Oklahoma Eight - Text
This recording is of a 36 year old Caucasian male currently studying theatre at Oklahoma City University.
Born and raised in Bartlesville, OK, he has also lived in Akron, OH and Bluefield, WV.
Notice that the R consonant is hard and lengthened. The R consonant greatly colors, and sometimes overcomes, the following vowel. Also, the “oo” vowel, as in “do,” is lengthened and slightly nasal. There is a “sh” sound in his “str” consonant blend. His nasality is characteristic of Oklahoma accents.
RUNNING TIME: 04:17
TRANSCRIPTION OF UNSCRIPTED SPEECH
When I was growing up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, which is up near Tulsa, there was..there’s actually quite a bit to do there. There’s I had, uh, I had quite a few friends. I was pretty, pretty shy back then. But it’s, uh, it’s kind of a big spread out town, and there was quite a bit to do around there. Um, I kind of just kept to myself though, actually. I..I read a lot. I re read a ton of comic books back then, and I..back then I was more into visual arts, and I would do a lot of drawing and sketching and some painting too, and every once in a great while I would drive arou..around with my friends. But but mostly, that’s kinda …bored me, and then I realized they were gonna go…try to get..beer and liquor and stuff, and I really wasn’t into that junk, so…I kindof just did my own thing. So, but I had I I have to say I’ve I’ve had a a good life growing up. I mean, all together..a really good life. I’ve had great parents they..they spoiled me pretty much when I was young. But I mean they…definitely taught me the right and wrong about everything, too. And so, yeah its it growing up there was pretty fun. After..after that I moved around some and of course I live in western, southwesternish Oklahoma now. And, the town I came from, that I was in for the last four years, Elk City, that’s quite a small town and there’s quite a bit of a difference living there as opposed to Bartlesville. There’s not much to do..ah…I I don’t think in Elk City. Again, I’m I’m still not really a person who has to re rely on a lot of stuff out there to do. But, it’s it’s kind of a quiet little town.
SAMPLE RECOREDED, SPEECH TRANSCRIBED, AND NOTES WRITTEN BY BEN CORBETT ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 2009.