How do Southerners say lawyer?

Asked by: Miss Alize Friesen I  |  Last update: January 16, 2026
Score: 4.9/5 (22 votes)

A professor has tracked how people in different parts of the country pronounce different words. In most of the United States, Lawyer is pronounced to rhyme with “boy,” (loyer). In the south, excluding Texas and Florida (not really south I've been told), it is pronounced to rhyme with “saw,” (law-yer).

How do people from the south say lawyer?

According to his map on “lawyer,” the pronunciation differs in the South, where the word is pronounced “law-yer.”

How do southerners say pajamas?

Pajamas is another term with a West/Midwest and an East distinction. In the West and Midwest, it's pronounced a short middle “a” (like jam), whereas in the East it's pronounced with a long middle “a” (like father). You say "pajama," I say "pajahma."

Is it lawyer or lawer?

Obsolete form of lawyer.

How do southerners say "roof"?

'Roof' as 'ruff' is rare although I don't doubt that there are some who say it. Mostly the distinction is between the two different 'double-o' pronunciations, the 'long oo' in 'food' or the 'short oo' in 'book'. Northern US accents tend toward the long foodish one, Southern accents tend toward the bookish one.

A Southerner Learns English

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Who says "seer-up"?

Apparently, sir-up is an American pronunciation and seer-up is a British pronunciation. At least that is what my research this far has shown me. This means that some of us Americans through our ancestry and depending on the part of the country where we were brought up, kept the British pronunciation.

How does Crayola pronounce crayon?

According to Merriam-Webster, the proper pronunciation of crayon is in two syllables: krā-än. However, variations in pronunciation may occur due to individual and regional dialects. It's important to note that "crayon" is a generic term, while Crayola® is our company name and a registered trademark brand.

What is the proper term for a lawyer?

In many cases, lawyers will use the term “attorney” on their resumes and in their practice to indicate that they are licensed to practice law and can represent clients in court.

What do the French call lawyers?

French lawyers are called “Avocats”. The legal profession in France is not "split", as in the UK, so the French Avocat is the equivalent of a UK Barrister and Solicitor combined.

What is a Mexican lawyer called?

What is a lawyer called in Mexico? Lawyers are called 'abogados. ' Another type of legal professional are the notaries public or 'notarios públicos.

How do you say hello to a lawyer?

Address an attorney as "Mr." or "Ms." in most contexts. In the salutation for a letter or email, address an attorney the same way you would any other respected professional- using "Mr." or "Ms." followed by their surname. Generally, this is the best way to address an attorney if you've never spoken to them before.

Why do people say loyer instead of lawyer?

A professor has tracked how people in different parts of the country pronounce different words. In most of the United States, Lawyer is pronounced to rhyme with “boy,” (loyer). In the south, excluding Texas and Florida (not really south I've been told), it is pronounced to rhyme with “saw,” (law-yer).

What do you call a Southern girl?

The Southern belle archetype is characterized by Southern hospitality, a cultivation of beauty, and a flirtatious yet chaste demeanor. For example, Sallie Ward, who was born into the planter class of Kentucky in the Antebellum South, was called a Southern belle.

How do you say shut up in Southern slang?

Hush Your Mouth – Kinder than “shut up” you'll likely hear this phrase when you are too loud for the setting (picture children in church on a Sunday morning). Too Big for His Britches – This one is most definitely an insult and is generally used to refer to someone that thinks they are better than everyone else.

What is the Southern slang for drunk people?

Cooter Brown. Cooter Brown, sometimes given as Cootie Brown, is a name used in metaphors and similes for drunkenness, mostly in the Southern United States.

What is something Southerners say?

I Reckon. We reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South.

How do Southerners pronounce either?

ai-thur is more common in the south, and ee-ther in the north. In the US, also, both pronunciations may be found.

How do Southerners sound?

The biggest discussion you'll hear about the accents is distinguishing the Southern Drawl from the Southern Twang. The key difference is that the drawl is spoken much slower and doesn't pronounce “r's” as much. Whereas the twang is spoken faster, is more nasal, and pronounces “r's” more sharply.

What do Australians call lawyers?

In Australia, the 'attorney' or 'attorney-at-law' term is not common except in the case of 'trade mark attorney'. Instead, 'lawyer' or 'solicitor' is more common. For example, in the US, an attorney is a general term for a lawyer who has passed a bar examination and can practice law in a particular jurisdiction.

What is lawyer speak called?

"Legal talk" is called lawyer lingo or jargon. It's also commonly referred to as legalese.

What is the Old English word for lawyer?

Attorney derives from an Old French word for lawyer ("attorn"), while lawyer derives from the Old English word ("lawe"). That we use both today is more a reflection of the complicated history of the English language rather than any kind of legal distinction.