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.