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This is somewhat similar to the thread about whether DC is a northern/southern city but not really the same.
This is actually about the greater DC area, including parts of Maryland and Virginia, rather than the District itself.
Its often agreed that Northern Virginia is an anomaly compared to the entire rest of Virginia, in terms of culture, lifestyle, and especially politics. This article..
from the Washington Post even says the new Mason Dixon Line is south of DC's Virginia suburbs and relates it to the recent elections. There are no southern accents or grits or sweet tea. There is a great disconnect between the people of Northern Virginia and downstate areas, including Richmond and the Hampton Roads-Norfolk area.
But the Maryland suburbs, where I spent most of my life, aren't "typical Maryland" either. We're not big on crab cakes, we don't talk with the Baltimore accent and we don't go crazy for Preakness. The "Real Maryland" usually is taken to mean Baltimore, Annapolis, and the areas around the Chesapeake Bay (Hagerstown/Cumberland are also often excluded).
So is DC and its suburbs just a unique region? Clearly its not like the rest of Virginia nor the rest of Maryland. But if its unique relative to the rest of Maryland and Virginia, there's nothing really unique about it either...just a mix of suburban sprawl, snobbiness, Yankee transplants, and ghetto. So what's the take on this from others from around DC or people who've visited?
Despite my claims that DC is southern, it really is a mixture of all that you say. It's an international city, inhabited by people from all over the world. It requires for the most part a highly educated workforce, and it has plenty of ghetto.
Having lived there for 3 years, I would say that the collective area that comprises the DC metro area with the supporting suburbs of southern MD and northern VA, is a neutral zone. It is neither north nor south. It is a mixture of the two with an east coast influence.
I think the immediate area feels more northern but aside from the north-south divide, what is unique about the region? There are certainly quirky things about Maryland and Virginia but they don't apply to the DC region. There's no particular cuisine or accent from the immediate area. Historically there hasn't been much in terms of culture except whats from elsewhere. For example, Duke Ellington was a great musician but jazz is really from New Orleans. All the opera and symphonies in the Kennedy Center are imported from Europe.
I was at a conference in California once and when I introduced myself as being from Maryland the first things that come to mind are crabs and horse racing, both of which are not big in the DC suburbs.
I just think there is no unique culture to DC and its suburbs unlike so many other cities around the nation.
This is somewhat similar to the thread about whether DC is a northern/southern city but not really the same.
This is actually about the greater DC area, including parts of Maryland and Virginia, rather than the District itself.
Its often agreed that Northern Virginia is an anomaly compared to the entire rest of Virginia, in terms of culture, lifestyle, and especially politics. This article..
from the Washington Post even says the new Mason Dixon Line is south of DC's Virginia suburbs and relates it to the recent elections. There are no southern accents or grits or sweet tea. There is a great disconnect between the people of Northern Virginia and downstate areas, including Richmond and the Hampton Roads-Norfolk area.
But the Maryland suburbs, where I spent most of my life, aren't "typical Maryland" either. We're not big on crab cakes, we don't talk with the Baltimore accent and we don't go crazy for Preakness. The "Real Maryland" usually is taken to mean Baltimore, Annapolis, and the areas around the Chesapeake Bay (Hagerstown/Cumberland are also often excluded).
So is DC and its suburbs just a unique region? Clearly its not like the rest of Virginia nor the rest of Maryland. But if its unique relative to the rest of Maryland and Virginia, there's nothing really unique about it either...just a mix of suburban sprawl, snobbiness, Yankee transplants, and ghetto. So what's the take on this from others from around DC or people who've visited?
I've read this article. It should be noted, though, that Northern Virginia 40 years ago was just like the rest of Virginia and it was not a "seperate state" but as we all know regions change.
I grew up in Northern Virginia just down the road from Oatlands Plantation.
To me- NOVA actually feels more like California or West Coast in attitude than it does Northeast. Lots of people with even surfer dude and valley girl accents. I call them Northern Virginia valley gals and guys.
Whatever the culture is, its a weird mix of southern, northern, and Orange County California.
Do they talk with drawls in DC? Non rhotic I believe. I'm talking about the older, native DC residents.
In a word, yes. Famous talk show Diane Rehm has a classic D.C. accent. Its very light Southern and almost like Tidewater Virginia, but its really nowhere near as elegant as Richmond or points South. Shes a whacko liberal and Im not fond of her politics, but I love her speaking voice !
I am 45 years old and I lived in NoVa for 41 years. I moved to Hampton Roads 4 years ago. I totally agree that the whole DC metro area (including Nova and the MD suburbs) is this neutral zone. That area has got to be one of the biggest cultural melting pots in the country (maybe outside of NY). Mix in the high cost of living and huge population and you have one crazy mess.
Keeping in mind that Hampton Roads has a decent population with typical suburban areas and extremely rural areas all mixed in, here are a few of the biggest differences I immediately found upon moving:
7-11's - This was the FIRST thing my kids noticed. In HR, you can actually understand the clerks because they are American.
Dry cleaners - In Nova you could drop off clothes in the morning before work and pick them up on your way home. No - way, not in HR! Drop them off and you get them in 3-4 days. Pay a little extra and you can definitely get them in 3 days. Very strange....
News on TV - NoVa - main issues are politics. HR - #1 issue is WEATHER!!! Then crime comes a close second. I never liked politics so this is fine with me!
Nail Salons - LOL - I still cannot understand the nail techs! I think the Asians have cornered the market here in every city!
Do they talk with drawls in DC? Non rhotic I believe. I'm talking about the older, native DC residents.
In the outermost suburbs among the people who have lived there for generations there are southern accents. Around Frederick, Maryland, 30 miles from DC some people have a southern accent and some are proud of that. Southern Maryland to SOME extent does too depending on long the residents have lived in the area. But at least in my opinion, Baltimore's accent is heavily influenced by the north. However most people there also don't have an accent.
Anywhere within 10 miles of the Beltway, most people just speak standard American English, much like the Midwest. There is no distinct accent, except some African Americans with southern roots sound kind of southern. Parts with large black populations feel more southern....I know there is ONE Bojangles around here and its in Prince George's County. The sprawl does in fact create a type of Sunbelt feel in parts of Loudoun County in Virginia and parts of Montgomery in Maryland with massive new subdivisions. However the richer, snobbier parts of the area reject sprawl.
Its important to note, however, Montgomery County's political elite, mostly transplanted from northern states, opposes suburban sprawl and chain mall America not for the sake of preserving open space and rural character but to promote urbanism which isn't that desirable. They want to turn some suburbs into a city-feel with high-density living. Its like some people here are trying to make the area more and more like the Northeast.
But regardless of north or south or east-west feeling, there just isn't any special feel to this place. So I guess overall its everywhere and nowhere at once. In my travels, I think the place most similar to here is the Research Triangle region of North Carolina and to some extent the Atlanta area with southern roots diluted but nothing substantial replacing them.
I am 45 years old and I lived in NoVa for 41 years. I moved to Hampton Roads 4 years ago. I totally agree that the whole DC metro area (including Nova and the MD suburbs) is this neutral zone. That area has got to be one of the biggest cultural melting pots in the country (maybe outside of NY). Mix in the high cost of living and huge population and you have one crazy mess.
Keeping in mind that Hampton Roads has a decent population with typical suburban areas and extremely rural areas all mixed in, here are a few of the biggest differences I immediately found upon moving:
7-11's - This was the FIRST thing my kids noticed. In HR, you can actually understand the clerks because they are American.
Dry cleaners - In Nova you could drop off clothes in the morning before work and pick them up on your way home. No - way, not in HR! Drop them off and you get them in 3-4 days. Pay a little extra and you can definitely get them in 3 days. Very strange....
News on TV - NoVa - main issues are politics. HR - #1 issue is WEATHER!!! Then crime comes a close second. I never liked politics so this is fine with me!
Nail Salons - LOL - I still cannot understand the nail techs! I think the Asians have cornered the market here in every city!
LOL I'm of Asian descent but I'm male so I can't say for nail techs but yeah some businesses are like that, dominated by a single group. I've been to Richmond and Petersburg and most of the gas station staff I've seen are still Indian or Middle Eastern. The only place I've seen Americans dominate in a fast food restaurant is Pittsburgh, and then its young high school kids. Even in North Carolina its mostly foreigners.
I think regional distinctions don't really apply to first generation immigrants anyway. They move to a place and are shaped by it. People do have misconceptions....lilke in my high school people would talk about how "Jewish people" are snobby and "Black people" like fried chicken but well thats cause most of the Jewish kids had family ties to New York and snobbiness is a New York thing, and many African Americans have ties further south. That's the same thing about being Jewish and liberal too....its because most of the Jewish population is concentration in places like NY and Los Angeles which are liberal places.
I've noticed that (at least for now with assimilation still having a chance to work), Asian and Jewish people (from the second generation onward) I've known are more similar to people of other races/religions from their same locality than from people of their same background in different parts of the country. Not sure if this is true for all groups though.
Yes, the DC area has people from all over the world but so do cities across America. Even many rural areas have multi-national populations working on the farms and ranches...I'll leave their legal status aside for another board
So like I said DC is kind of like everywhere, but also like nowhere. 50 years ago the area was completely based on the government business, dependent on mainly the government but now the private sector's really developed and employs more people and accounts for a large amount of newcomers and population growth.
I am born and raised in DC the whole area...DC does not lack in culture...Most if not all DC culture is African american which means it gets miss understood. U street Was the rival to Harlem back in the day alot signifigant African american history went down in DC... Thats why the nickname is "chocolate city"... Yes Washingtonians love Crabs and seafood in general...DC culture: Music DC has its own genre of music which is called go-go the heartbeat of the city...DC does not get alot of credit for things annd normally get looked over beacuse the political aspect of the city is so huge but this city is a hidden jewel an u have be from here to relly know the deal...PG county MD has the most in common with DC its basically the 9th ward Nova is is kinda far so it really doesn't have much in common with the city as far as culture...Like it or not the "ghettos" of DC have alot of influence on this city they are where u get the real DC feel...
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