Still Speakin' Southern

Lately I've received various lists (via e-mail) from friends entitled "You Know You're Southern If..." This brings back memories of long ago times (say thirty years) when people living in southern states stuck out as southern, especially if they visited northern states. When I worked in New York City in the early 1980s, my southern-ness was a daily topic of conversation among those I worked with. I took a lot of teasing as everyone mocked me by stretching out their words and saying, "ya'll."

Needless to say, my colleagues did not think they had accents. They often expressed how southerners had "ignorant accents. At they same time, they thought it insulting to be told they "must be a Yankee" when traveling south.

Much to my mother's chagrin I married a Yankee from Pennsylvania. Through twenty-five years I have teased him often, especially when he gets aggravated. I say something like, "when are you going to stop letting that Yankee temper get the best of you?"

One day when our sons were about six and eight, they walked into the den and said, "Dad, we have something important to ask you."

My husband stopped reading his book and looked up.

The older brother said, "We've been thinking, Dad. How come we're southerners and you'll never be?"

Now that he is twenty-three years old, my son knows he'll never live down asking his Dad the big question.

My mother was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and remained the southern belle with appropriate china, crystal, and figurines to the day she died. Miraculously, it took her twenty years, but she finally decided she liked my husband.

Over lunch last Sunday, we had a good time rehashing family stories. Then we came up with a short list of how everyone can spot a southerner.

You know your neighbor is southern if...

1. ...she eats grits instead of cream of wheat. 

2. ...she drinks ice tea year round.

3. ...she thinks "tea" means sweet ice tea (also known as sweet tea).

4. ...she would rather not drink tea if she has to add sugar. When in a restaurant that only serves unsweetened tea, she might say, "Yankees must own this place."

5. ...she knows the difference between a magnolia tree and a dogwood tree.

6. ...she likes the smell of honeysuckle.

7. ...she has relatives with nicknames like bubba, scooter, junior, or hey you.

8. ...she might say, "hey" or "hey there," for a greeting.

9. ...she understands that the word "ill" also means angry.

10. .she says, "wha' cha ma' call it.

11. .she won't run if she sees a Palmetto bug.

12. .she knows fire ants have to be controlled.

13. .she eats hoppin' John and knows how to cook it.

14. .she knows the meaning of "gracious plenty" and "fixin' to."

15. .she's attended a church supper and a dinner on the grounds more than once in her life.

16. .she would be embarrassed to take store-bought food to a church supper and would probably use a "real" china or glass bowl rather than plastic.

17. .she's eaten corn bread and biscuits at many meals.

18. .she knows that it is OK to serve country ham and grits for breakfast, dinner, or supper.

19. .she has been to pig pickin's, oyster shuckin's, peanut boilin's, and has helped cook Brunwick stew.

20. .she likes collard greens picked fresh from the garden and knows about pot liquor.

21. .she has worn dyed-to-match shoes at least once in her life.

I've got a feeling that this list is going to get much longer.

Comments

[aba]

I enjoyed your blog about being a southern it was really funny it was every interesting I can really realt to it because i have a accent people always remind of how i talk diffent from them. And they also make fun of my accent, but i really like being different from them so that makes me better than them; at the end that is what makes us different from everybody else. I like the end of the blog I have one about being somalian when i think of it i will posted it.

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-Ferrari eyeglasses for cheapNow that he is twenty-three years old, my son knows he'll never live down asking his Dad the big question.