# (Derogatory) Regional Stereotypes Around the Globe **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538 "2010-01-03T20:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Scruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruff)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/21 "2010-01-04T01:12:38Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > A German friend once told me, after I’d praised a Bavarian, that Bavarians are the missing link between humans and Italians. When I lived in Bavaria (back in the very late 70s), the line I heard was that Bavarians were God’s attempt to make Prussians out of Austrians. 😃 A Two-fer! ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/22 "2010-01-04T01:30:11Z")
In the UAE the equivalent of Alabama is Sharjah - people from there are just seen as a bit odd and backwards. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/23 "2010-01-04T02:30:42Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > In Wisconsin we have a word/acronym for people from Illinois…FIB. Usually in reference to their driving. We also call 'em _Illino-yances_. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/24 "2010-01-04T02:48:59Z")
Maybe off-topic, but when I lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico, I heard this saying: [ul] [li]People in southern New Mexico are eager to see the United States collapse, so their part of the state can return to Mexico.[/li][li]People in eastern New Mexico are eager to see the United States collapse, so their part of the state can return to Texas.[/li][li]People in northern New Mexico are eager to see both the United States and Mexico collapse, so their part of the state can return to Spain.[/li][li]People in western New Mexico are waiting for the United States to collapse, so they can finally use their survivalist supplies and weapon cache.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/25 "2010-01-04T02:53:32Z")
Dumb-hick regional stereotypes that I’ve heard of in other countries: Danes: Jutlanders Iranians: Azeris Indians: Punjabis Dutch: Frieslanders (? really? I’ve heard that Frieslanders are traditionally rather dour and puritanical, but dumb hicks?) ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/26 "2010-01-04T03:18:23Z")
In Minnesota, it is people from Iowa who are considered ignorant hicks. In Austin, Texas, we told Aggie Jokes which were considered PC acceptable. Aggies are people who went to Texas A&M in College Station, Texas vs. people like us who went to the University of Texas in Austin. Aggie jokes are actually told all over Texas. Why all the other colleges tell Aggie jokes,yet there are no Rice Jokes or SMU jokes or Texas Tech jokes is rather strange. This probably has something to do with Texas A&M’s location in College Station. Austin where the University of Texas is located is a large urban and culturally active town. There is a large music and art scene there. College Station is a small town that doesn’t even sell beer. (update: I believe College Station is now wet). As an Aggie friend of mine joked: What does an Aggie do for fun in College Station? Take the first bus to Austin. What does a Hippie do to get stoned in College Station? Take one step out the door. The other thing that makes A&M unique is its Cadet Corp. Texas A&M merged with the Texas Military Institute early on in its history. A&M is not a military school, but the Cadet Corp is like a fraternity. Imagine if the University of Virginia merged with the Virginia Military Institute. There is no longer a military organization to campus. You don’t have the uniforms, etc. However, a small group of kids still dress up in uniforms and march around. Even people in Texas A&M mock the Cadet Corp. My favorite Aggie joke: Texas A&M: Where men are men and sheep are nervous. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/27 "2010-01-04T18:17:34Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > In Wisconsin we have a word/acronym for people from Illinois…FIB. Usually in reference to their driving. We also use FIB here in West Michigan- in reference to driving and building ostentatious cottages that block everyone else’s view. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/28 "2010-01-04T18:47:19Z")
Alright … I’ll bite. What does “FIB” mean? I’ve already made up a few possible meanings, but I want to make sure I get it right. And to contribute to the thread, here in Kansas, if we see a person driving badly (especially in rain or snow), the general comment is that they must be from Missouri. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/29 "2010-01-04T18:54:12Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > Alright … I’ll bite. What does “FIB” mean? I’ve already made up a few possible meanings, but I want to make sure I get it right. F\*cking Illinois Bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/30 "2010-01-04T19:00:25Z")
Loads in the UK: To the English, Scots are seen as tightfisted and dour. To the Scots, its Aberdonians that are tightfisted and dour. To Southern English, Northerners are seen as barbarians who speak funny, keep pigeons, wear flatcaps and drink bitter. To Northerners, Southerners are seen as effeminate homosexuals. To those west of the Pennines, Yorkshiremen are seen as stupid, and overly proud of their county (there’s a minority independent Yorkshire political movement!): _Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred, Strong in’th arm, Thick in’th ead_ Norfolk’s also a butt of many jokes in the UK, as they have a stereotype of being inbred. The Welsh (and Aberdonians) are mocked for being sheep shaggers. There’s many others (e.g. the Glaswegian stereotype of Edinburgh residents, and vice versa). ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/31 "2010-01-04T19:14:34Z")
Of course, it all depends. In Canada, depending on how offensive you want to get… In the west they make fun of Ukrainians - since they were the visible minority during the settlement of the prairies after 1900. Everyone makes fun of Toronto. Quebeckers are all “pepsi” (Like the pepsi bottle - empty from the neck up) and so inbred that a virgin is defined as “someone who can run faster than her brothers”. There’s a strong dislike in some population egments, especially for the immigrants from south asia. The west coast (BC) is more and more like California - what ain’t fruits and nuts is flakes. In todays world of PC, there is a lot less of this crap now - or rather, it’s more underground. The difference is that the newfies have a strong local heritage - they were a spearate country until 1949, and they still revel in their differences. I’m surprised nobody mentioned Polish jokes, since that was a favourite in the USA a few decades ago. The Two Ronnies had the Yorkshire men skit; “I’m from the third world - Yorkshire”. Plus Monty Python had the 4 yorkshiremen skit. I imagine there are negative stereotypes about anywhere considered more backward, and the more different or threatening a group is, the stronger the negative images. And from the edamples above, anything offensive is usually portable enough to be applied to many other groups. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/32 "2010-01-04T19:28:41Z")
Judging from a South African jokebook I have, the S.A. equivalent of rednecks are Free Staters. Some of the jokes were word-for-word the same as jokes about Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/33 "2010-01-04T19:34:08Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Everytime I’ve visited Canada I’ve noticed that jokes about people from the Prairies (Saskatchewan seems to be the default) are exactly similar to U.S. jokes about people from the Midwest – they’re friendly but unsophisticated and slow on the uptake. > \ You can imagine how thrilled I was when the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost the Grey Cup due to not being able to count how many men were on the field.:smack::smack::smack: Thanks for helping dispel the stereotypes, guys! ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/34 "2010-01-04T21:19:59Z")
When I was living in New Hampshire, my cousins used to joke about “flatlanders” - folks who didn’t know nothing from nothing because they lived in the city and had no survival smarts. I did a google on flatlander, and was surprised that it was used in a lot of places. For those not getting the reference, “flatlanders” are people who only know how to drive on straight, flat roads - not the curvy, hilly roads often found in the mountains. In the parts of NH my cousins were from, that made you a sissy. I grew up on the Atlantic Coast in an ocean city. About the worst thing we would call you is a tourist. ---
**Author:** ![UncleFred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@UncleFred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleFred)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/35 "2010-01-04T22:08:34Z")
> [@Croquantes](#): > > In Hawaii they joke about the portuguese. No one seems to know why though. I believe there was an influx of Portuguese to work the in sugar industry. Whoever’s there first often make fun of those who arrive later. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/36 "2010-01-04T22:21:03Z")
In Europe (well, in France and Russia, anyway) the word “Chicago” equals “organized crime”. I went to grad school in Urbana, and when any of my peers went to Russia, mention of our university’s proximity to Chicago would stop the conversation cold. Likewise, a coworker of mine once dropped by a friend’s workplace in Paris. When informed that the friend wasn’t there, my coworker replied: “OK. Tell hiim Glen from Chicago is looking for him.” To hear Glen tell the story, you could have heard a pin drop. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/37 "2010-01-04T22:28:55Z")
The most transferrable ethnic joke = “Why do \ stink? So blind people can hate them too.” The least transferrable ethnic joke= “How did newfies end up in Newfoundland? A bunch of French-Canadians were playing hockey on the St Lawrence and some got a breakaway…” ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/38 "2010-01-04T22:56:19Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Although less commonly held than in the past , there is still in Canada a rather bigoted stereotype about people from the province of [Newfoundland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_and_Labrador). Specifically, the prototypical “[Newfie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfie)” is held to be ignorant, stupid, and lazy. “Newfie” jokes are common but, in these more PC times, seemingly less so than they used to be. That being said, there is no shortage of [Newfie joke sites](http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=yfp-t-701-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF8&rd=r2&p=newfie%20jokes) (with, FWIW, 180,000 hits on a Yahoo search). My wife is from Newfoundland (we live in the U.S. now). I can attest that they (Newfoundlanders) get a bit touchy about this. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/39 "2010-01-04T23:13:16Z")
In Montana, people make fun of North Dakotans, like this: A North Dakotan decides to go ice fishing. He finds a good spot on the ice and starts to drill a hole. Suddenly a big booming voice rings out: “NORTH DAKOTAN! THERE ARE NO FISH DOWN THERE!!!” The North Dakotan is surprised, but sets off to find another likely spot, and starts to drill another hole. Again, the big booming voice cries out: “NORTH DAKOTAN! THERE ARE NO FISH DOWN THERE!!!” The North Dakotan is a little startled, but looks around for a better spot. Even before he starts to drill a hole, he hears the big booming voice: “NORTH DAKOTAN! THERE ARE NO FISH DOWN THERE!!!” “OK”, the North Dakotan calls out. “But who are you, anyway? God?” “NO” says the big, booming voice, “I’M THE ARENA MANAGER.” ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538/40 "2010-01-04T23:19:15Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > To those west of the Pennines, Yorkshiremen are seen as stupid, and overly proud of their county (there’s a minority independent Yorkshire political movement!): > > _Yorkshire born, Yorkshire bred, > Strong in’th arm, > Thick in’th ead_ There’s also a stereotype of Yorkshiremen as wily, self-absorbed, and tightfisted: _Hear all, see all, Say nowt. Eat all, drink all, Pay nowt. And if thou ever does owt for nowt, Allus do it for thysen._ This might be self-styled, though. Note: I had thought that the “Irish = stupid” thing had died out here in the UK, but my brother-in-law told a few crap jokes with that setup this Christmas. “The Irish pilot was landing his plane and said ‘Jaysus, that’s the shortest runway I’ve ever seen!’ His copilot replied ‘Yes, but sure it’s also the widest!’” :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/derogatory-regional-stereotypes-around-the-globe/523538.md?page=3)