What it means to be 'Southern'...... (real estate, lawyers, movies)

[bebette]

Being a true 'Southern woman' born and raised in NC and looking forward to spending my retirement years in TN, I truly appreciate this little 'diddy'.......hope y'all enjoy it too!!!
(Does that make me a TARHEEL VOL

Southern women appreciate their natural assets:
Clean skin.
A winning smile.
That unforgettable Southern drawl.

Southern women know their manners:
"Yes, ma'am."
"Yes, sir."
"Why, no, Billy!"

Southern women have a distinct way with fond expressions :
"Y'all come back!"
"Well, bless your heart."
"Drop by when you can."
"How's your Momma?"


Southern women know their summer weather report:
Humidity
Humidity
Humidity

Southern women know their vacation spots:
The beach
The rivuh
The crick

Southern women know the joys of June, July, and August:
Colorful hi-heel sandals
Strapless sun dresses Iced sweet tea with mint
Straw hats and big sunglasses


Southern women know everybody's first name:
Honey
Darlin'
Shugah

Southern women know the movies that speak to their hearts:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Steel Magnolias
Gone With The Wind

Southern women know their religions:
Baptist
Methodist
Football

Southern women know their country breakfasts:
Red-eye gravy
Grits
Eggs
Country ham
Mouth-watering homemade biscuits with momma's homemade jelly

Southern women know their cities dripping with Southern charm:
Chawl'stn
S'vanah
Foat Wuth
N'awlins
Addlanna

Southern women know their elegant gentlemen:
Men in uniform.
Men in tuxedos
Rhett Butler

Southern girls know their prime real estate:
The Mall
The Country Club
The Beauty Salon

Southern girls know the 3 deadly sins:
Having bad hair and nails
Having bad manners
Cooking bad food
More Suthen-ism's:
Only a Southerner knows the difference between ahissie fit and aconniption fit , and that you don't "HAVE" them, you "PITCH" them.
_____

Only a Southerner knows how many fish, collard greens, turnip greens, peas, beans, etc., make up "a mess."
_____

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of"yonder."
_____

Only a Southerner knows exactly how long "directly" is, . as in: "Going to town, be back directly."
_____

Even Southern babies know that"Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.
_____

All Southerners know exactly when"by and by" is. They might not use the term, but they know the concept well.
_____

Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture of solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of cold potato salad. If the neighbor's trouble is a real crisis, they also know to add a large banana puddin!
_____

Only Southerners grow up knowing the difference between"right near" and"a right far piece." They also know that"just down the road" can be 1 mile or 20.
_____

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.
_____

No true Southerner would ever assume that the car with the flashing turn signal is actually going to make a turn.
_____

A Southerner knows that"fixin" can be used as a noun, a verb, or an adverb.
_____

Only Southerners make friends while standing in lines, ... and when we're "in line," we talk to everybody!
_____

Put 100 Southerners in a room and half of them will discover they're related, even if only by marriage.
_____

In the South,y'all is singular, all y'all is plural.
_____

Southerners know grits come from corn and how to eat them.
_____

Every Southerner knows tomatoes with eggs, bacon, grits, and coffee are perfectly wonderful; that red eye gravy is also a breakfast food; and that fried green tomatoes are not a breakfast food.
_____

When you hear someone say, "Well, I caught myself lookin'," you know you are in the presence of a genuine Southerner!
_____

Only true Southerners say"sweet tea," "sweet milk," and "light bread". Sweet tea indicates the need for sugar and lots of it -- we do not like our tea unsweetened. "Sweet milk" means you don't want buttermilk. And "Light bread" is white bread.
_____

And a true Southerner knows you don't scream obscenities at little old ladies who drive 30 MPH on the freeway. You just say,"Bless her heart" ... and go your own way.
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To those of you who are still a little embarrassed by your Southerness: Take two tent revivals and a dose of sausage gravy and call me in the morning. Bless your heart!
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And to those of you who are still having a hard time understanding all this Southern stuff, ... bless your hearts, I hear they are fixin' to have classes on Southernness as a second language!
_____

And for those that are not from the South but have lived here for a long time, all y'all need a sign to hang on y'alls front porch that reads "I ain't from the South, but I got here as fast as I could."

Southern girls know men may come and go,but friends are fahevah !


If you're a Northern transplant, Bless your little heart, fake it.
We know you got here as fast as you could!!

[jabogitlu]

Only a Southerner, both knows and understands, the difference between a redneck, a good ol' boy, and po' white trash.

I've tried to explain this to people before, to no avail!!! Loved the post, thanks!!!

[bbkaren]

That was huge fun to read, thanks!

[Mountainlake]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

I've tried to explain this to people before, to no avail!!! Loved the post, thanks!!!

The term redneck came from the American farmer plowing behind horses with his head down all day. Have you eaten today?

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by Mountainlake

The term redneck came from the American farmer plowing behind horses with his head down all day. Have you eaten today?

Not sure what you're implying, but I'd advise you to desist. I grew up on a (still-operating) 150 acre dairy and tobacco farm in Greene county. I am well versed in the plight of the farmer, thanks.

[bbkaren]

[heehee!]

Ahem. Sorry.

ML my guess is there's a subtle difference between the three terms, and they don't refer to their literal meaning ("good old boy" meaning a really nice guy), nor the origin of the term (i.e. your definition of "redneck").

To be completely honest, I think I have an idea but I'm not certain; in North Jersey terms, someone who mows their own lawn is considered a redneck; those who allow the grass to get too long is poor white trash and will get a fine from the homeowners' association. If they know someone on the board of the homeowners' association and get their "tall grass" ticket squashed, they're "in with the good ole boys". That's the best I can describe what I think they mean. Am I close?

I'm not a southerner, but I'm a quick learner!

[Mountainlake]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

Not sure what you're implying, but I'd advise you to desist. I grew up on a (still-operating) 150 acre dairy and tobacco farm in Greene county. I am well versed in the plight of the farmer, thanks.

Then you should know the true meaning of a redneck.

[Beretta]

I surely don't want to start anything but I did want to interject on the redneck term. I grew up in northeast Tennessee and my parents are both from southwest Virginia. My ancestors primarily lived in the Appalachian region since coming over from Scotland. The tale that is and was and has been told for many, many years in the Appalachian region was that the term redneck came about from the coal miners labor dispute in W. Va. If you were for or against unionization was quickly ascertained if you wore a red bandanna around your neck; hence the term "redneck". It really had nothing to do with farming.

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by bbkaren

[heehee!]

Ahem. Sorry.

ML my guess is there's a subtle difference between the three terms, and they don't refer to their literal meaning ("good old boy" meaning a really nice guy), nor the origin of the term (i.e. your definition of "redneck").

To be completely honest, I think I have an idea but I'm not certain; in North Jersey terms, someone who mows their own lawn is considered a redneck; those who allow the grass to get too long is poor white trash and will get a fine from the homeowners' association. If they know someone on the board of the homeowners' association and get their "tall grass" ticket squashed, they're "in with the good ole boys". That's the best I can describe what I think they mean. Am I close?

I'm not a southerner, but I'm a quick learner!

LOL - a redneck mows his own yard? Hmm, not really. Most people mow their yards here, unless they're elderly or something. Or a doctor.

Redneck - gun rack in the back of your truck, confederate flag in your window, muddin', cowboy boots, "My way or the highway"

Good ole boy - okay, there are two rather disparate definitions. One is the "good ole boy" network - like lawyers and cops in small towns. The other (more applicable) is just a "good old feller" who's country but not redneck.

Poor white trash - to me, this is disparaging and racist. But some people still use it. Commonly means the people who have piled up trash in their yards, broken down cars, drive a tinpot, etc.

The underlying differences, though, are mental. Rednecks don't give a sh**, poor white trash don't know enough to give a sh**, and good ole boys have a more even temperament and are somewhat open to new ideas and concepts, if they can prove themselves.

Originally Posted by Mountainlake

Then you should know the true meaning of a redneck.

Who's to say what's true? Original definitions don't apply to many words (as evidenced by the morphing of *****, for instance, from odd to gay to, more modernly, self-identified sexually). I'm just providing widely accepted definitions.


Weird, this funny thread turned into something almost pedantic. And at the very least, boring. Sorry, guys. I'll stop here.

[Mountainlake]

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

LOL - a redneck mows his own yard? Hmm, not really. Most people mow their yards here, unless they're elderly or something. Or a doctor.

Redneck - gun rack in the back of your truck, confederate flag in your window, muddin', cowboy boots, "My way or the highway"

Good ole boy - okay, there are two rather disparate definitions. One is the "good ole boy" network - like lawyers and cops in small towns. The other (more applicable) is just a "good old feller" who's country but not redneck.

Poor white trash - to me, this is disparaging and racist. But some people still use it. Commonly means the people who have piled up trash in their yards, broken down cars, drive a tinpot, etc.

The underlying differences, though, are mental. Rednecks don't give a sh**, poor white trash don't know enough to give a sh**, and good ole boys have a more even temperament and are somewhat open to new ideas and concepts, if they can prove themselves.



Who's to say what's true? Original definitions don't apply to many words (as evidenced by the morphing of *****, for instance, from odd to gay to, more modernly, self-identified sexually). I'm just providing widely accepted definitions.


Weird, this funny thread turned into something almost pedantic. And at the very least, boring. Sorry, guys. I'll stop here.

Obviously I am older in years than others on this thread. Forgive if I have offended.
I grew up farming as the way of life if you were to eat, in a four room home
with a path (no plumbing for those who wonder). I am a red headed irishman
as a lad was told you are called a redneck from plowing/working all day in the sun.
As an educated southerner who went out in the real world, served my country and worked in several states in this great country and returned to the country again I guess what gets me is how people use loose terms to define southerners.

Venting over, end of discussion.