"Certain words are markers of specific regions of the United States. Southern American English has one of the most distinctive dialects, with words and phrases you won’t find anywhere else in the country."
"When* you meet someone for the first time, you might ask things like, “Where did you go to school?” or “Where did you grow up?” You can also look for certain context clues that will give you something to talk about. A hat or a sweatshirt might broadcast their allegiance to a certain university, and their accent or use of certain terms can give away where they’re from. For example, if they say “wicked” instead of “very,” they’re probably from Boston, and if they use “stove up” for “exhausted,” they’re likely from Maine. A Californian, on the other hand, might say “hella” instead of “very,” “stoked” instead of “excited,” or “gnarly” instead of “intense.” But what if they’re from the South?
*In the South I have heard "when" pronounced with two syllables. TD
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