My map of Midwest/South in Missouri! (Cape Girardeau, Rolla: schools, college)

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

I'm in agreement here. There are only two counties IMHO in Illinois that could be considered more southern than midwestern, and they are Alexander and Pulaski.

Agreed. Also, Jefferson County, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, is very much a part of the south. To get an idea of accents, just listen to the owner of Papa John's, who is from Jeffersonville, IN. I'm actually willing to call the areas between Louisville and Indianapolis a cultural transition zone, because for two cities a mere 100 miles apart, the cultures are polar opposites. Same w/ Louisville and Cincinnati.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

Agreed. Also, Jefferson County, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, is very much a part of the south. To get an idea of accents, just listen to the owner of Papa John's, who is from Jeffersonville, IN. I'm actually willing to call the areas between Louisville and Indianapolis a cultural transition zone, because for two cities a mere 100 miles apart, the cultures are polar opposites. Same w/ Louisville and Cincinnati.

I have no experience with that area but I'll keep my ears open and look him up sometime. One of my really good buddies is from northern Alexander County (Right across the bridge from Cape) and he sounds like he's from Western KY as do all of his buddies from over there. People never believe him when he says he's from Illinois.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

I noticed different regions have different names for rubes.

Like you said north FL in your area calls them "forest people" I NEVER heard that term in Tampa, or anywhere in the southern half of Florida.

I believe those people are generally more referred to as "Florida crackers." Books such as "The Yearling" do a great job of painting the dialect of backwoods Florida.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

I have no experience with that area but I'll keep my ears open and look him up sometime. One of my really good buddies is from northern Alexander County (Right across the bridge from Cape) and he sounds like he's from Western KY as do all of his buddies from over there. People never believe him when he says he's from Illinois.

I don't doubt it. I've listened to an audio recording of an old man from Paducah, Kentucky, right across the Ohio River from those counties. The differences are so stark, he refers to Illinois as "Ill-a-noise"

Papa John's owner's dialect may be somewhat watered down, but you would never guess he was from Indiana. I was shocked when I found out. Larry Bird is another example of a guy from around that area.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

I don't agree with that though. I don't think it is the more dominant culture. I think it is too split to really say definitively. Yes, it mirrors those other counties, but those counties can only be called upland South topographically...culturally and in terms of accents it is still too difficult to classify. The best culture I could equivocally link it with would be the culture of Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana...strong southern influences, but not to the point where I'd say these counties can be called more Southern or Midwestern. It's too hard really to say which are which. Rural does not = Southern. the geographical "upland South" extends well into Pennsylvania.

The upland South component in Pennsylvania is way different because the Alleghany Highlands are much higher in elevation, the area experienced much more industrialization, is a strong union area, is culturally more northern/Appalachian, and has a much colder climate than anything to the south and west of it.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

Agreed. Also, Jefferson County, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, is very much a part of the south. To get an idea of accents, just listen to the owner of Papa John's, who is from Jeffersonville, IN. I'm actually willing to call the areas between Louisville and Indianapolis a cultural transition zone, because for two cities a mere 100 miles apart, the cultures are polar opposites. Same w/ Louisville and Cincinnati.

Ah, my area!!! I currently live in Clark County Indiana. I can say without a doubt that this area definitely has a strong upland South culture. What surprised me the most was the Appalachian component to the area as a large number of people migrated north from Kentucky and other rural areas of the South to attain jobs in manufacturing and indsutry in the area. In a sense, the area was part of the Great Migration due to the concentration of jobs in the above mentioned sectors. Accents, culture, topography, etc definitely are definitely southern. The economy and built envrionment are somewhat mixed with components of both the South and Midwest. As you cross the bridge between Louisville and Clark County you definitely notice changes right away from one state to the other, though...

For an example of a good demographic sample to compare Washington County, MO with I would suggest Scott County, IN. VERY SIMILAR demographics, strong Upland South culture, very fiscally conservative, and low educational attainment. Jackson County (Seymour) (original home of Mellencamp) and Scott county are 100% upland South areas.

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

I just wanted to thank everyone for this thread. It has been very interesting to me, an outsider, with no knowledge of the area...but I was intrigued after the Joplin tornado put a spotlight on the area and I did hear a unique mix and blendng of accents, although that could also be attributed to people comming in from out of the area. Thanks again!

I agree. Watching the footage of videos from the tornado hitting you can also hear a number of southern accents as well. I mean it doesn't sound deepsouthish like someone from the bootheel but noticeable. If they were to come to St. Louis you would easily be able to notice they're from the south.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Ah, my area!!! I currently live in Clark County Indiana. I can say without a doubt that this area definitely has a strong upland South culture. What surprised me the most was the Appalachian component to the area as a large number of people migrated north from Kentucky and other rural areas of the South to attain jobs in manufacturing and indsutry in the area. In a sense, the area was part of the Great Migration due to the concentration of jobs in the above mentioned sectors. Accents, culture, topography, etc definitely are definitely southern. The economy and built envrionment are somewhat mixed with components of both the South and Midwest. As you cross the bridge between Louisville and Clark County you definitely notice changes right away from one state to the other, though...

For an example of a good demographic sample to compare Washington County, MO with I would suggest Scott County, IN. VERY SIMILAR demographics, strong Upland South culture, very fiscally conservative, and low educational attainment. Jackson County (Seymour) (original home of Mellencamp) and Scott county are 100% upland South areas.

Washington County, Missouri does not very strong Upland South culture at all. I know that county like the back of my hand, as that is my area. Washington County has its routes in the Missouri Rhineland, and is quite Midwestern. Not nearly as southern as Scott County, Indiana. Even Rolla doesn't have that kind of Southern influence.

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

Agreed. Also, Jefferson County, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, is very much a part of the south. To get an idea of accents, just listen to the owner of Papa John's, who is from Jeffersonville, IN. I'm actually willing to call the areas between Louisville and Indianapolis a cultural transition zone, because for two cities a mere 100 miles apart, the cultures are polar opposites. Same w/ Louisville and Cincinnati.

While it might be southern, it's not to the extent of southern like lets say Pemiscot, or Dunklin County in Missouri. Those two counties are southern to the core, delta style. No place in Kentucky can compare to them, as KY is an upland south state. Even in Paducah the people have a strong accent, but at least you can understand them unlike people in the bootheel, TN, Northern MS which you can have a hard time understanding. I work with someone from the Bluff, and you can have a hard time making out what he says, and he's not some old, backwoods hick either.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

I agree. Watching the footage of videos from the tornado hitting you can also hear a number of southern accents as well. I mean it doesn't sound deepsouthish like someone from the bootheel but noticeable. If they were to come to St. Louis you would easily be able to notice they're from the south.

You must be hearing different things than I am. I heard no southern accents whatsoever in Joplin throughout the whole thing. My dad followed this tornado like a hawk..it destroyed his high school, and he constantly pointed out to me how there were no southern accents, and I agreed. Joplin is not the South. Sorry. Southern influences? yes. Southern accents? Mostly not. I know Jasper County, Missouri better than anybody in this discussion, and I can tell you most certainly that I heard no southern accents. If I did, it was the typcial Missouri drawl, which is not a southern accent. You need to check your linguistic sensors.