On Being Southern

[Cadeho]

Is being Southern a matter of -

Geography: What are the true boundaries of the South?

Language: What manner of speech makes one Southern?

Attitude: Do Southerners share a common temperment?

History: Are Southerners defined by political and military events?

Cuisine: Are we what we eat?

Race: Are true Southerners color blind?

1. It's always blurry... I question Oklahoma.

2. Draaaaaaaawl y'aaaaaaaaall...

3. Laid back to firery, but love to take our time... no rush

4. I don't think the Civil War will ever end...

5. Oink! I know I am! Wait... buck buck.. love fried chicken too!

6. Naw... better than it used to be... but people still talk

[dimebag1980]

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4. I don't think the Civil War will ever end...

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6. Naw... better than it used to be... but people still talk

Yeah, I hear you on #1...

And #6, it's definitely better but it's still not ideal.

[NcSc74]

As is in most diverse places not everyone will have a pronounced southern accent. I grew up on Fort Bragg with just about every race creed and color. My accent is not as pronounced as say my grandmothers. However just 30 minutes down the road there is a totally different dialect. I am proud to be from the souf...it gives me an identity that I can stand on. We are some the toughest, stubborn, and loyal people you will ever find.

[Spartan]

Y'all is a GREAT word. It is probably one o the best contributions that the South has ever made to the English language. It differentiates between "you" singular and "you" plural. Every other language has this terminology. But its not just what you say as it is how you say it.

Here is the map that I always use for discussions like this:

But I do like the kudzu map as well. That is a very accurate depiction of what is really "Southern" IMO.

Being Southern is knowing the barbeque is not a verb, its a noun. A very delicious noun. Its also about debating which sauce is better. I like vinegar or ketchup myself. I honestly don't know how the rest of the nation can function without it.

The whole Dixie thing is a bit over rated, but regardless of whether you embrace your history or deny it, the Confederacy is something that binds the South together, for better or for worse.

People like to throw controversy into what makes up a Southerner. Race and Religion usually top the list. But its not all about that.

Geography is important, but not everything. Southern Florida is culturally more Hispanic than Southern, but as a state, Florida still gets included in the South. Its fine with me. I know lots of people from the northern part of the state, and they are just as Southern as I am.

Its also about knowing that we are the only region of the USA that has this type of discussion. We are generally proud to be Southerners. The rest of the nation does not identify with their region as much as we do. New England is probably the only one that comes close.

[Cadeho]

Well Larry the Cable Guy is from Florida... and he's purty dern Suthern...

Oh and I don't know what kudzu looks like... I've seen pictures of it from Georgia, but I am not sure if we have it here.

[Newnan]

I thought he was from Nebraska

[NCB]

^Yea he's from Nebraska originally, but he lives in Florida now. Just in case anyone doesn't know, his entire act, including his accent, is completely fake. I still think he's hilarious though.

[Cadeho]

Well he sure had me fooled! So, that's my image of Floridians...? Sure doesn't look like a Nebraskan.

You guys are surely kicking my butt, I'm going to crawl back to Richmond where they can continue the beatings there.

[NCB]

Well he sure had me fooled! So, that's my image of Floridians...? Sure doesn't look like a Nebraskan.

You guys are surely kicking my butt, I'm going to crawl back to Richmond where they can continue the beatings there.

I guess his comedy act was working well on you then! Even if everything about him is fake, I still love his stuff.

[Cadeho]

Next you'll tell me there's no Santa Claus.

[dimebag1980]

^Yea he's from Nebraska originally, but he lives in Florida now. Just in case anyone doesn't know, his entire act, including his accent, is completely fake. I still think he's hilarious though.

Let me tell you, I've always figured he was fake because the way he talks is just TOO weird. It doesn't seem like that voice would naturally come out of that guy.

The only one of those guys I've seen in person and actually met was Ron White, a couple years ago downtown at the Funny Bone.

[Spartan]

Well Larry the Cable Guy is from Florida... and he's purty dern Suthern...

Oh and I don't know what kudzu looks like... I've seen pictures of it from Georgia, but I am not sure if we have it here.

You'd know if you have it. Its very obvious what it is. Its fast growing and takes over everything.

[NCB]

The only one of those guys I've seen in person and actually met was Ron White, a couple years ago downtown at the Funny Bone.

I love his stuff too, it's always hilarious. I haven't seen any of the Blue Collar guy's live, but I'm hoping to soon.

Anyway, sorry fro bringing this thread semi-off topic.

[Greenville]

Spartan, your map of the South is better than the kudzu map, because yours includes Texas. How can a map of the South not include Texas?!? It is just about as Southern as you can get! If Texas is not Southern, what is it? Perhaps some places in the western half of Texas have a slightly different feel (e.g., El Paso), but places like Dallas, Houston, and Austin should be Southern in everyone's book.

I think the race relations and the slow pace of life in the South are exaggerated. I wonder at times if people in other parts of the country envision today's South as it probably was many generations ago: slow, rural, simple, and friendly. The race part is probably a result of the Civil War. Last time I checked, there are and have been plenty of places in the North with race relation problems. Sure, they exist in the South as well, but I don't think they are any worse here than anywhere else.

[Cybear]

Spartan, your map of the South is better than the kudzu map, because yours includes Texas. How can a map of the South not include Texas?!? It is just about as Southern as you can get! If Texas is not Southern, what is it? Perhaps some places in the western half of Texas have a slightly different feel (e.g., El Paso), but places like Dallas, Houston, and Austin should be Southern in everyone's book.

I think the race relations and the slow pace of life in the South are exaggerated. I wonder at times if people in other parts of the country envision today's South as it probably was many generations ago: slow, rural, simple, and friendly. The race part is probably a result of the Civil War. Last time I checked, there are and have been plenty of places in the North with race relation problems. Sure, they exist in the South as well, but I don't think they are any worse here than anywhere else.

Would that someone from the Lone Star State could explain it, but it's my understanding that Texans just consider themselves...well, Texans. Anyway, I can't imagine those hats anywhere else.

[suburban george3]

Is being Southern a matter of -

Attitude: Do Southerners share a common temperment?

There seem to be two types (from what I can tell): southern hospitality, friendly to strangers and the opposite...unfriendly and inhospitable "y'all ain't from 'round here, are ya?"...the types that hate Yankees...publicly

I definetly think it's all about the 'tude. And I don't hate Yankees, but I do luv giving relocated ones a "hard time", LOL. (It's all in luv folks!! I swear!)

[Cadeho]

You'd know if you have it. Its very obvious what it is. Its fast growing and takes over everything.

Oh yeah ok I think I've seen that along 95 south of the city. I thought it was ivy.

[nashvol85]

I definetly think it's all about the 'tude. And I don't hate Yankees, but I do luv giving relocated ones a "hard time", LOL. (It's all in luv folks!! I swear!)

When I went to Florida for spring break in spring '04, I convinced some girl from Chicago (who was curious about life in Tennessee) that we still had outhouses, that I didn't wear shoes on a regular basis, and we didn't have malls, just general stores.

Man, I can't believe she actually believed me...

sidenote: if you look at my appearance, I don't dress like a redneck, so that just made it even more funny...I was wearing a freakin Polo.

[Spades]

yes Cybear. You are correct. Most people from Texas will consider themselves Texans first and southeners second. There's even a quote that says Texas is neither Southern nor Western. Texas is Texas. However, you have to be in one of the regions and the majority of the state is southern or at least have in common with Louisiana and Arkansas. If you crossed the border from Louisiana into Texas without seeing a sign, you will not tell the difference.

[lammius]

sidenote: if you look at my appearance, I don't dress like a redneck, so that just made it even more funny...I was wearing a freakin Polo.

Because polos are sooo metro...

But anyway that doesn't excuse her ignorance. I like f-kin w/ people at bars sometimes too. I was once out in Savannah and wanted to fit in w/ the local scene so I tried to speak with the local accent. People started asking me if I was from Australia. Oy. But that was fun to play around with too.

[Lacharm]

personally to me, to many regions or people try to fit into the southerness category. being from the south does not mean there are grits and ice tea served (which is the stupidest thing ive ever heard), or what you say because you can go to houston, dallas, atlanta, or even nashville and the people talk very proper in many areas of the cities. living in the south means that you dont expect snow, but it just comes every 3-4 yrs, but you can expect a tornado will hit somewhere within 100 miles every year. also, people can influence what is southern. blacks generally look at being from the south differentyly from whites. majority of blacks look at texas and fla as being southern while most whites think the opposite. also, most people on this side of the south consider texas to be just as if not more southern than states like nc or ky, while people say, in georgia look at nc being very southern. there isnt one single definition, and why do we even debate it. we are the only backwards region that has this sort of sectionalism that we cant get over...............................

[suburban george3]

Of course, talking about the accent, when I was in high school we went to England on a school trip. I was in a sweater shop in Stratford and a woman asked me if "I was from the states?" I told her yes. She then asked me if I was from "Texas or North Carolina?" I was curious why she chose these 2 states since I was indeed from NC and asked her why she chose those 2 states. She politely said, "Well, you sound like those people on Dallas or Andy Griffith!"

(TRUE STORY)

[nashvol85]

Because polos are sooo metro...

But anyway that doesn't excuse her ignorance. I like f-kin w/ people at bars sometimes too. I was once out in Savannah and wanted to fit in w/ the local scene so I tried to speak with the local accent. People started asking me if I was from Australia. Oy. But that was fun to play around with too.

LOL...I swear I don't look metro...I don't have the hair for it and I listen to cool music, not techno crap.

btw, I think this girl was a little on the ditzy side...certainly gulible.

[teshadoh]

LOL...I swear I don't look metro...I don't have the hair for it and I listen to cool music, not techno crap.

btw, I think this girl was a little on the ditzy side...certainly gulible.

I think they were being sarcastic

Polo clothing is about as southern as you can get - that might be their point. Which is besides the point - the girl was easily fooled...

[nashvol85]

I think they were being sarcastic

Polo clothing is about as southern as you can get - that might be their point. Which is besides the point - the girl was easily fooled...

You can wear a polo and look metro...you just need lots and lots of hair gel too.