I do hope you realize that what I just said IS the TRUTH!!!

However, more importantly, I hope you realize that educated citified people from the South - at least my part of the South - do not talk like that. In fact, people all over the place are surprised that I am a native Southerner because I do not sound like the people acting like Southerners on the stage and screen. In fact, my daughter is the third generation to attend the same elementary school - in the South. Probably many more people move into the South than move out.

Rella, reckon we've given Mel an itch?


Me, too, Rella! I ain't but 'bout 300 miles south of you! Been there all my borned days!

You know somethin', Rella? I've been thinkin'! Maybe Mel just doesn't have any idea bout what it's like to be a genuine genteel Southern lady. I mean, she IS from west of the Mighty Mississippi! Po' Mel! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/teary.gif" alt="" /> She's had to grow up in the Wild, Wild West! Maybe she was too busy roundin' up cattle to learn how to REALLY cook!

Po' lil' Mel! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/teary.gif" alt="" />

keep dem 5 star ratings coming in.... we can do it.

Too bad the Chicago principle of "vote early and vote often" cannot be applied to this thread....too bad....

Well, Rella, I think that the influx of Yankees in the South seems to be having an effect on Southern idiom.

I noticed that my niece in Memphis suddenly began pronouncing the word "school" so that it sounded more like "skuul" instead of pronouncing the "long o", which is the proper pronunciation.

The South is indeed a land of culture and beauty. And, no...not everyone uses bad grammar, nor do we all have drawls that are as thick as molasses.

I gotta tell ya', Rella...that if you're a life-long Southerner, you might have assimilated some Yankee pronunciations and changed your accent (perhaps from being around Yankees a lot?), but I would imagine that you DO have a Southern accents. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Maybe it's because people were expecting the exaggerated accents as shown on film and TV.

You'd be surprised at how many of our Northern neighbors think we all dress and talk like the Beverly Hillbillies, along with living in hillbilly shacks. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Now, about Miss Melly! Is she going to join us so she can learn to behave like a proper Southern lady (including learning how to make biscuits), or is she out ropin' calves or turning her skin to leather in the tannin' bed? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

[color:"red"]Yoohoo! Miss Melly! We've come to bump your thread! [/color]

Oops!
<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

"You'd be surprised at how many of our Northern neighbors think we all dress and talk like the Beverly Hillbillies, along with living in hillbilly shacks."

LOL, You mean you're NOT? One of these days I'm going to have to visit down south and check out the progress y'all've been making.

She's lying, believer! YEEHAW! **snort** <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hey, I've been getting inquiries about this accent since my early teen years. People guess I'm from everywhere but here - even native Nashvillians don't believe it.

Miss Believer, you would be more than welcome to come and visit for a spell. The weekend of April 20-22 would be an especially good time to visit where I live, as there will be lots of historical activities going on, and the dogwoods and azaleas should be in full bloom.

One of my inlaws went to visit her best friend, who married a Yankee and moved to Chicago. The friend and her husband decided to drive her back home, as the friend wanted to visit with some of her family. The friend's Yankee mother-in-law decided to come with them, as she had never been down South.

When they were driving through Arkansas, the mother-in-law started commenting: "That lady is dressed nice." "Why, what a beautiful home!" As they drove further South, the mother-in-law suddenly exclaimed, "Well, I NEVER expected to see such nice homes and nicely dressed people!" My in-law asked her, "What did you expect to see?" The mother-in-law said, "Well, I only saw a few shacks and hardly anybody is wearing overalls! I was hoping to see some real hillbillies!" When my in-law inquired further, it transpired that she thought most folks dressed and acted like the Beverly Hillbillies. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

On the other hand, we have some Yankee neighbors who moved down here and bought 5 acres of land, and started envisioning himself as a plantation owner right down to inquiring about how many bales of cotton he might be able to pick off his 5 acres! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Why, Miss Melly! I declare! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> You've gone and accused me of tellin' a falsehood! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> You ought to be ashamed of yourself! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I've never lived in a shack in my life! I even lived in an antebellum mansion for a couple of months! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> I even attended Miss Lucille's Charm School, where I learned to murmur "Now, isn't that nice?" instead of saying, "Well, poo-poop-pi-do! Who gives a $%^#?"

Now, dear. Miss Lucille would certainly find it very unseemly for a lady to yell out "Yee haw!" Tsk, tsk! If you would like, I could ask Miss Lucille if she would be willing to give you a speed course over the internet? I believe she offers a course entitled, "How to be a Steel Magnolia".

You should really listen to Ms. Child about the cooking. A TRUE Southern Lady knows how to make homemade biscuits. The "Whop Biscuits" really are terrible! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

It is nice that you know how to make gravy, but I really don't think it would be very good when served over a properly cut-up but uncooked chicken. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Oh, my! I've bumped you again! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

That gal needs to be b*tch slapped SO BAD!! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

[color:"red"] Nashvillians [/color]

is this a word ?

It will be if you go to Wikipaedia and make an entry.....

Oh lordy, now that was funny. Now you don't really go around calling northerners yankees still, do you? I mean really. "well didn't ya hear, she went and got herself married to a yankee and moved on up to Chicago"

Seriously. Who still calls us yankees, 'cept Mel?

I can make bisquits from scratch. And I Can fry a chicken up like nobodys business to boot!

Crazy southerners anyway.

Moving right along here, in honor of Sunday, and the famous Bible Belt. Here is a foot stompin, butt shaking, hand clapping fine, fine tune.

BROTHER LOVE'S TRAVELING SALVATION SHOW
Neil Diamond
Written by Neil Diamond

Hot August night
And the leaves hanging down
And the grass on the ground smelling sweet
Move up the road
To the outside of town
And the sound of that good gospel beat
Sits a ragged tent
Where there ain't no trees
And that gospel group
Telling you and me

It's Love
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
Grab the old ladies
Everyone goes
Everyone knows
Brother Love's show

Room gets suddenly still
And when you'd almost bet
You could hear yourself sweat, he walks in
Eyes black as coal
And when he lifts his face
Every ear in the place is on him

Starting soft and slow
Like a small earthquake
And when he lets go
Half the valley shakes

It's Love, Love
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
Grab the old ladies
Everyone goes
Everyone knows
Brother Love's show

Sermon

Take my hand in yours
Walk with me this day
In my heart, I know
I will never stray
Halle, halle, halle, halle, halle, halle, halle


It's Love, Love
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
Pack up the babies
Grab the old ladies
Everyone goes
Everyone knows
Brother Love's show
Amen

Mel, obviously, needs to study her southern culture. Nashvillians is a word. As is Tennesseans.

However, I am still unsure what they call people from Maine....are the Maniacs?

Yeah, and people from Paris are known as Parasites.....

My Texan friends tell me that a Northerner visiting the South is a Yankee, but if he/she decides to stay there he/she turns into a DAMN Yankee....
Chicagoans are a lot more polite, rather than call them damn Southerners, we welcome them....

I don't believe they are more polite, having lived in both places. But, I think you are missing the humor in the term "damnyankees." It is said tongue in cheek with affection and humor, not malice.

I know that, ML. At least in my case I know it is true. Some of my best friends live in Houston and one of them takes every Aggie joke I throw at him with a wide grin.... Humor goes both ways. If you dish it out, you need to learn to take it and we are pretty much even on that one. I never felt that I was not welcome anywhere in the South, but then again, some people can be good actors.... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That's cuz y'all like to hear us talk! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I hate to admit that I agree with Mel about something; but, yeah, we do look upon most of our damnyankee neighbors with affection.

Well, maybe we're not crazy about one or two of 'em, but then, we're not crazy about all our native Southern neighbors, either. Usually, it's because, whether from the North or South, they're "just eat up with it", meaning that they think they're somehow superior to others. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Oh, and we don't mind being called "rednecks" one bit! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I just don't get how you NORTHERN hemisphere people THINK you are southerners????

And lest anyone forget, the SOUTH LOST THE WAR already.

You hit it right on the head, Scarlet !!!!!!!! A woman with that Southern drawl would make even the proudest Yankee give a damn, as ML's example proved !