[agginym]

Arkansas absolutely does not have a Midwestern culture. Throughout the state you will find a variety of cultures that have developed over the last 200 years and are unique in many ways to the state of Arkansas. Just because people in Clarksville don't speak with the type of southern accent you were expecting, doesn't mean that they are losing their southernness. You find a southern dialect that is common throughout much of the Ozarks, and shares some similarities with accents you would hear in southern Appalachia. If you go to central or eastern Arkansas you are going to hear completely different accents that probably resemble the ones you expected to hear when you came down here. In Southern Arkansas, you might hear accents that sound more like Louisiana accents, not Cajun though. Asking if the state is losing it's southern status because people in Clarksville don't talk like southern stereotypes is like asking if Illinois is becoming less Midwestern because people in Springfield don't walk around saying "Daaa Bears" in a nasally accent like a damn Super Fan from SNL. Honestly, the idea of a single southern accent or culture that covers the whole of the south is plain ignorant and a little insulting. Each state, and each region in those states, developed largely independent of one another due to how difficult it used to be to travel from place to place in much of the south. That isolation resulted in many many distinct cultures and dialects that change from region to region as you travel through the south. People who are from this part of the country tend to be proud of their unique heritage, and aren't going to be very appreciative of a college kid from Minnesota questioning how Southern they are just because they don't sound like Boss Hogg when they speak. If you like "the South" like you say you do, then maybe consider learning about the vast array of cultures that is has to offer that make it such an interesting region, instead of questioning a states identity as part of the South. I'd suggest asking Dr. Oatis a little bit about Arkansas' southern cultures. I had him for many a history class while I was at U of O and he could give you some excellent insight on the subject.

[imbored198824]

Arkansas isn't a border state it's 100% southern. I live 10 minutes north of the border in Missouri and people here all consider ourselves to be southern...so how Arkansas could be considered anything other than southern is beyond me!!

[Rock Climber]

Arkansas is Southern. Its not wholly "Deep South" like Mississippi. It can feel a little bit "western" at times, which in my view, is a good thing. Arkansas doesn't feel as "burdened" for lack of a better word, by the old deep south divisions. There's a bit of western pioneer spirit in its heritage that cuts the old southern vibe, and I think its a unique mix. Kind of like Texas.

Even just traveling across Arkansas, which isn't that big of a state, there are different micro-cultures.

It has cowboys in the west, Delta plantations in the east, pine forests in the south, and oak/maple forests in the north.

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by JohnnyMN

But Florida has a large influx of people from outside of Florida and now it's not considered Southern.

Is the situation with Arkansas different?

We in Florida are not "Southerners"! What ever made you think that? You in Arkansas are "hillbilly" enough" to be "Southern"!

Do not ever insult us by calling us "Southerners"!

The only thing "southern" about us is our Geographic location!

[SawBoi]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

We in Florida are not "Southerners"! What ever made you think that? You in Arkansas are "hillbilly" enough" to be "Southern"!

Do not ever insult us by calling us "Southerners"!

The only thing "southern" about us is our Geographic location!

Um...the black folk in central and southern Arkansas are not hillbillies.

[Sam I Am]

Folks, this topic has been discussed nine ways from Sunday in other threads....I'm closing this one. For those wishing to comment, please see these other threads:

//www.city-data.com/forum/arkan...-question.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/fayet...-southern.html

//www.city-data.com/forum/arkan...ern-state.html

And on and on and on.....