The Brian Lehrer Show The Southern Drawl is Fading Away
Jan 8, 2026
Annie Joy Williams, an assistant editor at The Atlantic, delves into the fading Southern drawl, drawing on her upbringing in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She discusses the defining characteristics of the accent and the Southern vowel shift that makes it unique. Listeners share their personal experiences of code-switching, revealing how accents can serve as tools for connection and rapport. Together, they explore the cultural implications of losing a regional identity, sparking vibrant conversations about language and belonging.
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The Drawl Is Fading
- Linguists observe younger Southerners are losing or controlling the drawl, reflecting changing social patterns and mobility.
- Williams links accent decline to broader cultural shifts and the fading of regionally bound ways of speaking.
Growing Up With The Drawl
- Annie Joy Williams describes growing up with parents from Georgetown, Kentucky and Murfreesboro, Tennessee who spoke with strong Southern accents.
- She recalls learning those pronunciations in rural schools and hearing the drawl regularly in family and local community settings.
Family Code-Switching
- Annie recounts how her father, a cattle farmer and former pilot, would code-switch his accent depending on the situation.
- Her mother, a psychiatrist, also 'turns off' the drawl in professional contexts like calling in prescriptions.