The Real West VirginiaThe Real West Virginia

By By

Ashley CarrollAshley Carroll

AndAnd

Ashley HobbsAshley Hobbs

Some people Some people that are not from that are not from WV may think WV may think that a hillbilly that a hillbilly looks like this.looks like this.

very unkempt, very unkempt, drunken, and drunken, and have constantly have constantly pregnant womenpregnant women

Others may think that we are Others may think that we are stupid and ignorant.stupid and ignorant.

Still others may identify a WV hillbilly Still others may identify a WV hillbilly with that of with that of The Beverly Hillbillies.The Beverly Hillbillies.

Non West Virginians think that we live Non West Virginians think that we live in the past and have none of the in the past and have none of the normal commodities of a typical normal commodities of a typical

AmericanAmerican..

However, “hillbillies” look just However, “hillbillies” look just like you and me. We are all like you and me. We are all

normal people who have normal people who have normal lives just like the rest normal lives just like the rest

of the United States of of the United States of America.America.

We also have normal schools and even institutions of higher

education.

Logan High School, a typical WV secondary schoolLogan High School, a typical WV secondary school

Logo courtesy of www.marshall.edu.

West Liberty State College

courtesy of www.westliberty.edu

courtesy of www.wvu.edu

We also have many cultural events that take place in WV which others may not have known about. These can include musicals and theatrical

productions along with concerts and performances.

Logan High School’s performance of Grease

WV All State Chamber Choir annual performance

a member of the nationally known a member of the nationally known AAmerican merican CChoral horal DDirector’s irector’s AAssociation (ssociation (ACDA)ACDA)Here is a link to the site of the West Virginia chapter of ACDA at Here is a link to the site of the West Virginia chapter of ACDA at www.wvacda.orgwww.wvacda.org.

Dialect is another unique feature of WV. The

typical stereotype of West Virginia is that WV citizens all speak with the same

“country” accent. Although many people do speak with an accent that is

stereotypical to WV, not ALL West Virginians speak with this accent.

Different accents can be found in four different regions of West Virginia that

have distinctly different accents. Variations still are found within these groups due to specific influences. The

four regions can be seen in the following map.

Dialect Map of WV

1

23

4

Region 1Region one is located in what Region one is located in what West Virginians call the northern West Virginians call the northern panhandle. This region’s dialect is panhandle. This region’s dialect is nothing like the stereotypical nothing like the stereotypical dialect of a West Virginian. dialect of a West Virginian. Instead the people of this region Instead the people of this region speak with an accent that is very speak with an accent that is very similar to people who live in Ohio similar to people who live in Ohio and Pennsylvania since it borders and Pennsylvania since it borders these states. Region one’s dialect these states. Region one’s dialect is most familiar to that of persons is most familiar to that of persons living in the Pittsburg, PA vicinity living in the Pittsburg, PA vicinity since it is the closest metropolitan since it is the closest metropolitan area.area.

Region 2Region two is located in what Region two is located in what is known as the eastern is known as the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. panhandle of West Virginia. This region’s dialect is very This region’s dialect is very similar to region one’s dialect similar to region one’s dialect with a few minor variations. with a few minor variations. However, the main influence However, the main influence of their accent is that of of their accent is that of peoples from northern peoples from northern Virginia and Maryland. Virginia and Maryland. Inhabitants of Region 2 can Inhabitants of Region 2 can also be affiliated with the also be affiliated with the Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. metropolitan area since it is metropolitan area since it is very near in distance. very near in distance.

Region 3 Region three is in the lower Region three is in the lower northern part of the state. Its northern part of the state. Its accent is slightly more accent is slightly more stereotypical in that it does stereotypical in that it does include the pronunciation of include the pronunciation of words such as words such as pen pen and and pin pin along with along with tenten and and tin tin the the same. The rest of their speech same. The rest of their speech is more like that of regions one is more like that of regions one and two, though. Some areas of and two, though. Some areas of region three, however, sound region three, however, sound more recognizable to that of more recognizable to that of Ohio if they live near the Ohio Ohio if they live near the Ohio border. border.

Region 4 Region four is in the southern part of West Virginia. Its peoples speak Region four is in the southern part of West Virginia. Its peoples speak the most stereotypical accent of the four regions. They pronounce the most stereotypical accent of the four regions. They pronounce words such as words such as pen pen and and pin pin along with along with tenten and and tin tin the same, and they the same, and they practice a language change where different vowels in a word change. practice a language change where different vowels in a word change. The vowels are either cut out to delete a known diphthong or different The vowels are either cut out to delete a known diphthong or different vowels are added in to add a diphthong. An example could be the word vowels are added in to add a diphthong. An example could be the word hit.hit. Peoples of this region might add a diphthong in it to make it be Peoples of this region might add a diphthong in it to make it be pronounced like pronounced like hi-ught. hi-ught. The diphthong in the word The diphthong in the word boilboil, however, is , however, is taken out in this dialect and is pronounced like taken out in this dialect and is pronounced like bahl.bahl. One must keep in One must keep in mind that not all of the peoples of this region talk like this. Residents mind that not all of the peoples of this region talk like this. Residents that live in the Charleston and Huntington areas are less likely to talk that live in the Charleston and Huntington areas are less likely to talk this way due to the more urban environment. One could also say that this way due to the more urban environment. One could also say that the accents of region four are similar to that of their Virginian and the accents of region four are similar to that of their Virginian and Kentuckian neighbors. Kentuckian neighbors.

A key factor to remember about A key factor to remember about WV dialect is that it is mainly WV dialect is that it is mainly influenced by its neighboring influenced by its neighboring

states. The trend also seems to be states. The trend also seems to be that the farther south one travels in that the farther south one travels in

WV the more “country” or WV the more “country” or stereotypical West Virginian the stereotypical West Virginian the dialect seems to become. As the dialect seems to become. As the

generations change, the people of generations change, the people of WV have been steadily losing their WV have been steadily losing their native accent. This could be due to native accent. This could be due to a greater access of outside media a greater access of outside media

or other foreign influences. or other foreign influences.

We hope youWe hope you learnedlearned something!something!