do Maryland residents consider themselves as "Southerners?" (Baltimore: houses, movie theater)

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by KeyserSoze

Maybe I have different experiences or a different perspective, but PG seems Southern to me no matter where I went. It looks & feels like the Lowland South. I've even found Southern accents there, even though they're generally mild.

As for Anne Arundel, what gives off the colonial Northern feel to you? I The colonial stuff there points in the Southern direction. To me it has a mix of a "Maryland"/Mid-Atlantic/Lowland Southern feel.

Where are you at in PG county that seems southern? Its got much more of an urban feel to it... In Calvert you can see old tobacco barns from the road and crops growing... In Calvert in St. Mary's there is just much more of a water oriented and live off the land mentality... Nothing about Riverdale, Bowie, Hyattsville, Palmer Park or Temple Hills screams south to me...

[Andillus]

I live in Annapolis and never felt a "southern feel." I was even taught in school that we live in the northeast.

[$mk8795]

Originally Posted by Andillus

I live in Annapolis and never felt a "southern feel." I was even taught in school that we live in the northeast.

Annapolis does have a resemblance of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA........

[$mk8795]

Originally Posted by tercel95

Where are you at in PG county that seems southern? Its got much more of an urban feel to it... In Calvert you can see old tobacco barns from the road and crops growing... In Calvert in St. Mary's there is just much more of a water oriented and live off the land mentality... Nothing about Riverdale, Bowie, Hyattsville, Palmer Park or Temple Hills screams south to me...

PG County is Equivalent to Decalb County(East of Atlanta), Georgia and Meckleburg County(Outside of Charlotte City Limits), NC........

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by $mk8795

PG County is Equivalent to Decalb County(East of Atlanta), Georgia and Meckleburg County(Outside of Charlotte City Limits), NC........

That doesn't really represent the South in my opinion... But I guess everyone has their own opinion about what the "south" is... But PG is nothing like St. Mary's county which is the most "southern" county in my opinion...

[KeyserSoze]

Originally Posted by tercel95

Where are you at in PG county that seems southern? Its got much more of an urban feel to it... In Calvert you can see old tobacco barns from the road and crops growing... In Calvert in St. Mary's there is just much more of a water oriented and live off the land mentality... Nothing about Riverdale, Bowie, Hyattsville, Palmer Park or Temple Hills screams south to me...

I understand that it's urban. I understand that a lot of people from around the world live there. I understand that it's changed. But the geography, the look, especially within the Black community & rural areas -- it feels Southern to me. It feels similar to where I come from. I'm sure you can still find old tobacco barns and such there, because I've found historical plantations, even within the urban areas. I guess I just have a different perspective.

Originally Posted by Andillus

I live in Annapolis and never felt a "southern feel." I was even taught in school that we live in the northeast.

Simply put, whoever taught you that was wrong.

[cpterp]

Originally Posted by $mk8795

Annapolis does have a resemblance of Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA........

Uhh, no way...Charleston and Savannah (I've been to both) are nearly mirror images on each other, but Anappolis? I don't see that at all. To me, Annapolis reminds of New England more than any other town in the state. Politics, culture, history, size, population, and demographics are totally different from those two cities.

Originally Posted by tercel95

That doesn't really represent the South in my opinion... But I guess everyone has their own opinion about what the "south" is... But PG is nothing like St. Mary's county which is the most "southern" county in my opinion...

I would say Dorchester, Somerset, and Wicomico are Maryland's "Southern" counties. Since, a lot of posters like to focus on history, St.Mary's has a very different history from most Southern counties, and was founded as a haven for Catholics (in fact the entire state was), and Catholicism is still the dominant religion there. There are also a number of traditional Mennonite and Amish communities in the county.

Originally Posted by KeyserSoze

I understand that it's urban. I understand that a lot of people from around the world live there. I understand that it's changed. But the geography, the look, especially within the Black community & rural areas -- it feels Southern to me. It feels similar to where I come from. I'm sure you can still find old tobacco barns and such there, because I've found historical plantations, even within the urban areas. I guess I just have a different perspective.

Simply put, whoever taught you that was wrong.

I lived in PG County for 11 years while growing up (in Mitchellville to be exact), and like another poster was taught that Maryland was part of the Northeast. Not specifically iirc but through Maryland's association with the Union in the Civil War. Almost no one in PG (or nearly all of Maryland for that matter) speaks with a Southern (or even rural) accent.

I've noticed that most posters who say that Maryland is Southern only give it's history as proof (specifically before 1860), but you guys have to remember this is now 2009. Unlike Virginia who joined the Confederacy, continues to produce large amounts of tobacco, and has many other ties to the South, Maryland compared to most Southern states is black compared to white. For instance even though I haven't seen and don't know of any tobacco barns or plantations in PG County, if the county does have them I don't see how that makes Maryland Southern now.

I think a fair compromise would be to say that Maryland is a Northeastern state with a Southern history.

[westsideboy]

For what is worth the African-American dialect is a subgroup of the Southern dialect. So by defintion a majority of PG county residents do speak with a Southern dialect.

[KeyserSoze]

I know this is already obvious cpterp, but there's no point in discussing this with you any further. You have the nerve to call me stubborn and persistent, yet despite evidence to the contrary, at the end of the day you only believe what you want to believe, and only provide evidence you can find that supports your own agenda. I never denied Maryland had some Northeastern characteristics, but to claim that the entire state as such is simply inaccurate. You deny the Southern quirks of Maryland, or downplay them as much as possible due to some outlandish prejudice you have, all so you could feel that you live in a Northeastern state when you really don't.

[zippy0860]

I live in Howard county, Ellicott City to be exact. I feel like the area has alot of southern influences, that being said there are also alot of overcrowding and a hudge amount of people who have moved here in the last 5-6 years since howard county as become a dominant county for people working in dc/northern virginia to live and commute to. But in west friendship and areas such as elkridge, old EC, Clarksville there are farms and the people are generally very nice and country, my buddy has a farm in clarksville with 488 acres thats his family has owned for 6 generations but with the housing market that was, alot of the surrounding families sold there land and headed further south. overall marylanders are nice people, but as everyone has said the state is very diverse. I can walk down the street here with a suit made of money on and be ok but drive 10-15 min down the road in parts of baltimore county/city and its a whole different animal.