[Hollynla]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

This is the problem with anecdote. Where do you get your information? "Tell most people... they would disagree with you." The name of this website is City DATA, not City Innuendo and Rumor. I was born and raised WV and there are a ton of people there who believe it is southern. "Most don't have southern accents". Pray tell me where you found the source of this information? The Univ. of Pennsylvania linguists, who actually measure sound in speech, place most of WV in the southern dialect region. I don't want to derail the thread which is about Arkansas after all, so I will shut up after this.

WV must be considered southern by those in WV who think it's southern and those in the north, where WV is to their south, therefore southern, LOL. This is the absolute first time I've ever heard WV considered south. Most southerners do not consider it southern state.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

WV must be considered southern by those in WV who think it's southern and those in the north, where WV is to their south, therefore southern, LOL. This is the absolute first time I've ever heard WV considered south. Most southerners do not consider it southern state.

Of course in isn't even considered a southern state, plus, it seems people can't distinguish between cultural and technical. When you started the thread, I knew what you were asking, not so much as what the map shows but how many feel and many people, particularly those of us living in the Northwest part of our state do not really think southern. At least I understand what you are saying and you understand my point.

BTW: to those who want to continue this debate, I am not putting the south down; I love the south and I am proud to live in a state that is geographically southern. It is just for many of living here it feels more like the Midwest than the true south. Of course the southern and eastern parts of the state are different.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Of course in isn't even considered a southern state, plus, it seems people can't distinguish between cultural and technical. When you started the thread, I knew what you were asking, not so much as what the map shows but how many feel and many people, particularly those of us living in the Northwest part of our state do not really think southern. At least I understand what you are saying and you understand my point.

BTW: to those who want to continue this debate, I am not putting the south down; I love the south and I am proud to live in a state that is geographically southern. It is just for many of living here it feels more like the Midwest than the true south. Of course the southern and eastern parts of the state are different.

But how does it feel like the Midwest?? And what is the "true south"?? Are regions monolithic?

[Hollynla]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

But how does it feel like the Midwest?? And what is the "true south"?? Are regions monolithic?

I stated earlier why I think this part of Arkansas seems like the midwest as opposed to the south. To me, the "true south" would be Louisiana, Miss, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Parts of Texas do fit in as south also. Notice I didnt' include Florida. It's technically in the south, but it's not southern.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

I stated earlier why I think this part of Arkansas seems like the midwest as opposed to the south. To me, the "true south" would be Louisiana, Miss, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Parts of Texas do fit in as south also. Notice I didnt' include Florida. It's technically in the south, but it's not southern.

What I've seen you offer is an administrative designation by the National Park Service. How does that "feel" Midwestern??

[Hollynla]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

What I've seen you offer is an administrative designation by the National Park Service. How does that "feel" Midwestern??

I'm referring to post #34.

And I'm not saying I'm right, but I'm saying that it's what I've picked up on now that I live here.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

But how does it feel like the Midwest?? And what is the "true south"?? Are regions monolithic?

The food is more mid west, which I have said before, most of the people or certainly a high % are from the Midwest: remember I am talking NWA, not the entire state. The exception to being from the Midwest might be the employees of the 3 largest major companies. They are from all over the world. Ask someone retired here from maybe Texas and then ask someone the upstate Ill about living here. I can guarantee you the person from Il ill say NWA is more like the small towns in Il than the person from Texas will say AR reminds them of home. Even the weather here is closer to parts of the midwest: less snow, than most of the south and lower humidity. Maybe true south wasn't isn't the perfect phrase, deep south would be better.

Now, as I have said over and over, there really is no totally correct answer; for those who want to say we are more southern than mid west, that is fine and geographically it is the south, but culturally many of us feel more like it is midwest. I see a different attitude about life in general when we visit Mississippi or Tenn. than here, but when I visit Iowa or family in Kansas, except the beauty of the state I feel like I am home. I can't expect some to understand, that is just the way it is. I think you would have to live in the NW part of the state. Certainly where you lived is very different from BV, the Ozarks, Fayetteville, even Ft Smith and Mountain Home.

[Tyryztoll]

I know this is the Arkansas forum, but this thread from the WV forum might help shed some light on the associated debate:
//www.city-data.com/forum/west-...-virginia.html

[Cryptic]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

I stated earlier why I think this part of Arkansas seems like the midwest as opposed to the south. To me, the "true south" would be Louisiana, Miss, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Parts of Texas do fit in as south also. Notice I didnt' include Florida. It's technically in the south, but it's not southern.

Southern culture is alive in well in north Florida. Though south Florida may not be southern anymore, that is due to the arrival of millions of transplants and immigrants. The only part of Florida that was arguably never southern by culture is Key West.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Cryptic

Southern culture is alive in well in north Florida. Though south Florida may not be southern anymore, that is due to the arrival of millions of transplants and immigrants. The only part of Florida that was arguably never southern by culture is Key West.

I think how you are describing Florida is what some of us are saying about AR. the region can be very different depending on where in the state you live and how many transplants live in the region. thanks for using the comparison.