Is St. Louis a Southern city? (Kansas City, St. Joseph: 2014, employment, warehouses)

[STLgasm]

I assume s. davis is referring to the African American population. Yes, that is correct. "Ya'll" is commonly used among African Americans all over the country. It's as commonly heard in black neighborhoods in Philly, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland as it is in St. Louis. I was specifically referring to the local dialect among the European American population, as the map in the link documents.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by PerseusVeil

Are we talking about St. Louis' African American population?

Yes.

[Chicago76]

It's not southern, but there are definitely little hints of it here and there. Part of that might be the influence of the Mississippi historically on commerce. I think a lot of it has to do with STL being the neared truly big city for people in some parts of the south. I've met a fair share of people originally from places like the boot heel, west Tennessee, and Arkansas here. Much more so than I find in places like Milwaukee and Cleveland. They add a bit of southern flavor in small doses.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by s.davis

Yes.

I still think that's a real big stretch.

[carloslevy]

Originally Posted by JohnnyMN

I've been to STL a few times and I can say that it has a very strong Southern vibe. When I was there, I felt like I was in the South. Being from Minnesota, I can say that STL did not feel Midwestern at all to me.

BTW, I do believe that east and southern Missouri are a part of the South. Missouri doesn't seem all that Midwestern to me and it feels much like its Southern neighbors than it's northern ones, at least to me. As a whole, I do consider Missouri to be a Southern state.

Plus, MO allowed slavery in the civil war. That to me makes it full blown Dixie country.

Speaking as a half-Hispanic transplant from New Mexico who was stationed at Fort Gordon, GA serving our country -
St. Louis is NOT a Southern city with regard to politeness, courtesy and geniality; however, it is a most Southern city/town with regard to it's laid-back pace (waiting forever for food at Tiffany Diner in supposedly upbeat Maplewood F you!!!!

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

I still think that's a real big stretch.

Why?

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by s.davis

Why?

Because I rarely hear the black people I work with or encounter out and about use that phrase. On the other hand, when I'm around southern whites, I do hear it frequently.

Maybe it's just me.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

I think people who are from farther north in the Midwest think it's Southern, while people from the real South (like me) think it's Midwestern. Ask any Southerner whether they think St. Louis is a Southern city and you're going to get some strange looks.

Yep, growing up in IN and MI we considered St Louis to be southern, maybe not quite 'gone with the the wind' but definitely not midwestern like us.

[STLgasm]

Indianapolis seems way more southern than St. Louis. NASCAR is big there, right? The people have a twang and just seem more countryish.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

Because I rarely hear the black people I work with or encounter out and about use that phrase. On the other hand, when I'm around southern whites, I do hear it frequently.

Maybe it's just me.

I don't know if it's just you, or the people you know, but saying "y'all" is a fairly common and easily verifiable feature of African American speech in St Louis (and most other metros with large African American populations). Again, that doesn't make St Louis southern. It's not a southern city, in any way. But it does have a large, significant black population that makes up a large, significant portion of St Louis culture, and I think that has a tendency to get glosses over a little on this board when people are talking about St Louis' culture and speech, especially. There are probably more people in St Louis who say y'all than those who merge or/ar.