Jump to content

On Being Southern


Cybear

Recommended Posts

I asked my wife and she said Texans would consider themselves Southerners, but it was a kind of secondary affiliation. You notice that Texans are "From Texas." They're "Texans." How often you you hear someone describe themselves as an Alabamian, or a Mississippian.

I thought of another Southern thing: Southerners kick butt on American Idol. Why? Surely there are more good singers in New York or California than there are in Alabama.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 187
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Maybe, but they're probably originally from the South as well. Right now we've got one guy representing SC from Greenville; I hope he advances.

Actually, a lot. Since Mississippi doesn't have any large cities, most people would identify with the entire state when interacting with outsiders. The same largely holds true for Alabama, although Birmingham is a sizable city.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have heard many people say "I'm from Alabama." I've never heard anyone say "I'm an Alabamian."

Last night that guy from Greenville was clearly the best male vocalist.

Here's two more things Southernerns tend to share a love of (not that these items make one Southern, nor that hating them would preclude one from being Southern):

1) NASCAR

2) High School Football

What about the other way around. What are things that Southerners, as a group (i.e., in general, or as a tendency), share a lack of?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dude, i don't know about that example... i am from the south born and raised. i keep reading your example aloud... and i got to tell ya - it doesn't sound like any southern accent that i've heard. it sounds more like jody foster's (nell) character in the movie NELL.... which is a southern accent under the influence of a speech impediment.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't help but get the sense that Kelly Pickler is just putting on a show. I don't watch American Idol, but I saw her on t.v. once and all I could think was that no one sounds that Southern and how she portrays whatever town she's from as being this backwater burg.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having come from the midwest, at least in my state, no one really looked down on the south except for the rural parts of it. Their actually is a bit of an Appalachian accent in Southeast OH, and I always that the people I met at Ohio State that were from the Cincinnati area or anywhere else along the Ohio River had a little southern accent to their speech.

Now on to myself. Even though I am midwestern, I have grown to love BBQ (I like tomato based but I do like some of the vinegar based sauces i've tried too), love to drink real Sweet Tea, and have actually grown fond of grits, especially shrimp in grits. I've also picked up the use of the word y'all but besided that, I haven't developed any kind of southern accent, and probably won't at my age. So since I've adopted several things southerners identify themselves by, excluding the accent, and I don't like or comprehend why anyone would like NASCAR, I might consider myself somewhat southern, I don't know though. I do prefer to call myself an American over anything else though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I currently live in the South, I am from a state with a real identity crisis. I grew up halfway in between Baltimore and Washington. Maryland sits in the no-mans land between the North and the South. Consider..Maryland is south of the mason dixon line, was a slaveholding state, and, climate wise, has summers that more closely resemble the south then the north...however...her politics are clearly nothern, she fought with the Union during the war, and her winters are definately northern.

Personally I have come to accept the fact that I will never be at peace with my true regional identity, but I was wondering what all of you thought.

Is Maryland a Northern or Southern state?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I currently live in the South, I am from a state with a real identity crisis. I grew up halfway in between Baltimore and Washington. Maryland sits in the no-mans land between the North and the South. Consider..Maryland is south of the mason dixon line, was a slaveholding state, and, climate wise, has summers that more closely resemble the south then the north...however...her politics are clearly nothern, she fought with the Union during the war, and her winters are definately northern.

Personally I have come to accept the fact that I will never be at peace with my true regional identity, but I was wondering what all of you thought.

Is Maryland a Northern or Southern state?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.