Jon Katz, writing in Slate, examines rural speech patterns. An excerpt:
One spring morning, I stopped at Stewart's, the local convenience store, to get the New York papers and some coffee. I eavesdropped on the two guys in front of me as they poured enormous quantities of cream and sugar into their cardboard coffee cups.
Man in blue cap: "Hey."
Man in red cap: "Hey."
Blue Cap: "So, you still working over at—"
Red Cap: "Yup."
Blue: "You get your—"
Red: "Yeah, all fixed."
Blue: "I bet it was—"
Red: "More than two grand …"
Blue: "Ouch. So you lost—"
Red: " 'Bout a week. I'll be done Friday."
[ A friend of mine who's lived and worked in the American South said he's always amazed at how "yonder" can be a term of precision. Must be in the blood.]
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