Dialogue question - 1960's Dallas Texas

[aliwood]

Before I start, if I'm asking this in the wrong place, please feel free to direct me to the right place to ask this.

I have a story where one of the character is twenty-something in 1960's Dallas Texas.

Would this person be likely to use words such as 'Sure' or 'Kinda' or Hell', as in 'Hell, yes'.

Thanks in advance

 

[guttersquid]

Yes to all.

 

[folkchick]

Yep. They'd all work fine.

 

[Willow M Stevens]

Before I start, if I'm asking this in the wrong place, please feel free to direct me to the right place to ask this.

I have a story where one of the character is twenty-something in 1960's Dallas Texas.

Would this person be likely to use words such as 'Sure' or 'Kinda' or Hell', as in 'Hell, yes'.

Thanks in advance

There is a research forum here that you might try to see if you get more responses. I can't speak to the 1960's, but for current Dallas English, I wouldn't think there'd be any problem with "sure, kinda," or "hell." However, "Hell, yes," is unlikely, imo, because "hell" is informal speech and "yes" is formal. They'd be far more likely, at least in current times, to say "hell, yeah."

Also be aware of what SEC your MC is from. There are some classes that would never use such language as it would be considered "beneath" them, or it would be used to specific effect, i.e. to startle someone by its vulgarity (more specifically "hell," but "sure" and "kinda" might be looked down on as indicative of lower class speech patterns.) There are other groups that use such language as often as they breathe. Just depends on the people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texan_English is an article I've read that seems to treat it pretty comprehensibly, there wasn't much I disagreed with as a modern Texas speaker, and it showed awareness that not all parts of Texas have the same speech patterns.

Hope this helps.

 

[dondomat]

That it one mighty link, Stevens--almost started me on a Wikipedia bender, and I've only managed to postpone it with significant application of willpower

To the OP--in commercial storytelling it doesn't matter how people talk--it matters how people think they talk. If you want to know how the educated classes of England thought they spoke in the early 19th century--read Pride and Prejudice; if you want to see how educated urban Americans think they talk--watch something like How I Met Your Mother, etc.

Thus, watch a 1960's film set in the then contemporary Texas, read a similar novel--and you're good to go. You'll know how people think 1960's Texas sounds like.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_set_in_Texas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Novels_set_in_Texas

 

[aliwood]

That's all so helpful. Thank you all very much.

 

[Outofcontext]

I don't hear any difference between the speech of the 1960's and today. As it was back then, much depends on who is speaking. Many urban Texans sound no different than their counterparts in, say, Saint Louis or Phoenix or L.A., especially if they were born and educated in the city. Certain relaxed expressions are common, but they are sometimes avoided in more refined social or business situations.

Larry McMurtry does a good job capturing small town speech. You'll hear it often in the city, as well, but you generally know there is a rural connection in the background of the speaker.

OoC

 

[Willow M Stevens]

That it one mighty link, Stevens--almost started me on a Wikipedia bender, and I've only managed to postpone it with significant application of willpower

Haha, sorry about that! Hey, at least I didn't link you TV tropes, good lawd, you can waste hours there!

Many urban Texans sound no different than their counterparts in, say, Saint Louis or Phoenix or L.A., especially if they were born and educated in the city. Certain relaxed expressions are common, but they are sometimes avoided in more refined social or business situations.

I agree 100%.

And as a random aside, many of us can "code-switch" depending on who we're with. And the more time I spend with small-town folks, the more my accent comes out. The more time I spend out of state, people are sometimes surprised to hear I'm from Texas and ask where my accent is.

 

[aliwood]

Thakyou again.

 

[Cody Lane]

And as a random aside, many of us can "code-switch" depending on who we're with. And the more time I spend with small-town folks, the more my accent comes out. The more time I spend out of state, people are sometimes surprised to hear I'm from Texas and ask where my accent is.

I can vouch for this. I was born and raised in South Texas and lived and worked in California for almost four years. When I got the news that I was moving to South Korea, I called home to give them the news while in a room full of my coworkers. Apparently I sound like such a hick when I talk to family that my coworkers were surprised to see that it was me speaking.

 

[WeaselFire]

Also, what social strata? In general, the more "upscale" the people, the more proper and politer the language. Not unique to Texas, just the sixties. Quite a bit of the "baby boom" upwardly mobile groups began in the era. Texas (and most of the South) had a delayed hippie movement so quite a bit of that language style didn't show up until later than the East and Western coast.

On the other hand, Dallas did (and still does) have an undercurrent and lower end element that could change the dialog.

Jeff

 

[Beachgirl]

Dallas was also very firmly entrenched in the Bible Belt in the 1960's (still is, to some extent), so that could play into the language. I'm from Dallas and lived there most of my life. My parents grew up in Dallas and graduated from high school there in 1961. They were very involved in church (my mother is a preacher's kid) and they would NEVER use the word "hell" or any other curse word. At least, that's what they tell me.

I've lived in Florida for over five years now, but people ask me all the time where my accent is from. I also notice that I slide back into a deeper drawl whenever we go back and visit. I think there are certain Texas-isms that I'll never stop using, such as "fixin to" and "y'all." Also, any type of carbonated beverage is called a "coke." Unless, of course, you want a Dr. Pepper.