interview subject, Shannon consists of people who have rural mentalities and strong rural accents. Shannon feels personally indifferent toward her Texan roots, claiming that she actively concentrates on striving toward a standard American accent and that she would only accentuate her accent during humorous accounts of Paris, Texas. She feels that having a strong Texan accent makes people think she is not as smart as she actually is, which is part of her reasoning for trying to deemphasize her Texas sound. However, Shannon said she neither felt pride nor shame about her Texan heritage. This does not support our claim that Texans are noted for their state pride.

Growing up in Texas, Shannon says that she was taught as a youngster to be respectful to adults. Specific terms of respect include the standard "Mister", "Misses", and "Miss" as well as "Ma'am" and "Sir"; these tools could be considered a "script" for younger people in the south. She said she always used these when addressing an authority figure with whom she wasn't very familiar. When asked if she was ever scolded for not using these, she responded that she didn't but that she knew of other households that more strictly enforced this teaching. Shannon even reported that she felt comfortable addressing an elder using only their first name if she had a very close relationship with them. Shannon's responses support our claim that people who a noticeably from Texas via their accent are associated with being polite since she herself learned at an early age the supposed importance of honoring elders.

What all of this equates to is that Shannon manages her impression on others by striving for what she called a "standard American accent". She knows that people may misunderstand the messages given off by her accent and, whether consciously or unconsciously, she alters her sociological script so that she is not asscoiated with the impression of ignorance, poverty, slow movement, and a "hick" attitude.

Mission Statement

After learning about Goffman’s theories of impression management and Charles Horton Cooley’s idea of the “looking-glass self”, we thought it would be really interesting to study the way a person’s manner of speech, or accent, factors into the way they view themselves and the way those around them view their presentation of self. Speech is one of the most identifiable characteristics of a person and often is a determining factor of a person’s first impression. Since we live in Texas we thought it might be best to narrow our study to focus on people who speak with strong Texan sounds. In order to see how Texans view their own accents in comparison to how people from outside of Texas perceive the southern twang, we will be conducting short interviews with students who are from Texas and also with students who are from different states and countries. We will be focusing on the messages given and given off by the accent and how that relates to the pervading stereotypes about southerners; we are expecting to find that a Texan accent conveys to the listener a message of lower intelligence, lower class level, higher measures of friendliness, as well as increased state pride – though as with any study, our hypotheses are subject to being proven wrong! You can expect to see detailed analyses of what we find through our study, how our interview subject's responses correspond to sociological theories of impression management, and what this tells us about the culture of Texas.