In this clip about the Mississippi Delta Chinese, you will hear ethnically Chinese folks not only speak with a heavy Southern accent, but also exhibit facial and behavioral tics that are typically associated with people who live in the deep south. It's fascinating.
There are many examples. Her expressiveness and how she slows down and emphasizes certain words (5:13), the way she talks with her hands (3:49), how she expresses disappointment and how she does closes her eyes (5:47), how she whispers (6:02).
These types of expressions are atypical of most Chinese people, and even of most Americans.
As a lifelong Mississippian, that was wonderful and charming to see and hear. I get so used to hearing those voices that it's not noticeable until someone points out the unusualness of our little part of the world.
Hah! That was really interesting, thanks for sharing. I never considered that people from the south would have idiosyncratic facial and behavioral tics.
Being from the suburbs of the sf bay area, now I’m wondering is there anything similar that’s characteristic of people from the west coast?
As I understand it, uptalk began as more typically spoken by adolescent or young women and then spread to some men --but not just in the bay area but generally, initially east and west coasts. Then there is vocal fry but that's a different phenomenon.
Skip to 1:32
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NMrqGHr5zE