Where does "The South"(tm) begin in the U.S.?

Started by Syt, April 20, 2009, 12:30:41 PM

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Syt

April 20, 2009, 12:30:41 PM
After a telephone conference today with the auditors who'll be visiting us next month (one from the HQ in Raleigh, NC, the other a native of Hungary, with an accent as if you'd multiply Londo Mollari with Bride of Dracula) I commented that Jerry (VP of internal audit) had a slight southern accent.

Colleague: "He's from Raleigh, though."
Me: "Yeah, like I said."
Colleague: "That's not the South, is it? It's more like in the middle."
Me: "It's south of Virginia. You know that Virginia was part of the Confederacy, right?"
Other colleague: "You sit at my table on quiz night [at the Aussie pub] tomorrow. I'll buy you a beer."

I'm guessing that we had a slight misunderstanding, me meaning South as in Ex-Confederacy, and she meant south as in geographic location (vs. north, east, west).

What's the modern definition of "The South" these days? :unsure:
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ulmont

#1
April 20, 2009, 12:32:42 PM Last Edit: April 20, 2009, 12:35:55 PM by ulmont
It depends on who you ask.  Living in Georgia, I have always included the following states:

Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Everything north of there is weird, and Florida is its own special animal.  Virginia in particular is damn near to DC, so it can't possibly be the south.

The Census Bureau has the following definition:

QuoteThe South region includes the South Atlantic division: Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia; the East South Central division: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; and the West South Central division: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
http://www.census.gov/popest/geographic/estimates_geography.html

Valmy

#2
April 20, 2009, 12:55:12 PM
QuoteWest South Central division: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas

Oklahoma?!  Part of the South?  It is a Great Plains state.

Texas is a weird place since the Eastern part definitely has some Southern qualities but the West is very Western.  It even uses Mountain Time.
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charliebear

#3
April 20, 2009, 12:56:31 PM
South begins at the Michigan/Ohio border.  That's all "down south" to us.  Then there's "really down south" and of course "deep south."

Barrister

#4
April 20, 2009, 01:00:24 PM Last Edit: April 20, 2009, 01:08:39 PM by Barrister
Quote from: charliebear on April 20, 2009, 12:56:31 PM
South begins at the Michigan/Ohio border.  That's all "down south" to us.  Then there's "really down south" and of course "deep south."

Pfft.

Everyone in Yukon knows that the "south" starts at 60 degrees latitude. :rolleyes:
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Eddie Teach

#5
April 20, 2009, 01:00:46 PM
Quote from: ulmont on April 20, 2009, 12:32:42 PM
It depends on who you ask.  Living in Georgia, I have always included the following states:

Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Everything north of there is weird, and Florida is its own special animal.  Virginia in particular is damn near to DC, so it can't possibly be the south.

I'd throw in Virginia, Arkansas, and Florida north of Orlando.
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ulmont

#6
April 20, 2009, 01:06:04 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 20, 2009, 01:00:46 PM
I'd throw in Virginia, Arkansas, and Florida north of Orlando.

If you must.  I still have my doubts about Virginia, and I wouldn't go any further south than Gainesville in Florida (maybe Ocala).

Savonarola

#7
April 20, 2009, 01:08:55 PM
The south is anywhere people don't care that Jimmy cracks corn.   :(
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Eddie Teach

#8
April 20, 2009, 01:21:59 PM
Quote from: ulmont on April 20, 2009, 01:06:04 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 20, 2009, 01:00:46 PM
I'd throw in Virginia, Arkansas, and Florida north of Orlando.

If you must.  I still have my doubts about Virginia, and I wouldn't go any further south than Gainesville in Florida (maybe Ocala).

Virginia's as Southern as North Carolina. Heck, at least they care more about college football than college basketball.
To sleep, perchance to dream. But in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

Admiral Yi

#9
April 20, 2009, 01:28:13 PM
Virginia south of the 703 aea code.  West Virginia: ambiguous.  Then the Ohio River line.  The part of Missouri where they say Missourah.  Arkansas.  Maybe east Texas.

The Brain

#10
April 20, 2009, 01:30:08 PM
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Barrister

#11
April 20, 2009, 01:31:06 PM
How many times must I say it?

If you're in North America and you're not in Alaska, Yukon, NWT or Nunavut, you're a damn dirty southerner. :contract:
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Admiral Yi

#12
April 20, 2009, 01:32:03 PM
Quote from: Barrister on April 20, 2009, 01:31:06 PM
How many times must I say it?

If you're in North America and you're not in Alaska, Yukon, NWT or Nunavut, you're a damn dirty southerner. :contract:
You must say it 8 more times.

dps

#13
April 20, 2009, 01:41:08 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on April 20, 2009, 01:28:13 PM
Virginia south of the 703 aea code.  West Virginia: ambiguous.  Then the Ohio River line.  The part of Missouri where they say Missourah.  Arkansas.  Maybe east Texas.

The south is anywhere people commonly eat grits;  therefore West Virginia is not part of the south.

Grey Fox

#14
April 20, 2009, 01:43:03 PM
At the freaking Line.
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