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Well the original definitions of the term exclude SC, east TX, north FL, west TN, southeast AR, etc.
I'm not so sure of that. There is a very strong identification with the Deep South in Birmingham so if they consider themselves so, then I say let them be. Although I tend to think of the Deep South in a similar sense as you, I don't know if the original definitions of the region delineated it as such.
I think once you examine the various definitions of the Deep South that can be found, you have to zero in on what's clearly the essence of the term. The states that are typically included all have parts that are the DS, but people will just include the entire state when its really only Louisiana you can do that with.
I don't know how Birmingham came to consider itself the Deep South, but there's no historical relevancy to its usage there.
I'm born and raised in a part of the country that is about as Deep South as you can get, so I guess it's a very personal term for me. You tend to look at the rest of the South differently when you're from the very bottom of it.
I think once you examine the various definitions of the Deep South that can be found, you have to zero in on what's clearly the essence of the term. The states that are typically included all have parts that are the DS, but people will just include the entire state when its really only Louisiana you can do that with.
I don't know how Birmingham came to consider itself the Deep South, but there's no historical relevancy to its usage there.
I'm born and raised in a part of the country that is about as Deep South as you can get, so I guess it's a very personal term for me. You tend to look at the rest of the South differently when you're from the very bottom of it.
Yes but we're talking about Dallas, not the entire state. Dallas has a very large Catholic population that is not seen and most of the South. Politically, it is pretty democratic and not as republican as you will find in say the rest of the South as well. Won't disagree with the accents but its twangy and not as thick as you would get in say Monroe or even Memphis. Not saying it's not a Southern city. But it definitely is not the Deep South. There are influences from other regions as well.
Memphis and Dallas accents are very similar. Practically the same, actually. Both have those heavy R's.
Dallas, to me, is a mix of the Western South, the Mid South and a little Deep South (California and Mexico, too, thoroughly speaking). I don't buy into that mess about Dallas being part of the Great Plains. You won't see wheat fields or bison around there.
Looks like there's a slight difference between their summers. There winters are nothing alike, though.
There really isn't and I've experienced both plenty of times. Both are hot and humid. Houston does get slightly hotter but it's still closer to Orlando temps than it is to even Dallas.
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Regional definitions change over time is all I can say, like how DC was once widely considered Southern and now it's not.
I understand that there have been different definitions, but I'm just saying that you have to apply some reasoning. For example, why should Birmingham be included but not Greenville or Chattanooga? Or what numerous qualities do Atlanta and Memphis have together that they don't share with Nashville?
You have to be able to clearly explain why the term can be stretched for some cities but not others, like I did with Houston a few pages back.
If you weren't at least a cotton town, I don't think a city has much of an argument for saying its in the Deep South.
Last edited by Gunion Powder; 05-23-2016 at 03:32 PM..
Memphis and Dallas accents are very similar. Practically the same, actually. Both have those heavy R's.
Dallas, to me, is a mix of the Western South, the Mid South and a little Deep South (California and Mexico, too, thoroughly speaking). I don't buy into that mess about Dallas being part of the Great Plains. You won't see wheat fields or bison around there.
That's among the Black population though. Memphis and St Louis Blacks have similar accents as well and both use R's heavily. I don't know if the White populations of Dallas and Memphis are similar though. I do agree that Dallas is a mix of Western South and Mid-South. The Deep South similarities are not noticeable to me. I definitely do not count Dallas as part of the Deep South. Also, you don't have to be in the Great Plains to not have some influence and characteristics of it. No Dallas is not in the Great Plains but it's very close to it as the Great Plains does extend down into Texas. Deep into Texas at that.
Man people underestimate how Southern Florida really is.
Really?...I mean, in my experience the american/non-carribean blacks in Florida are quite southern. At least the blacks I've personally known from Ft Lauderdale & Lakeland were. They always reminded me of a hybrid of GA, Alabama, and New Orleans blacks mixed into one, and infused with an extra kick of Carribean influence in many instances.
Whereas I would say DFW blacks really do share strong similarities with Houston, Memphis, Little Rock, St. Louis a little bit, and Shreveport. But I would say they're most like a hybrid of Little Rock, Memphis and St. Louis blacks. I think when you look at the settlement patterns for North Texas, youll see the same pattern carry over to the culture of whites in the area as well. (Mostly, TN, AR, MO and East Texas bloodlines.) But I definitely don't consider Dallas a Deep South city. I can easily consider Houston one, but I can't rationalize DFW as being in the Deep South region...I've even heard meteorologists refer to it as the Southern Plains region.
Also, there is a distinction between the St. Louis use of heavy R's and the use of it in DFW & Memphis. It's hard to explain but I've known some people from St. Louis, and that R thing is different there than the way it is in DFW and especially Memphis. Not that it matters.
Last edited by soletaire; 05-23-2016 at 08:28 PM..
That's among the Black population though. Memphis and St Louis Blacks have similar accents as well and both use R's heavily. I don't know if the White populations of Dallas and Memphis are similar though.
They are, as far as I can tell. I was not talking specifically about blacks.
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I do agree that Dallas is a mix of Western South and Mid-South. The Deep South similarities are not noticeable to me. I definitely do not count Dallas as part of the Deep South. Also, you don't have to be in the Great Plains to not have some influence and characteristics of it. No Dallas is not in the Great Plains but it's very close to it as the Great Plains does extend down into Texas. Deep into Texas at that.
Well, Dallas was an important cotton town and it also played a role in the development of blues. Landscape wise, the Dallas area is partially within the southern coastal plain. You can find sabal minor and even alligators in the region. All Deep South traits.
They are, as far as I can tell. I was not talking specifically about blacks.
Well, Dallas was an important cotton town and it also played a role in the development of blues. Landscape wise, the Dallas area is partially within the southern coastal plain. You can find sabal minor and even alligators in the region. All Deep South traits.
It being partially in the in the southern coastal plain, having rare appearances with alligators (seriously, DFW barely gets them and they are far more frequent in Houston, Southeast, and Deep East Texas, makes me again say it is not noticeable to me. I mean, you will find that Dallas is also clearly a prairie which is a staple of the great plains. You have businesses that that market Dallas as a section of the great plains. Many parts of Texas in general usually calls itself the South plains and Dallas is very close to this area. Also, blues was pretty big in Kansas City. Not a city where it had some developments. However, Jazz was huge in KC.
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