Does Virginia have southern culture? (Virginia Beach, Norfolk: transplants, home, live in)

[Virginian1984]

I live in Virginia, and i must say it does not seem southern as when i get into the Carolinas or Tennessee.

Would you still consider Virginia a southern state culturally? I understand that it is traditionally southern but even geographically it is in the middle of the country.








Most religious states

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Frequency of either "Y'all" or "You all" to address multiple people, according to an Internet survey of American dialect variation.









The merger of pin and pen in Southern American English. In the purple areas, the merger is complete for most speakers.

[onevthoki]

Well, I think that depends on who you ask

I can tell you that I grew up in Virginia and am raising my kids here in Virginia. I still say "sir" and "mam" to my elders and am raising my kids that way. I have my oldest in Cotillion and my youngest will follow in a few years.

[Kreutz]

truthfully have noticed only a slightly higher amount of politeness compared to New York. (I live outside Roanoke).

People are friendlier, but in raw politeness (like, manners), its only a bit better here. Just like home I don't know any of my neighbors lol.

[roanoker 4]

In my travels I have never met friendlier people than in Tennessee. They seem to welcome all strangers, especially in the Smoky Mountain area of E. Tenn.
Virginians tend to be a bit more reserved at first towards strangers.

[suffolkhr]

Virginian1984, I live in VA too, and I don't see the southern culture either, but thats because I live in the Hampton Roads area. I think here in the Norfolk/ Virginia Beach area we forget that once you past Suffolk and go west, or go south of the border into the Carolinas, things change quickly and become more southern. We may be in the immediate southeast region, but Richmond seems to be more southern than us. Obviousuly Northen Virginia isn't very southern either.

I think if you go to any other part of VA thoough you'll see the southern charm everyone speaks of.

I'm not sure what part of VA you're from, but I like to say we're historically southern, and more mid-atlantic now, due to geography and diversity. Others in more rural areas of VA will disagree though.

Like someone else said, it depends on who you ask, and you'll also get the sterotypes out there too. I can't tell you how many people think all of us in Hampton Roads are surfer dudes that like to hang out at the bach all day, despite the area having a strong military presence.

[Mr_Jonas]

If you live along the coast, Charlottesville, some sections of Richmond and in Northern Virginia, things might not be so southern.

The rest of the state.....................YES!!!

[highway29south]

Just live north of the Mason Dixon like I have had to for the last 30 years (I'm a native of Danville, Va- which is very Southern, BTW!) and you will never question whether anything south of the Mason Dixon is Southern ever again!

[VALover]

I live in Roanoke and feel like it is quite southern. But, not as southern as the Wythe/Carroll/Grayson county area where I grew up.

[ShadowBat]

There is definitely southern culture here. But not everyone has it or displays it. I've grown up here and don't have or display any of the southern stereotypes. I have also been mistaken for being from the north by transplants from up north! My music teacher from VT thought so, my boss from Baltimore, and an acquaintance from NJ. I also hate collared greens and grits and have a neutral accent.I'm not the only one either. But there are definitely others who do have that southern thing going on. My goodness, I was in the Ruckersville Wal Mart the other day and it felt like a redneck twilight zone! BTW, what is up with people wearing pj's and slippers out in public?

[VALover]

I don't consider wearing slippers and pj's to WalMart to be a southern thing. I lived in the north and saw it there too, I think that is just a WalMart thing. Also, I wouldn't consider being redneck a southern thing either since there are rednecks in all regions.