Where is the Midwest? (to live in, housing, business)

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by Omahahonors

I've been to Oklahoma and Texas. And they (North Texas and Oklahoma) are, in fact, very similar to many Great Plains cities. Driving through OKC reminded me a lot of driving through KC, Wichita, Tulsa, Omaha etc.. Dallas is just a mammoth version of a GP city. These states are similar in politics, culture, expression, city-styles, education attainment (although education attainment is higher in Kansas and places north). Now Austin, San Antonio, El Paso and Houston have less in common and they are excluded. I only consider the northern part of Texas which includes Dallas.

All I am doing is defining a region of cities that lie on a similar topography that have much in common. I'm not going to allow a sliver of southern atmosphere completely seperate OK and Dallas from the rest of the pack.

if topography alone is your argument then I could agree. but culturally linguistically and demographically ok and tx are not midwestern or like the other 4 states to the north.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

That is my point. The southern dialect is strong in Henry and St. Clair counties as well as much of the surrounding regional area. This is only 50-100 miles south of Kansas City. This is why Kansas City has significant southern influences very closeby.

that is not my experience nor do professional linguists agree. it is likely you are confusing south midland with south in terms of speech. other than barbecue, whichwas introduced to kc by henry perry of memphis almost a century ago, I dont see southern influence in kc. if there is, its no stronger than any other city in the lower midwest.henry and st clair have accents typical of the rural lower midwest

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

that is not my experience nor do professional linguists agree. it is likely you are confusing south midland with south in terms of speech. other than barbecue, whichwas introduced to kc by henry perry of memphis almost a century ago, I dont see southern influence in kc. if there is, its no stronger than any other city in the lower midwest.henry and st clair have accents typical of the rural lower midwest

That contradicts your prior post when you indicated that you did agree that Henry and St. Clair counties had southern dialects.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

That contradicts your prior post when you indicated that you did agree that Henry and St. Clair counties had southern dialects.

If it's contradictory, here's what is not...south midland is the dominant and native dialect in these two counties. That is the consensus of linguists and my observations coincide with it. I never deviated in this respect.

[Lake County IN]

Originally Posted by Johnhw2

Interesting post, what do you consider frontier states? For those who claim Tx is southern, they need to get to know west texas including big bend country. Definately out west in Tx is what I consider to be frontier states.

I'd say the Rocky Mountain states like Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, and even say Washington State, Oregon, and California with the exception of the metropolises.

Those are the kind of wide open states

[west336]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

if topography alone is your argument then I could agree. but culturally linguistically and demographically ok and tx are not midwestern or like the other 4 states to the north.

We don't want Texas, and I'm almost positive Texas doesn't want us, or anyone for that matter (the "Lone Star State").

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by west336

We don't want Texas, and I'm almost positive Texas doesn't want us, or anyone for that matter (the "Lone Star State").

Most Texans from my experience welcome the idea of being labeled Southern, as do many Oklahomans. (TexasReb where are you?) Anybody who has ever been to Oklahoma or Texas should know that neither of these states should be included in the Midwest culturally, demographically, linguistically, or industrially.

[CookieSkoon]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

Most Texans from my experience welcome the idea of being labeled Southern, as do many Oklahomans. (TexasReb where are you?) Anybody who has ever been to Oklahoma or Texas should know that neither of these states should be included in the Midwest culturally, demographically, linguistically, or industrially.

I agree. OK and TX are southern in my book. Famously I consider them southern all the way to their western terminus. Some consider only the eastern bits southern. Some go further than myself and consider eastern NM southern as well!

But I call Texas and Oklahoma the "Frontier south". The third region. Some call it the western south.

Mountain south, Lowland south, Frontier south. Or alternatively, Upper south, Deep south, Frontier south.

[jtur88]

The Midwest is what is left over after Easterners, Southerners and Westerners lay claim to what they call themselves.

The west starts about a quarter of the way across Nebraska, Kansas and the Dakotas. The south starts at Kansas City, St. Louis and the hill country of Indiana and Ohio. The east starts right after Cleveland.

The only states that are entirely in the Midwest are Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by jtur88

The Midwest is what is left over after Easterners, Southerners and Westerners lay claim to what they call themselves.

The east starts right after Cleveland.

I'm curious as to how you set this boundary...