As a Southerner, how would I be treated? (Milwaukee, Madison: home, college)

[y2kdeuce]

I've lived in Milwaukee for 39 years, in fact, all my life. I've also traveled a good portion of this great land and I feel a need to address portions of simply me's post.

A "water fountain" is a bubbler like a "facial tissue" is a Kleenex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbler

A "bag" is a "bag", I've never begged my groceries.

One L is all my wolves have ever needed.

I go TO a place, not by anywhere. I have however heard African Americans here using "by" in that context. It sounds something like this, "I finna go by my sistahs house afta work". That's slang used in their culture. I have no idea if African Americans outside Milwaukee use that vernacular. I might ask for a quarter, they'll ask for a 'solid quarter'. I'd ask for a 'cigarette' or a 'smoke', they'll ask for a 'square'. My favorite, in the 80's, there was an auto parts store who also advertised in the phone book under "otto patz". Ebonics at it's finest.

Route is pronounced both as ROOT and ROUT depending on how it is used. A specific street may be a route (pronounced root) but the series of streets you take is a route pronounced ROUT. e.g. Our route (rout) will take us over route (root) 66.

On the flip side of the coin, I had never heard a "yankee" joke until I drove to Florida on vacation and listened to the radio in the South. I have news for y'all (something else you won't hear in WI) THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER. GET OVER IT. Reb, rebel, yank and yankee are simply not part of the vernacular here.

To the original poster I say this. You will go through some culture shock. Life moves faster here. You'll have a hard time finding grits. Bars are plentiful and not one of our counties is dry. Nobody in Milwaukee drinks Old Milwaukee. Our casino is run by Native Americans and sits on dry land.

We're not Australia, we speak US English, but we do have our idiosyncrasies. A soft drink is soda, not pop. If you ask for a coke, you will get a Coke unless the restaurant only has Pepsi. A Sprite is not a coke. As we've already discussed, a water fountain is a bubbler. If you ask for a water fountain, we'll understand you're from out of town and point you in the right direction. My personal favorite comes from an elderly lady who lived on my paper route (rout). She would hand me $2 when I collected from her and say "that's enough aina?" "Aina" and "aina hey" just crack me up. She must have been from Cudahy. (pronounced cud a hey). Likewise in the South, I once went to (notice TO not BY) the store to get a "sharpening stone" because my pocket knife was dull. The clerk had no idea what I wanted until I described what I wanted to do and she exclaimed "oh you want a wet rock!".

Going fast on ice and snow is not the problem, turning and stopping are. Really, it's rarely as treacherous as it seems. They keep the roads safe, and our cars rusty by dumping tons of salt every winter.

Your accent will likely be a conversation starter. You'll be asked where you're from because you'll stand out as not from here, but I doubt you would be treated differently based on your southern origin. Again, the civil war is long over. It isn't something we think about. You'll be asked what brought you to WI and if you've experienced winter. Yes it gets COLD. May through September make up for it.

Bottom line, I don't think you'll be treated any differently as a Southerner. If you're a jerk, you'll be treated like a jerk. If you have the guts to pick up and move across the country, I'd bet you'll do fine.

[spoiledmama]

My hubby just came back from a first time visit to Appleton area and could not stop talking about how nice the people were. Even played uno with a pub keeper and the other patrons. We are just torn on where to move... we love the south and the north (he has been) but he thought that was pretty awesome. It is the winters north and the tornados south and nobody pays as high as California. I just need a safe pretty place to raise my two children without fear while attending school and just get through to adulthood.

[lalexander98]

I agree with y2kdeuce on just about everything. If you are a decent, honest person you will be treated as such. If you are a jerk, you will be treated as a jerk.

And for the record, wolf without the L (yes one is all you need) is "woof", the noise a dog makes when it barks. And as far as bubbler goes, a water fountain is what is in front of the Bilagio in Vegas. A little hard to drink from, lol. Just my opinion.

But honestly, there are good and bad about anywhere, north and south. We all have our local slang and customs. Our differences are what make life interesting. You should be fine.

[cmb53208]

Originally Posted by undertheironsea

I was thinking about Wisconsin and the upper midwest for job opportunities after grad school, and I was wondering, how do you think I would be treated, being from the Southern United States?

Don't jump to early conclusions, however. I have a Southern drawl, I'm from South Mississippi, but I'm not your stereotypical media "redneck." I did not grow up in a trailer, I HATE country music, I don't wave a rebel flag or drive a truck, I dress more urbanite than farm boy...etc, etc. I still wonder, with the accent and just knowing I'm from the South, how I would be handled.

Here (I'm in Arkansas now) the problem is that I'm not Southern enough, and I just wonder if just being Southern at all would be cause for jokes and snickers at my expense in the north. I want to find a nice, round the calendar cool weather place with friendly people to spend the early years of my career, and I don't want to take a job offer and suddenly regret it.

For the most part you'll get along fine here in Wisconsin-I too came up from the South 15 years ago and have these observations:

1) The only "looking down" you'll get from the most part will be from the hipsters on Milwaukee's East Side. On the East Side they like to talk about how "diverse" they are but in reality the place is alarmingly white. Also, you'll find the Milwaukee area is not as intergrated as Southern Miss..

2) Winters you'll find are alarmingly cold-you'll find days that are so cold that when you walk out of the door you'll think that the air has been sucked out of your lungs.

3) Traffic offenses (outside of Milwaukee) are taken a lot more seriously by coppers than back down South. And people drink more here to, except maybe for Savannah...

[undertheironsea]

I just wanted to say that I appreciate the hospitality of the replies and private messages I've been getting since I posted this some time ago.

Although my plans have changed a bit...on a teacher's salary I probably won't be able to deal with the cost of living as well there as I could in a larger town here in Arkansas. Who knows what will happen in the future, but now it just looks like I would save more money staying where I am.

But again, I really appreciate all of you taking time out to answer my question.

[undertheironsea]

Without the ability to edit, I'd like to use the post to say that I appreciated all posts except the one from "y2kdeuce." I found it to be more smarmy and packed with back-door insults than anything. But the rest of you, kudos.

[bobosan]

If you have a noticeable accent, be prepared to explain yourself, all the time and every day. I have a strong accent, and not a day went by without the question - "I can spot an accent here. Where are you from?" This gets really annoying, then you get used to it and answer automatically, then it gets annoying again as it feels to you that you should have been accepted by now. People, however, do not do this maliciously but out of genuine curiosity. So, it can actually be a great help making friends in the beginning as everyone will want to talk to you, hear your story and get to know you.

As for people being standoffish - maybe. A bit fake - sometimes. Be proactive - it doesn't take long before they realize you are a decent person. After that, people will be very nice and helpful to you.

[jrisjs]

[quote=y2kdeuce;82622]I've lived in Milwaukee for 39 years, in fact, all my life. I've also traveled a good portion of this great land and I feel a need to address portions of simply me's post.

A "water fountain" is a bubbler like a "facial tissue" is a Kleenex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbler

A "bag" is a "bag", I've never begged my groceries.

One L is all my wolves have ever needed.

I go TO a place, not by anywhere. I have however heard African Americans here using "by" in that context. It sounds something like this, "I finna go by my sistahs house afta work". That's slang used in their culture. I have no idea if African Americans outside Milwaukee use that vernacular. I might ask for a quarter, they'll ask for a 'solid quarter'. I'd ask for a 'cigarette' or a 'smoke', they'll ask for a 'square'. My favorite, in the 80's, there was an auto parts store who also advertised in the phone book under "otto patz". Ebonics at it's finest.

And so on.....................

I'm replying to this person's post,,,,,,,,because I was so shocked by it.
I've never heard such blunt talk when "representing" your state. Yikes.
I think you'll do great no matter where you move to. There are wonderful people here as well as in any state. There are also rotten people here (as well as elsewhere).
I think it has to your outlook and excitement on making the move.
Friendly people seem to find friendly people!!!
THere are difference here,,,,,as there would be differences with any major move.
You'll do fine. Racist's seem to be a dying breed. Thank goodness.
We've lived in MS, NC, IL and here and have loved them all.
The person WAS right about one thing. Your "drawl" will be a conversation piece.
One more thing,,,,,,we love the Packers.
Good luck.

[liz2829]

As southern living in a small town. Most peopel do not even pay attention to us. We had lived here for over 12 years when we had to call the police in because someone egged our car. We have 2 police officer. He was like who are you and how long you been here. I learned along time ago wisconsin will talk to you if you talk to them. They keep to themselves in small town. If you not born and raised here forget them calling you for dinner. They keep to themselves. Why after 16 years we going back home. When I went back to va with millions of people. They still smiled at me, called my by my names and said hello. I missed that more than I thought I did. With my fibro cold does not help me. Going back to talking funny, being weird, eat great food, and so fourth.

[LexusNexus]

You will find yourself among the many. Chicago has long been the "New Mississippi" with Wisconsin (particularly Milwaukee) not far behind. My advice would be to spend some time there before you commit.