Drawl or Lilt?

[99bottles]

How do I describe someone talking with prolonged vowels because they're cheerful?

E.g. 'Hello, my little one,' she drawled/lilted cheerfully when she saw the baby.

Drawl was my first choice, but then I saw on online dictionaries that it describes a lazy way of speaking, which is not what I'm looking for. Then I found lilt, but there is very little info about the latter online.

So, what verb should I use here?

 

[probus]

We often call the southern US accent a drawl, and singsong accents lilts. Neither seems suitable for your context. How about "she cooed"?

 

[99bottles]

We often call the southern US accent a drawl, and singsong accents lilts. Neither seems suitable for your context. How about "she cooed"?

I can't find much info about coo either. Let's hear other opinions too.

 

[Rover_KE]

I can't find much info about coo either.

I only looked at the first four dictionaries here and they all gave that use of the word in that very context.

 

[99bottles]

I only looked at the first four dictionaries here and they all gave that use of the word in that very context.

But I want to describe someone speaking with prolonged sounds. Does coo convey that meaning?

 

[Tarheel]

By "prolonged sounds" do you mean they draw out their syllables?

 

[99bottles]

By "prolonged sounds" do you mean they draw out their syllables?

Mostly their vowels. Drawl is the only word that I know and describes this, but online dictionaries say that it describes a lazy way of speaking. If drawl is the only word available, should I use it and modify it with an adverb to show that I don't mean a lazy way of speaking (e.g. drawled cheerfully)?

 

[Tarheel]

Mostly their vowels. Drawl is the only word [STRIKE]that[/STRIKE] I know that describes this, but online dictionaries say that it describes a lazy way of speaking. If drawl is the only word available, should I use it and modify it with an adverb to show that I don't mean a lazy way of speaking (e.g. drawled cheerfully)?

It's hard to say. I guess you could use "drawled cheerfully", but I'm sure there are other (and better) ways of indicating that a person is cheerful. A smile is one way. The words they use is another. (Added: If you insist on using "drawl" then "drawled cheerfully" works just fine.)

Lots of people like the accent (Southern). To indicate that you might say something like: "He spoke with a delightful Southern drawl."



P.S. Since coming to Charlotte I haven't met very many people who speak with a genuine Southern accent.

 

[Tdol]

But I want to describe someone speaking with prolonged sounds. Does coo convey that meaning?

Do they always speak with prolonged sounds or just because of the baby?

 

[99bottles]

Do they always speak with prolonged sounds or just because of the baby?

There are many cases in which I want to describe someone speaking with prolonged vowels, e.g. because they're scared at that moment or because they're babytalking.

 

[Tarheel]

I suggest that you use the words themselves rather than a word to describe the words.

 

[Tdol]

There are many cases in which I want to describe someone speaking with prolonged vowels, e.g. because they're scared at that moment or because they're babytalking.

That's not a drawl/lilt to me, which are characteristics of accents, especially regional ones. Coo works for a one-off case.

 

[99bottles]

That's not a drawl/lilt to me, which are characteristics of accents, especially regional ones. Coo works for a one-off case.

Does coo indicate prolonged vowels?

 

[99bottles]

Also, one more question: In third person, is it coos or cooes? I saw both of them in examples.

 

[emsr2d2]

Coos.

 

[99bottles]

Coos.

Thanks, but I'm still troubled. The dictionaries say that cooing is a quiet way of speaking (not what I'm looking for) and they don't say anything about prolonged vowels.

 

[emsr2d2]

I think if anyone had come up with a word for what you're describing, they'd have said so after 16 posts. We don't have a word for absolutely everything!

 

[99bottles]

I think if anyone had come up with a word for what you're describing, they'd have said so after 16 posts. We don't have a word for absolutely everything!

Then should I settle for drawl or describe it in a circumlocutory manner?