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Also... when I go back to my family in DC, they refer to DC as "up here" and the real south as "down south". For example, their neighbor got accepted to Auburn and he said he was going to the south for college because it was slower than up here. And whenever I visit, everyone always notices my strong accent and asks if I'm from down south. Just a example of how even most people in the DC area do not consider it southern. Take a poll around the country and ask if you would consider DC southern. In fact, I will! I will post my findings here later for y'all to see
What an interesting debate though! Being a southerner, it is interesting to hear why others consider DC southern when southerners do not haha
Last edited by the southern gentleman; 01-16-2011 at 04:04 PM..
What that's saying is that, climatalogically, DC has more in common with Charlotte than Boston.
Maybe? But I for one can't read Jim Vance's mind. If it is true that Washingtonians are snow whimps, then that would be a symbol of a culturally southern city, not just climatologically.
I think y'all are talking about characteristics that are COUNTRY, not necessarily "southern". There are many areas of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Oregon (for example) that are more country than cities in Georgia or Florida. The country in Montana and Indiana put backwoods of Alabama to shame. So y'all are not even talking about what's southern. Southern is referred specifically to location and accent. Even the architecture is universally found throughout the states. There are lots of country areas in Maine and especially Maryland around Salisbury and Crisfield and Solomon's Island areas and Leonardtown -- all very country.
It's true that DC used to be very country many decades ago, but now it is more of a metropolis hub, like Atlanta. But it's still located among the South, if you had to choose between North and South and not "mid-Atlantic". DC is not country, no, just like Atlanta isn't country. But it is southern. And that's the difference I think y'all are not using in your characterization of whether something is southern or not. The only thing that matters in determining whether something is southern is its location and accent, imo. And with that, I still go with the fact that DC is southern, though not country.
I know of many people up north in Connecticut that refer to DC/MD/VA as being "down south". Southern. And notice our accents very much. My first year at college there was somewhat of a culture shock to me, because it seemed as if everyone was saying I have a southern accent and felt like no one understood a word I was saying, except for other people from DC and further south. You can't compare DC to being anything northern like New York City or Boston. Because it's not northern, it's southern! So
DC is geographically in the south, with some northern culture. I can easily say that Miami is not in the south either, but it's about as far south as you can go in the lower 48... Dc is southern.
If it is true that Washingtonians are snow whimps, then that would be a symbol of a culturally southern city, not just climatologically.
Not really. I'm from Columbus, Ohio, and we were labeled the same thing by Clevelanders who mocked our lack of lake-effect snow and propensity to close schools for 4" of white powder.
I agree with Yiuppy that too many southerners perceive a culture rooted in being slower, more front-porch-sittin' oriented, more white, conservative Christian as Southern. In reality, those are all identifiers of rural areas in the United States. Go to the rural Northeast or upper Midwest and you'll find the same exact culture as what Southern Gentleman seems to deem "Southern". Atlanta is becoming no less southern as Chicago became no less northern with immigrants. Cultures change and evolve and you don't get to draw a line in the sand and say, "This agricultural phase of development is how we will forever define our culture."
I disagree with Yiuppy that DC is or ever was southern. It was created to meld the two and that's what it's always done. It's a city of transplants (designed that way) and is far too linked economically and socially to the Amtrak corridor to have much of anything in common with any city south of here.
Someone from DC go to Jackson, MS or Birmingham, Al and tell me if your culture is like theirs! There is a difference between just rural culture and Southern culture. DC is in the old south, but really not the new south. Because of other people moving in to the DC area, it just is not Southern anymore. DC is a hectic city with no Southern accents and more international cuisine than Southern. Is there anybody in DC that was raised there and calls themselves southern? My family/friends in DC always refer to them selves as being in the Mid-Atlantic or East coast or North, never the South.
And yes Bluefly, DC is the most Southern part of the Northeast Megalopolis. It's culture is way to linked with these cities than any cities south of it.
I think y'all are talking about characteristics that are COUNTRY, not necessarily "southern". There are many areas of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Oregon (for example) that are more country than cities in Georgia or Florida. The country in Montana and Indiana put backwoods of Alabama to shame. So y'all are not even talking about what's southern. Southern is referred specifically to location and accent. Even the architecture is universally found throughout the states. There are lots of country areas in Maine and especially Maryland around Salisbury and Crisfield and Solomon's Island areas and Leonardtown -- all very country.
It's true that DC used to be very country many decades ago, but now it is more of a metropolis hub, like Atlanta. But it's still located among the South, if you had to choose between North and South and not "mid-Atlantic". DC is not country, no, just like Atlanta isn't country. But it is southern. And that's the difference I think y'all are not using in your characterization of whether something is southern or not. The only thing that matters in determining whether something is southern is its location and accent, imo. And with that, I still go with the fact that DC is southern, though not country.
Very important distinction you just made. Even in the South, the rural folks don't look at the cities as being purely or genuinely Southern sometimes.
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