Connecticut and Vermont are my home states [born in CT raised a little in both states] They both come with some stereotypical euphemisms that I must say are not too far off from the truth. Vermont is known as being a liberal, democratic, free spirited, hippy-esque, granola, crunchy sort of place. I love that aspect about it, I also love that when you wave to someone in VT they actually wave back with no strings attached. genuine.
Connecticut is another dem state in my opinion, but Nutmeggers are known as being a little snooty, rich, hoity, highfalutin… Growing up in the eastern shore, I see alot of the more wealthy yankees with rich family roots in the ground. Not especially kind to one another, and good luck passing a pubic highschool budget in a predominantly wealthy, upper-class, over 65 boroughs.
So what are the regionalisms where you are from? How about you Californians, or the folks from Tennessee?
I grew up in Idaho, so it’s basically assumed I’m either the daughter of a potato farmer or a corn farmer (this is from people who confuse Idaho with Iowa. and it’s totally not true. I’m the granddaugther of a patato farmer.) We’re seen as backward, rednecked, and hick. All stereotypes aside, the state is generally pretty right leaning (except for parts of Northern Idaho and Boise.) People tend to be pretty practical as well, especially outside Boise. Oh and I swear half the state owns either a white suburban or a red pickup.
Does your state’s recent reputation for being the spawning ground for crazy separatist militias at least mix things up for you? As a Kentuckian, I face many of the same stereotypes that you do; sometimes I really wouldn’t mind if my state became known for, say, producing bloodthirsty serial killers – at least it would be different!
I live in south Louisiana, right on the Bayou Teche. However, this does not mean I live in the swamp. Picture a good sized creek running behind my manicured back yard. Also, I have a postgraduate degree and have no trace of a Cajun accent.
However, my neighbors do speak with a Cajun accent. I asked one if he was “from around here” (duh!), and he replied, “No, I’m from da udder side of da bayou.” Cool guy, great neighbor.
I was going to just put stereotypes…but I’ve heard so many derrogatory things from people about regional associations, I was hoping someone could come up with some good euphemisms for these derrogatory sayings.
I understand, believe me. Born in Louisiana (Natchitoches), lived there until I was 13.
No accent - moving to the West as an adolesent gave me ample reason to drop it. I’m not Cajun. I’m not some stuck-up poofy dress wearing Scarlet O’Hara. Like you, I have never lived in swamp.
Cliches I can’t deny: Some of my family are racists rednecks that live in trailers. We’re a little bit inbred (A few great-great grandfolks had a lot of kids by various partners. We didn’t know cousins ended up married until someone drew it out!) I have eaten some unusual things, squirrles, crawfish, wild turkey, unidentified protein. “Quite whining and eat!”
When I lived in Wisconsin and told people I was relocating to Orlando, FL they all asked me if I was going to be working for Disney as if they were the only employer in the area.
Once I was in Florida and told people I was from Wisconsin they all asked if I grew up on a farm.
I had a cousin who is half Native American Eskimo and grew up in Kotzebue, Alaska move in with us in Milwaukee to attend high school. She was nervous about attending school because she thought there was a prejudice against Eskimos in the lower 49.
I live in and grew up in Jersey. We have a bunch. Most false, some true.
>> "You from Jersey? What exit do you live by?”
This is mostly true of Jersey residents, though of course not universal.
>> We all speak as if we were all raised in Joisey City.
Not at all true, the Joisey accent exists, but is not heard in most of the state.
>> Jersey Girls are something special, brassier and sexier at the same time.
Well of course that part is true. Love me them Jersey Girls.
>> We all know someone in the Mob or at least a friend of a friend.
This is not true, but I did know some, but they lived in NYC and are long gone now.
>> NJ is a manufacturing cesspool.
This is not true at all. We still have some regions that are, but a very small part of the state. We also have the vast Pinelands region, The Jersey Shore, Mountains and many suburban towns where the deer still roam our backyards.
Don’t you New Jersey people all love Bon Jovi?
You know, the same way everyone from Philly loves Bruce Springsteen and everyone from Minneapolis loves Prince.
Actually most Jersey people between ages 35-50 do like Bruce, if over 70 Sinatra. Bon Jovi, is popular, but nothing compared to what Sinatra was and Bruce is. I never heard the Philly connection to Bruce before. Is that really common?
For the record I have seen Bruce at the Pony, at the Clearwater Festival and at the Garden State Art center all where he just showed up to Jam. I have never been to one of his concerts.
I like Bruce a lot, same with Sinatra. Bon Jovi is mostly popular with ‘Jersey Girls’ of a certain age. I am thinking 30-40 year olds.
you’d think it would, but seperatist militias are all backwoods righties, so it fits with the stereotype; it’s just an extreme version of it. Basically, we are all believed to be worse then red-necks: Nazis. My husband encountered African Americans in Georgia who swore they would never want to live in Idaho because of how racist the state is. :dubious: In fact, Idaho is not any more backward on race issues than any other state. We’re not perfect, but we certainly aren’t all running around with our heads shaved either.
We’re secretly working on shipping out all the sepratists to Montana.
I’m from Canada, so naturally, I must speak French (Gagnez! Cornichons. A Chacun A Son Gout), have Eskimos for friends (uh, nope, never even seen one), and know Bob (as in, “You’re from Canada? Do you know Bob?”)
The worst: we’re a buch of night-ridin’ KKK-ers, or Jeff Foxworthy’s cast off kinfolks, or dumb-as-mud sharecroppers.
I’ve had people ask me if we have electricity in Mississippi. We do! We just run a big 'xtention cord over to Alabama …
Anyway, some things are closer to the truth - our rich musical heritage for example.
P.S. Phlosphr: I have a cousin in Middlebury. We went to visit him one time and his kids followed my son around for two days just so they could call someone “Bubba”
Two fair-sized bastions of liberality exist here in the two college towns, Missoula and Bozeman. Otherwise, we (collectively, not personally) vote Republican, go to church on Sundays or at least on Christmas and Easter, live on huge ranch spreads, ride horses, herd cattle, grow wheat, bear arms, fish and hunt for actual food & not just sport, go into town once a month for our supplies, and drink a lot of regional beer, all of which was good enough for our parents and grandparents, and good enough for YOU, too, dammit!
I love this state. You’re 5 minutes from wilderness even in the largest town, you can breathe great, fresh, unpolluted air, there are no crowds & loads of excellent back roads with unspoiled views and free-range animals, life is for the most part affordable, schools are good, water is clean.
But it’s probably not a great leap to imagine why I am moving from Billings, the most conservative town imaginable, to Bozeman in the very near future.
Love me them Jersey Girls.