How Bush talks

[Charles Doyle]

A couple of days ago, I referred to President Bush as "not a REAL Texan."  Of course, I was being facetious, and not altogether respectful.  More specifically, though:

I was born and raised in Texas, got all my formal education there, and I have listened to thousands of Texans speak.  Although the Lone Star State encompasses a number of dialects and sub-dialects, the "Texas accent" of the president (himself a sheltered scion of Connecticut Yankee stock) has always sounded unauthentic to me.  I am being impressionistic here--not at all analytical.

Has any dialectologist carefully studied Bush's speech patterns?  Is there evidence that he ever engaged a speech coach--maybe one of those who teach Hollywood actors to badly imitate Texans or Southerners in general?

Just wondering . . . .

--Charlie

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org