I'm planning to begin a nursing career in the fall of 2007 (accl. BSN program) and was wondering about something. I have a STRONG southern accent. I'm not ashamed of it, I love my accent. I had no idea I even had one until I was 16 and while on a trip to California some people let me know. The question I have is could I anticipate any issues or trouble with my accent? Also, and PLEASE be honest, it won't hurt my feelings (much =) but what would your reaction be if you are from a place where southern accents are not common and heard your nurse have a twang to the voice?
I work in the healthcare industry and deal with RNs, Quality Improvement personnel, Administrators, Drug Reps, etc on a daily basis and most of the ladies (99% of the people I work with are female) don't seem to mind. However, I feel like a few are looking down their respective nose at me while I talk. I even had a person who thought they were on mute one time say to a group I was on a conference call with "this guy from KEN-tucky thinks he's going to teach us something". One of those real sarcastic tones. I rolled my eyes and smiled because I knew they were the ones making an a$$ out of themselves.
I'm already somewhat apprehensive about being a guy in this profession and fighting off sterotypes. I had never given much thought to any preconceived notions about my my voice though. Will I have another sterotype to deal with? Honestly, what do you think when you hear a guy (or a lady) with a southern accent? Please don't think we're dumb....
Any feedback or commentary would be greatly appreciated!
I've noticed our visitors from up north can't understand the accent. They speak louder then us from the south. Be prepared for a lot of Huh's what did you say, and speak up for them.
The people from the north that visit my area learn rather quickly that we are not ignorant or stupid just b/c we talk to everyone. Some area's confuse southern hospitality with ignorance and stupidity. As they say around here... "Bless their lil hearts".
I happen to love accents! I grew up in Miami, and until I came up to Gainesville to attend UF, I had not idea I had a "Miami accent" (spanish-sounding). After living in Gainesville for 4 years, I have kind of picked up a little southern accent. My mom is from the Philippines and has an accent, I think it's cute. My boyfriend is Mexican and has a thick accent. I love it. All I can say is that it'd be boring if everyone sounded the same!
Having been a travel nurse and worked all over the country,I consider my Southern Heritage a badge of Pride. Because I have worked all over the place, my "Twang" is often hidden. In the rare occasion, I lose my temper, it can come slipping out. I have just finished an assignment in Boston,where working in a busy Trauma ER,I was complemented on my skills by my Manager. During a busy psych admit , I had to assist the police with restraints, and I was bitten, and then it popped out, "Dayuuum, at's gonna hurt". One would have thought I just spit on someone, all eyes were on me. Then the comments began , "Where ya'll from boy??? want some grits?I just let them roll off like water off a duck's back..But they continued, so on my next shift, I came to work dressed like Larry the Cable Guy, liberally peppering my speech with "Git er done", Boy Howdy, Yesssiree Bob"More than one person, said , "That really makes you sound stupid". I changed back into my scrubs, and came back out to work, and asked them, Now what's different????.My skills?????.Embrace your heritage, celebrate your differences, do not tolerate ignorance, educate it out of existence.
CoonAss by birth, Southern by geography,Damn good Nurse by training and hard work.
If those yankees can't understand you or don't like your accent, just come on back to God's country......we'll understand you just fine
OMG!!! God's country? I know you're not talking about the South, particularly Alabama. I'm from Alabama and contrary to what people claim, this is NOT the Bible Belt. I hear so much about God this and God that. Well let me tell you, God doesn't condone all the racism that is perpetuated down here. Nothing has changed. Now, instead of the Klan, we have Bible-thumping racist is business suits and judicial robes. My dad is yankee and he's a liberal. I sometimes feel that that combination is worse than being black down here. And you know what, the South lost the war. But so many down here are still fighting it in their minds. This is the U.S. of A., all of it. And anybody can live where they choose. And a "yankee" can go anywhere and live anywhere, as well as a southerner. I get tired of all these boundaries when this is the UNITED (emphasis on the word "united" states of America. I feel those that cannot get with that idea and racial harmony should get themselves on a remote island somewhere in the Pacific and go live so they won't be bothered with the yankees and others.
Sorry!!! I know that was off of the subject, but it kills how so many people down here claim to be Christian, yet, they cannot tolerate others that are not like them. I'm not personally attacking you.
I just completed a 13 week contract in Maine...there wasn't a day that went by that my accent wasn't commented on at least 20 times a day. Some of my co-workers and patients dealt with it; the true Yankees let their true colors show a little too much to my likin'. As soon as I opened my mouth my Nurse Manager treated me as though I was the dumbest thing walking. She and a co-worker asked me about makin' grits for a breakfast the office staff was having...I told them "Sorry I don't eat nor make that junk. We only feed that to the stupid Yankees who think we are all "Beverly Hillibillies"; the same ones we say "Thank y'all now y'all come on back and visit usins any 'ole time yeh hear" as we laughed all the way to the bank (after the tourons left our great state). In all fairness, when I worked in New York and Chicago my accent wasn't an issue...they respected the fact that I am a skilled professional and treated me as such.
Sorry!!! I know that was off of the subject, but it kills how so many people down here claim to be Christian, yet, they cannot tolerate others that are not like them. I'm not personally attacking you.
OOOOoooo - THIS IS ALWAYS MY POINT!!! How can people call themselves CHRISTIANS, and then be such RAGING, DISCRIMINATORY, BIGOTED HIPPOCRITES????
Sorry - didn't mean to hijack - I just can't help agreeing....
Don't let your accent stand in your way. Wherever you're from, you've got one. The northerners have one, far south, indian, polish, spanish.... if I don't understand something, I ask for a repeat. We have docs from all over, some you actually understand better hearing than their writing!!! :) One of our locums from Boston loved hearing us talk about our patients.... we always finish the sentence with "bless her heart" Be proud! Let em pick on you, I look at like they're giving someone else a break, lol.
i have a southern accent and have found it to be very comforting to my babies and parents, alike.
i do try to be careful that ones understand what i said or meant - and i ask people to repeat words and i practice saying them over and over. i try to be aware of the weaknesses and strengths of the accent.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh, speaking from experience here. I'm a southern gal, born and bred. I moved to California couple of years ago. Every time I answered the phone both at home and at work, the first thing I heard was, Where are you from? Nobody was rude to me, and most comment on how much they like my accent. If you dont mind people asking ,you will do fine. For me it just gets em talking. And I love to talk. LOL. Good luck with your career. Mine is almost over. I retire in 8 months. Yahooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
A lot of people equate southern with "stupid". And then I know some stupid southerners (and northerners). You just can't take offense. I'm married to one with an accent for 29 years and still have to say "what did you say" sometimes.
I notice he will "pour it on" and the "twang gets thick". But be proud of who you are and where you are from, just be mindful that the elderly don't hear as well and you might have to speak slower.
I also find, that some people find that southern sound to be a sign of "friendliness"
OMG!!! God's country? I know you're not talking about the South, particularly Alabama. I'm from Alabama and contrary to what people claim, this is NOT the Bible Belt. I hear so much about God this and God that. Well let me tell you, God doesn't condone all the racism that is perpetuated down here. Nothing has changed. Now, instead of the Klan, we have Bible-thumping racist is business suits and judicial robes. My dad is yankee and he's a liberal. I sometimes feel that that combination is worse than being black down here. And you know what, the South lost the war. But so many down here are still fighting it in their minds. This is the U.S. of A., all of it. And anybody can live where they choose. And a "yankee" can go anywhere and live anywhere, as well as a southerner. I get tired of all these boundaries when this is the UNITED (emphasis on the word "united" states of America. I feel those that cannot get with that idea and racial harmony should get themselves on a remote island somewhere in the Pacific and go live so they won't be bothered with the yankees and others.
Sorry!!! I know that was off of the subject, but it kills how so many people down here claim to be Christian, yet, they cannot tolerate others that are not like them. I'm not personally attacking you.
I must be the ONLY one here who took the term "God's country" to mean a beautiful area. Good GRIEF.
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Good GRIEF.
vickiga
8 Posts
I've noticed our visitors from up north can't understand the accent. They speak louder then us from the south. Be prepared for a lot of Huh's what did you say, and speak up for them.
The people from the north that visit my area learn rather quickly that we are not ignorant or stupid just b/c we talk to everyone. Some area's confuse southern hospitality with ignorance and stupidity. As they say around here... "Bless their lil hearts".
Vicki