Northerners

[ptin2010]

Originally Posted by Wordy

I'm pretty much a northerner, although I had the misfortune to live in Florida for a major portion of my life. It's pretty obvious when I open my mouth that I'm not from around here, and I have gotten "yankee" comments before, but I find that whole entire north vs. south thing asinine and on par with people getting overly invested in sports teams. So, I just roll my eyes or completely ignore it. I just cannot relate. There are still people around the south who are ticked off about the Civil War, and they will talk about it if it comes up, but again--I just cannot relate. My family wasn't even here in this country at the time of the Civil War, so it's nothing more than history to me. It's just too much energy wasted on something that happened long before anybody alive today was even born. I'm way too lazy for that nonsense.

I agree 100%. The Civil War ended over 140 years ago. Move on. I am From TN. Born and raised for 34 of my 35 years. I hold no grudges against people from the North over the Civil War. Ridiculous.

[blueeyes30]

I have relatives on my cousin's side who live in rural Wisconsin. We go up there maybe once or twice a year to visit them. Beautiful up there BTW. Very clean and tidy.

In their area of Wisconsin, you hear the same accents, which is upper Midwestern. I don't think I heard a single southern accent while in Wisconsin, regardless of location. And yes, a few people did comment on the southern accent while there, but they were nice though.

But now, even in rural counties in Tennessee, you will hear accents other than southern.

In that part of the country, it seems like everyone is from that state or region. But now, even in the most remote parts of the south, you will hear a non-southern accent every once in a while.

Nothing wrong with it, I'm just making an observation.

[DubbleT]

If I've been here so long that my grown children are TN natives, and I don't even hear it as an 'accent' anymore ( and people from where I grew up sound funny to me), have I been here long enough to be considered a southerner? Or am I still just a d**m Yankee?

[katbmom]

My sister lives near Morristown and won't come visit me now that I live in Lexington, Ky. because moved to the "north"... lol.

Yes, there is probably a bias against northerners, but once Tennesseans get to know you personally, it won't make any difference. Northerners as a whole are probably looked down on, but as individuals, they are treated just like anybody else.

[Taxed in Maine]

I've lived in Maine my whole life and I can't leave soon enough. I don't like Northerners either!
I can't stand the condescending, impatient arrogance that pervades the entire Northeast. There is a lot of superficial friendliness, and of course the entire region is very liberal. As a college educated, veteran, conservative that lives for hunting and football, I just don't fit in here anymore.
We are coming to TN for a visit in February, hoping to find a spot.

Barry

[JoeCartpath]

Maybe it's different in the smaller towns and rural areas, but I don't see any bias against northerners here around Memphis. Sure, we'll kid them about their accents ("youse guys")...but it's all in fun. They also kid us about ours ("fixin to", "y'all")

[JoAnn5]

Good luck and an early 'welcome', Barry... Hope you find somewhere in Tennessee where you will feel right at home. Maybe Maine is one of those "nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there" sort of places. Hubby and I drove thru there a few years ago and wished we had planned our trip to have spent more time in Maine. We loved it there!!!


I wonder how the different accents came to be so pronounced. Did people who settled the South come from different countries than those who settled the North, and are our accents vestiges from the original languages? I believe that must be the case. When I was in Ireland last year, i noticed how much their music sounds like our Southern bluegrass music. Even a street festival band was playing Johnnie Cash's "Ring of Fire"! Also the Southern fiddle echoes the bagpipe sounds i heard in Scotland....

Sorry, off topic i guess.... but anyway... This thread has made me think more seriously about attitudes toward Northerners vs. Southerners and the stereotypes i might have subconsiously.

[sweetibird]

Originally Posted by carolmora

Out of curiosity. Do people in TN have an issue with Northerners? I currently live in TX and they talk bad about Northerners here all the time. I am just so sick of it and considering TN as a new home.

I don't know where you live in Texas, but my family and I relocated to Houston (NW Cypress) from New York (Long Island) about a year ago and we were concerned about dislike of Northerners, however we have really only experienced one sour apple. About 60% of the people we meet here are originally from somewhere else, either overseas or from a different state. The other 40% are Houstonians and I have to say I have never met better people. They are warm, welcoming people without any "Northerner dislike or smack talk". We have really enjoyed living here and found the people to be wonderful. Maybe you might like a different of Texas better?

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by lionheart703

i have lived in tn about 7 yrs now , i am from the north and have been called on many occassions a YANKEE now when it happened the first 10 or so times it mad me angry .. but now it don't bother me its a word you going to let a little word ruin your day or the way ya live? a love ppl call you a YANKEE joking around to poke fun to get a rise from you pthers do it cause of the civil war those the ones who you gotta worry about cause they hate you for something you anseters may or may not have done to there familes.. i mean i was not alive for that war and can i help it of where i was born and raised as a kid? nope i can't ans is there not enough problems in thiis world today to worry about a war that happened that long ago? being called a YANKEE

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!And they say us Southerners are behind in education!!!!!!!!!

[RS-1080]

Originally Posted by Capt. Dan

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!And they say us Southerners are behind in education!!!!!!!!!

I heard that. I'm one of the southern fellers that only made it to 6'th grade and was fixing to turn 18 in grade school when I quit. I was the only one with a beard, and a car to boot

I'm 40 and never had, or never been around a PC until I turned 37 when my kids talked me into buying one. Lordy, now we each have one, and I am learning the things I needed help with in school that the teachers didn't have the time to help me with. I couldn't hardly spell, and used a dictionary to post at first. I no longer use the dictionary or spell check either one, but, I do at least try to proof read my posts best I can before I click submit.