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Speaking of accents changing--largely the product of mass media/communications and accent homogenization--I had always assumed that Charlamagne, a popular NYC radio personality, was from Harlem or Bronx. It's not until I ran into someone from his hometown in South Carolina that I learned he wasn't. And when I asked if he had always talked that way, the guy simply said "Yeah, he always sounded like that."
He's accent not the norm. The overwhelming majority of Blacks from South Carolina have a thick southern accent. I do enjoy Charlamagne's videos when he's on Vlad TV.
I can't argue with your own experience. I just note it would not be the first time that two people can visit or live somewhere and experience it differently.
I never thought there was much of a debate as to whether Southern Maryland was southern or not. It was historically southern, unlike rural Pennsylvania or New Hampshire, and the southern culture is still palpable today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm02
As for the poll numbers, do you know of one that has been conducted since the 90s? I could imagine a shift in numbers, particularly given the population boom in the DC suburban areas in that time.
Nope. I'm not interested in rehashing the question of Maryland's southerness. My point was that more people in Southern Maryland likely believed that their community was in the South than in other parts of the state. So if the figure was 40% for the state as a whole, it was probably 80% or 90% among respondents from the southern part of the state (who make up a much smaller percentage of the population).
I never thought there was much of a debate as to whether Southern Maryland was southern or not.
Of course there is. I know this is not your first go-round on this topic on CD or out in the real world. Our friend Mr Google can find us endless examples of this unfinished debate. Here's just one of many: Maryland Trying To Secede From The South.
You and I hold different opinions based on different facts and experiences. So be it. And that's my final answer.
I grew up on Delmarva but haven't lived there since high school. I do agree with your assessment that it's kind of its own cultural region. During my youth, however, if forced to take sides, I suppose most would have felt we are northern v southern. In terms of language and culture:
- We used "you guys" instead of "y'all" (though I've noticed that colloquialism is definitely more in vogue there these days)
- Like Philly, locals drink "wooder" from the faucet and most drink soda, rather than pop or coke
- Fried potatoes and scrapple, not grits with biscuits and gravy, are the breakfast staple
- We never celebrated events such as Confederate Memorial Day and generally felt we won the Civil War
Based on my own experience, I felt much more culturally comfortable when I went for my BS in northern Delaware than when I attended Va Tech for my MS. During those years, I split my time between Blacksburg and Hampton Roads. Wow - what a difference! To me, that was the south. Further, 26 years in Houston exposed to another part of the south where locals affectionally referred to me as a Yankee.
I understand that to folks who live in New England or even New York that Delmarva is southern to them, but to a native son who has since who has lived in 7 states (north, South and mid-west), Delmarva is, as you suggest, its own unique culture.
What part of "Delmarva" did you grow up in? Because I've never heard water spoken like wooder except for those from Jersey, so that could take into affect upper part of DE and philly area as well. Delmarva can cover a decent range from central DE which may have traits based more on Philadelphia to VA's eastern shore which is quite southern in every way, shape and form.
I don't hear you guy's much at all either. I hear a lot of youall run together or with a slight separation or a y'all slightly separated versus the classic southern y'all sounding like one word. Similar but different.
I, personally feel more comfortable and familiar heading into VA and NC then I do when heading into northern DE, Jersey or eastern PA.
BTW, grits and especially biscuits and gravy are quite common here. Scrapple is as well as that is a DE thing that just barely reaches over to it's neighbors. Most people outside of this area don't know what that stuff is. Actually, a lot of us in this area don't know what that stuff is either and it's probably best kept that way!
However, I feel (especially in an area with 2 traits) you will notice more of your own similarities and make your own distinction based on that.
And I'll still say that my two picks for Mid-Atlantic living are MD and VA. I'm currently in MD but would consider VA beach area as well. I personally don't consider NY, PA or central NJ up part of the Mid-Atlantic. I go by what I learned in school--DE, MD and VA and perhaps S. Jersey to make it an even area from the MD/PA border heading east to the NC/VA border to the south.
What part of "Delmarva" did you grow up in? Because I've never heard water spoken like wooder except for those from Jersey,
Parents graduated from high school in Caroline County. I grew up in Sussex County. I have relatives in Caroline and Queen Anne County. All drink "wooder." While you may have never heard it, it seems I'm not the only one who finds it the norm for the Eastern Shore: http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs...503130303/1002
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bus man
Actually, I would vary your boundaries a bit:
State 1 (New England): Maine to the edge of the New York City metro area in Connecticut, say just east of New Haven
State 2 (Mid Atlantic): New Haven, to somewhere immediately north of Fredericksburg, VA, plus the entire Delmarva Peninsula
State 3 (Southeast): Fredericksburg on down to Florida
The main part of the Northeast Corridor is between New York City and Washington, D.C., inclusive, plus its suburbs. These two cities anchor a unique part of the country that is distinct from any other, and it wouldn't make sense to not combine them into the same state.
Yea the only thing is it's not really about metro boundaries or connectivity in this instance. If three states were formed on the EC, NYC metro would have to be the anchor of the northern state running up to Maine. This would create equal balance in separating the rest of the coast. Central NJ down to Virginia could handle being one state without the help of NY or it's immediate metro. Then the rest of the coast from NC to FL would create equal balance among the 3. The NYC-DC cooridor would stay the same, It just would form a more defined Mid-Atlantic state.... Certainly NJ and VA have differences but these would be the ending points of the hypothetical state. The areas in between although of course with differences, have a lot in common especially the DelMarVa. Northern Florida, and South Florida are extremely different but still a part of the same state.
I thought "wooder" and "warsh" was just a Baltimore area thing..lol
Nope, I grew up thinking that was how they are pronounced. Wasn't until university that I noticed, and I gradually grew out of the pronunciation as I lived in other parts of the country. Being back in the Delaware Valley for 3+ years, however, I notice a little wooder is creeping into my conversation. Holding the line on WaRshington, however.
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Rank the Mid-Atlantic states in the order you'd want to live
