# If you are from the South you already know these... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 15, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980 "2004-08-15T19:38:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/1 "2004-08-15T19:38:33Z")
These have been around awhile here but I thought others might not have heard them…ways you can spot a fellow Southerner: 🙂 We can say anything we want about someone if we preface it with: “Bless her/his heart…” 🙂 We feel free to eat off each other’s plate. 🙂 We “announce” when we go to the bathroom. God forbid you should leave someone’s company for anything less important. My daughter (a native Atlantan – aren’t too many of those) spent 5 years in New York in grad school and made some of the best friends of her life. Sometimes our differences can create a better bond than our similarities. It occurred to me that there are so many fun people here on these boards that I wanted to know more about how you are unique, special, fun. I have a couple more _Southern_ things to share…not by any shot all-inclusive and with the disclaimer that I only speak for myself and my Southerness. 🙂 We don’t mean to invade your space but we love to HUG people. We are really inviting you into our space. There are even degress of hugging. Old friends you hug really tightly and if you haven’t seen them in awhile you pull them to you a couple of times during the hug and keep touching them after the hug. If they are a new friend or someone you are just meeting (yes we hug people we just met) it is quick and short. 🙂 We do say _ya’ll_ , even when years of public speaking has just about beat it out of us…we still know when to use it. 🙂 We still (sometimes) get dressed up to go shopping…I’ve wondered about that one, but we do. Hey, I find more stuff to buy when I’m “dressed up”…and we call it “dressed up.” Like I say, these are only my fun Southern things…if you are from the South too feel free to add to the list or disagree…regardless of where you are from… \*Tell us about yourself and your area and how you might be different…special…fun…unique… \* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/2 "2004-08-15T19:53:28Z")
I’m 22 and was born and raised in Tennessee and: I have never said “Bless \_\_\_\_\_'s heart”; the only person’s plate I feel reasonably free to eat off of is my mother’s and even then, I ask before getting anything; I only hug those that I’m close to… I like my space; I do _not_ say y’all or ain’t or anything else along those lines; and I do not get dressed up except for occasions that call for it, like a wedding or a date. The only thing on there that’s even remotely true is that I do needlessly announce that I’m going to use the bathroom. I never thought about it before but now, thinking back, I do do it fairly often. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/3 "2004-08-15T20:20:20Z")
About the only Southerness that I think I “fit” is the fact that I regularly use “ya’ll” and I don’t say “ill” words (ill, pill, hill, mill, etc.) correctly. Oh yeah, sometimes I say “co-cola” (but intentionally, when I want to make people laugh). But in terms of behavior, I’m a generic American. I’m not bothered by this. I’m a native Atlantan (a true one since I grew up in the city proper…westsiiiiide), and I think this explains why I’m not really all that Southern. Atlanta is a very cosmopolitan city now. Despite it’s geography–and the fact that the state of Georgia is very Deep South–I don’t think Atlanta is the quintessential southern town anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/4 "2004-08-15T20:26:57Z")
When someone from up North (a Yankee) comes to the South to visit, you are very polite to his or her face but secretly feel very uncomfortable around them because of their strange ways and offputting manners. You also wonder what they really want. Is another round of carpetbagging about to begin? ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/5 "2004-08-15T20:42:24Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > When someone from up North (a Yankee) comes to the South to visit, you are very polite to his or her face but secretly feel very uncomfortable around them because of their strange ways and offputting manners. You also wonder what they really want. Is another round of carpetbagging about to begin? Not my experience, **Shagnasty** and I hope a round of carpetbagging does not ensue. Certainly was not my intent. This was intended to be fun…tried to make that clear…guess I failed ☹ I have always lived in _pretty much downtown_ Atlanta…I see the skyline from my back deck…so I understand how different it is from much of Georgia…but I still embrace both. This was meant to be taken a little lighter than it appears to have been taken :dubious: . ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/6 "2004-08-15T21:00:07Z")
Well, sweetheart they ain’t got a clue then what it’s like to be raised in an old southern family. And yes ma’m them old ladies can cut ya to the bone with a snide remark and follow it up with “bless her heart”, and everybody’ll smile. They mighta just called her a slut in little old lady code 😉 but if ya say “god bless 'em” after, what ya gonna do. It’s still yes ma’m and no sir and you always shake another man’s hand…firmly. Don’t wear your hat in the house. Offer a lady your chair. Generally we do hug a lot. And dominoes can be played for days around here. I especially like a 42 and iced tea with real sugar in a tall mason jar. and **pie we love pie I like pecan pie best.** 🙂 How’s that sweetie er smartini…more like what ya wanted to hear? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/7 "2004-08-15T21:21:00Z")
Just curious, **smartini**. Where do you live? ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/8 "2004-08-15T21:41:48Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > I have always lived in pretty much downtown Atlanta…I see the skyline from my back deck… No smartass intent here **monstro**. Is this what you’re asking? Or perhaps you wanted a street address. ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/9 "2004-08-15T21:49:42Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Just curious, **smartini**. Where do you live? :rolleyes: Well, **monstro** , I guess my foot lives in my mouth, at least for now. The rest of me…what’s left … lives in downtown Atlanta. Live and learn. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/10 "2004-08-15T21:51:49Z")
> [@](#): > > We don’t mean to invade your space but we love to HUG people. We are really inviting you into our space. There are even degress of hugging. Old friends you hug really tightly and if you haven’t seen them in awhile you pull them to you a couple of times during the hug and keep touching them after the hug. If they are a new friend or someone you are just meeting (yes we hug people we just met) it is quick and short. It’s not just southerners. Many girls at my school (SF Bay Area) hug people in greeting all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/11 "2004-08-15T21:52:51Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > These have been around awhile here but I thought others might not have heard them…ways you can spot a fellow Southerner: > > 🙂 We can say anything we want about someone if we preface it with: “Bless her/his heart…” Never said it in 41 years. Have only heard it rarely > [@](#): > > 🙂 We feel free to eat off each other’s plate. Have never done this, either. I have manners. I’ve never encountered it, either. > [@](#): > > 🙂 We “announce” when we go to the bathroom. God forbid you should leave someone’s company for anything less important. Again, nope. I just excuse myself. > [@](#): > > 🙂 We don’t mean to invade your space but we love to HUG people. I’m beginning to doubt if I’ve been living in the South for the last 41 years. > [@](#): > > 🙂 We do say _ya’ll_ , even when years of public speaking has just about beat it out of us…we still know when to use it. Well, you got me. I will say this once in a while. > [@](#): > > 🙂 We still (sometimes) get dressed up to go shopping…I’ve wondered about that one, but we do. Hey, I find more stuff to buy when I’m “dressed up”…and we call it “dressed up.” Nope. I like to say, “I’m from the South, but I’m not a Southerner”. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/12 "2004-08-15T22:04:11Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > :rolleyes: Well, **monstro** , I guess my foot lives in my mouth, at least for now. The rest of me…what’s left … lives in downtown Atlanta. Live and learn. > > 🙂 Oops. I didn’t see that. I’m not really a stalker. Promise! (I grew up not that far from downtown, in the West End.) ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/13 "2004-08-15T22:12:06Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Oops. I didn’t see that. I’m not really a stalker. Promise! > > (I grew up not that far from downtown, in the West End.) No problem, **monstro** , I didn’t think you were a stalker 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/14 "2004-08-15T22:29:53Z")
I guess Texas isn’t quite south enough for this thread…see y’all later. I think I’m gonna get dressed and go to the store for a bit. Be back later. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/15 "2004-08-15T22:34:20Z")
> [@smartini](#): > > Not my experience, **Shagnasty** and I hope a round of carpetbagging does not ensue. Certainly was not my intent. This was intended to be fun…tried to make that clear…guess I failed ☹ > > I have always lived in _pretty much downtown_ Atlanta…I see the skyline from my back deck…so I understand how different it is from much of Georgia…but I still embrace both. > > This was meant to be taken a little lighter than it appears to have been taken :dubious: . This was supposed to be taken lightly too. I am as Southern as the snow is white (I am from very rural Louisiana). However, my wife is from Massachusetts. When we got engaged, I heard more than one family member a whisper a little concern even though I know that they love her. I have lived with her in Massachusetts for 9 years now. I went back to my hometown for the first time in 13 years this summer. While everyone was great, I could tell that they didn’t know what to make of someone that moved to Boston. They commented on my clothes, my accent (lack of Southern accent), and my fancy big-city job. It was almost exactly like the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Of course, it goes ways. I get anti-southern comments up here all the time. I generally just write them off as jealousy. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/16 "2004-08-15T22:40:51Z")
I got guns and coon dogs and trucks and stuff, but all y’all want to talk about is shoppin’ and downtown Hot-lanta, which place there ain’t no use in goin’ to unless Auburn is playin ball there so maybe I’ll jest drink a few shots of ‘shine and take me a little Sunday evenin’ nap… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/17 "2004-08-15T22:43:46Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > This was supposed to be taken lightly too. I am as Southern as the snow is white (I am from very rural Louisiana). However, my wife is from Massachusetts. When we got engaged, I heard more than one family member a whisper a little concern even though I know that they love her. I have lived with her in Massachusetts for 9 years now. > > I went back to my hometown for the first time in 13 years this summer. While everyone was great, I could tell that they didn’t know what to make of someone that moved to Boston. They commented on my clothes, my accent (lack of Southern accent), and my fancy big-city job. It was almost exactly like the movie Sweet Home Alabama. > > Of course, it goes ways. I get anti-southern comments up here all the time. I generally just write them off as jealousy. Thanks for coming back with these comments, **Shagnasty** , I really didn’t mean to open a Pandora’s Box :smack: Love your last sentence. May I borrow it? ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/18 "2004-08-15T23:49:10Z")
N.B.–These are my southern stereotypes, as evidenced by being born, and living more than half my life in Louisiana. You go to “town” when you go to the store. A grocery cart is a buggy (I don’t call them that. I call them carts, as is right and proper 🙂 ) Once she passes the age of 21, a woman is an old maid, and probably a lesbian to boot–y’all better get down to the church and pray that she finds her a man. When people move north of the Mason-Dixon line, they are dead to you and should be mourned accordingly. I’m only half serious. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![J.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@J.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J.Me)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/19 "2004-08-16T01:45:30Z")
I moved to Texas from the mid-west when I was nine. I was uncomfortable calling my teachers “ma’am” and “sir” for a year, or so, though I was told that to do otherwise was DISRESPECTFUL. My biggest hurdle was that my little friends’ parents expected me to call them “Miss Linda” and “Mr. Bill” (or whatever). Anything other than “Mr. and Mrs. LastName” just went against my grain! But now? I say “Howdy!” to everyone whose path I cross. To do otherwise would be WEIRD. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980/20 "2004-08-16T02:15:44Z")
> [@](#): > > **Monstro** : I don’t say “ill” words (ill, pill, hill, mill, etc.) correctly. I will bet that you do say them correctly. You probably say them in a Southern dialect which is just as correct as any other dialect. Don’t buy into those old notions of dialectical superiority. **John Carter** , you have finally said the magic word that makes everything go soft and glittery – _ **Auburn** _. **WAR EAGLE!!!** Now _that’s_ a Southern thing… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-from-the-south-you-already-know-these/259980.md?page=2)