Is West Virginia Southern? (Mason, Union: transit, location, accents)

[Trimac20]

Why do alot of people say WV isn't southern? Yes, it broke away from the rest of Virginia and stayed loyal to the Union, but half of West Virginians actually supported the South. Their accents are also of the very strong Appalachian type, which is Upland Southern...if one questions their southernness because they aren't Deep South, then one has to question much of Tennessee, NC and Kentucky. So I personally think at least the majority of the state of WV is solidly southern, so the whole state can be said to be mostly southern.

[TreasuredJewel]

Yes it's below the Mason Dixon line,

[Bobilee]

Is there an emoticon for "bar room brawl"? We need one, stat!

[KodeBlue]

Originally Posted by TreasuredJewel

Yes it's below the Mason Dixon line,

The Panhandle isn't. The part of West Virginia that sits due west of Pittsburgh, would you consider that southern too?

[Mutiny77]

I think some people say that WV isn't Southern because of it s geographical location. It kinda gets pulled in three different directions: south, midwest, and northeast.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I think some people say that WV isn't Southern because of it s geographical location. It kinda gets pulled in three different directions: south, midwest, and northeast.

I'm talking culturally Southern.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I'm talking culturally Southern.

Well that also plays a part. Because of that mix of influences, you get hybrids, so to speak, in different parts of the state most likely.

[TreasuredJewel]

Originally Posted by KodeBlue

The Panhandle isn't. The part of West Virginia that sits due west of Pittsburgh, would you consider that southern too?

The panhanndle represents a very small portion of the state, I don't know what you are getting at here but what do you consider West VA to be?

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Well that also plays a part. Because of that mix of influences, you get hybrids, so to speak, in different parts of the state most likely.

Yes there are hybrids, but I think West Virginians share more in common with Kentuckyians then most Pennsylvanians.

[KodeBlue]

Originally Posted by TreasuredJewel

The panhanndle represents a very small portion of the state, I don't know what you are getting at here but what do you consider West VA to be?

You were thinking in black & white without acknowledging there are transition zones, as is the case with NOVA and the rest of VA