Re Virginia dialect: That way of saying mouse, house, out, cow is pure Scot  
heritage. As one who learned to speak that way, I was amazed when I met young  
people from Scotland years ago who talked like me. The same Scot influence is 
 also heard in SE Canada making them sound like "rebels" where a friend of 
mine  reminded me they saw us, in the lower 48, as all  rebels.

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