Alabama Seven - Text
The subject is a thirteen year old white male raised in Auburn, Alabama which is on the coastal plain of East Central Alabama, and his family has lived in this region for at least three generations. He is currently a student in middle school and in his unscripted recording he discusses his family and his varied interests.
The subject speaks through a set jaw, and uses very little lip rounding which softens all consonant action. The relatively slow rhythms of his speech and the slight elongation of the vowels contributes to the sound of the "southern drawl". Evident in the speaker are the speech characteristics typical of this region : the i-e substitution (git for get) in' for ing (shoppin', goin') the use of the hard[r] and the elimination of certain diphtongs as in "drahv" for drive and "ah" for I. Another feature often found in southern speech is the addition of [sh] to words that begin with str, so you have "shtrict" for strict and "shtrong" for strong. This sample was recorded on February 21, and edited May 8,2001 by Daydrie Hague. Time of the recording is 00:04:47
TRANSCRIPTION
I was born in Columbus, Georgia, but I’ve always loved it here in Auburn. I love to go huntin’, fishin’, playin’ sports, anything that you can do outside. I like to drive trucks in the country, look at all the animals. I like to watch birds and squirrels play with each other. Squirrels chasin’ each other ’s pretty funny. (Um) Basketball, I like to play. Nnot too good at it though; everybody beats me. I like to play football, ’cause I like to hit people, and i-- and it’s fun. (Um) Baseball I play ’cause I’m pretty good at it. I play center field.
My mom was born in Hurtsboro, so she’s a farm girl, and we do everythin’ down there on the weekends. (Um) My dad was from Columbus. He was in the Marines, so he’s tough on me a lot.
I like to go to school sometimes, just to see my friends and talk. Teachers get on my nerves. I make pretty good grades… Sometimes. I like science, ’cause I wanna be a vet. I like dogs, and cats, and pretty much any animal… Except snakes. Snakes are a little annoying. Rats are kinda cute sometimes, if they’re not too big and fat. (Um) I don’t really read that much. It’s not too fun sometimes. Like to watch movies about football, wars. Pretty much anything, that I can do lyin’ down. (Uh) I like to eat. I like bein’ down South ’cause we have all that good food. Fried stuff: fried pork chops, country ham, green beans, anything that you can get on a farm, I pretty much like. I like to go down to Hurtsboro and jump on trampolines, play basketball, do nothing. That’s fun. (Um) I like to play baseball with my cousins. ’Cause, I have a little cousin and we’re teachin’ him how to play baseball. He’s actually pretty good at it for a six-year old. He hurt his knee a little while back, so we had to carry him around everywhere, but he’s better now.
My grandfather died when I was in the second grade. And last year my grandmother died. One of my grandfathers died before I was born, but I still have a grandmother living, now. I like to go visit her. She makes good cookies.
(Um) My aunt’s-- my aunt’s house is in Hurtsboro. I like to go there ‘cause she’s always got food, and we can eat any—time, anything that we want.
(Um) Columbus, I like to go shoppin’ with my family. My sister’s a little annoying, but you have to be nice to her ’cause she grumps. (Um) We fight all the time. I like makin’ money. Makin’ money’s fun. Get to go buy stuff. Expensive things, everybody thinks you’re cool. (Uh) Baseball, I’m playin’ this year. I have a nice team. I like to get free food, too. Free food anywhere you can get it….
UNSCRIPTED SPEECH TRANSCRIBED BY JACQUELINE BAKER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR TRANSCRIPTIONS, January 21, 2008