Horrible attitude from the letter writer

[PeasNCues]

I think one of the reasons it carries over is because there is a huge cultural divide between the dixies (of which I am a part) and the yankees. How many times have people posted on here that the people in the south are overly familiar? That's part of the culture- part of their pattern of behavior which is to treat everyone as a "darling" or "sugar" or "dear" (as long as they are not a yankee  ). Where as in in the north, it is more acceptable to give a respectful distance, not familiarity. In this south, this is considered rude and a rejection - so we reject the whole area for it  (only joking - I don't hold with this nonsense - we're all Americans!!).

But, familiarity is only one of the ways in which the many different areas of the US differ, it is just a bit of a sore spot with the east coast.

But, I can't tell you how many times I've been treated as an ignoramus in the north because I have a little twang in my dialect (I can imagine it is worse for other people because I've had speech lessons to try to minimize the twang since I was young). People immediately dumb it down and talk about how "cute" it is. Gets really annoying when you are on travel for business.

[Drunken Housewife]

I agree, too. The first usage of the word "Yankee" was used in reference to New England. So, the 4 New England states that were original colonies (MA, CT, RI, and NH) are definitely included in "Yankee" territory, as are Maine and Vermont, since they later became New England states shortly after the US became a nation.

And indeed Maine was part of the original colonies:  it was part of Massachusetts. It was ceded from Massachusetts and created as an independent state as part of the Missouri Compromise.  But at the time of the original colonies, geographical Maine was part of those first 13 states (as a subpart of Massachusetts). 

[magician5]

As a Virginian, I'll grandfather y'all in wherever y'all are from ... after all, everyplace is South of someplace else.

[Drunken Housewife]

As a Virginian, I'll grandfather y'all in wherever y'all are from ... after all, everyplace is South of someplace else.

Not Maine, baby; we're at the top of the map, and don't forget it!   Nothing North of us but Canada. 

(Although I live on the West Coast nowadays, I'm not from there).

[afbluebelle]

As a Virginian, I'll grandfather y'all in wherever y'all are from ... after all, everyplace is South of someplace else.

Not Maine, baby; we're at the top of the map, and don't forget it!   Nothing North of us but Canada. 

(Although I live on the West Coast nowadays, I'm not from there).

Alaska?

Completely off the beat, but whenever DH and I do anything business related here in Georgia, I do all of the talking.
 His family is in Florida (he was born there), but from originally from New York... I'm from Colorado, but my father's family is from Arkansas and Texas, and I grew up on a ranch.  My Western twang has melded quite well with the local drawl, and I get a lot of "local" perks and service just because I have a lot more local mannerisms than most of the people that are transplanted here because of the base.  So my Southern born and bred husband gets more grief for being a Yankee than I ever will... This good ole' girl is amused everytime

[HeebyJeebyLeebee]

Luckily, the North South cultural divide seems to be dissolving.  The VAST majority of my family (all from TX and LA) could really give a hoot about it, even with several ancestors serving in the Confederate Army.  About the only true divide I can see is the perspective of the exact controversy that started the war (which is best not debated here). 

Several family members like to tease me for marrying a Yankee, and now marrying another Yankee.  Sweet Pattootie just "defends" himself that he did live in New Orleans for a while. 

Besides, technically, XH is a Midwesterner, and Sweet Pattootie is a Chicagoan (which he teases is a more elite subset of the Midwest).

And while I lived in Chicago, I certainly got teased about being a Texan - sometimes it was rude, usually it was just an awkward tease.  I can't begin to count how many times I've heard "Texas?!  Only steers & (rhymes with steers, starts with a Q) come from Texas!" from Full Metal Jacket.  But I can genuinely say that at worst it was only rude and never truly hateful.

[Auntie Mame]

I think it has nothing to do with being from the North or South.  Or Midwest, or West Coast or planet Zeltan.

Some people just need to feel superior to other people.  That attitude crosses all lines.

[Mrs. Pilgrim]

And while I lived in Chicago, I certainly got teased about being a Texan - sometimes it was rude, usually it was just an awkward tease.  I can't begin to count how many times I've heard "Texas?!  Only steers & (rhymes with steers, starts with a Q) come from Texas!" from Full Metal Jacket.

Well, you could always mention that Chuck Norris lives in Texas. 

[Mediancat]

And while I lived in Chicago, I certainly got teased about being a Texan - sometimes it was rude, usually it was just an awkward tease.  I can't begin to count how many times I've heard "Texas?!  Only steers & (rhymes with steers, starts with a Q) come from Texas!" from Full Metal Jacket.

Well, you could always mention that Chuck Norris lives in Texas. 

I thought the relevant quote was from An Officer and a Gentleman.

[Mopsy428]

I agree, too. The first usage of the word "Yankee" was used in reference to New England. So, the 4 New England states that were original colonies (MA, CT, RI, and NH) are definitely included in "Yankee" territory, as are Maine and Vermont, since they later became New England states shortly after the US became a nation.

And indeed Maine was part of the original colonies:  it was part of Massachusetts. It was ceded from Massachusetts and created as an independent state as part of the Missouri Compromise.  But at the time of the original colonies, geographical Maine was part of those first 13 states (as a subpart of Massachusetts). 

I know. Maine used to be part of MA, but I just meant that the state of Maine was not part of the original colonies.

[BeagleMommy]

You used to see this even in cities.  When my parents were young our city was divided into ethnic neighborhoods.  Here's the break down:

North:  Polish/Hungarian
South:  Irish
East:  German
West:  Italian

When my parents married there was a lot of tsk tsks because my mother hadn't married "a boy from the neighborhood".  My father was born in the North part of the city, but it was a small enclave of Welsh coal miners. 

[HeebyJeebyLeebee]

I'm embarrased to admit Ill've not seen Full Metal Jacket or Officer & A Gentleman, I jus heard that quote waaay to much.

Hee hee! Chuck Norris is the unofficial state Bad bottom.  And th real "Walker, TX Ranger" lives down the road from one of the family ranches. 

[iridaceae]

It's really only the NE Atlantic coastal states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and possibly Pennsylvania though I would exclude Maine. Vermont and New Hampshire fall into my "maybe" category.

 

As a girl from Maine, I can assure you my Southern first husband and his family all universally regarded me as a Yankee.  Why on earth would someone exclude Maine?

Because as a Midwesterner I wouldn't call Maine a Yankee state. It's not a state that pops up when I hear "Yankee".

[PeasNCues]

In my area, everyone from the middle of Virginia up is a Yankee. Northern Virginia is not a term only refering to a geographical area, but also a cultural area. It's very strange.

[Winterlight]

As a Virginian, I'll grandfather y'all in wherever y'all are from ... after all, everyplace is South of someplace else.

I'm an Alaskan- other than parts of Nunavut, Greenland and a bit of Russia, EVERYBODY is a southerner to me!

This can lead to confusion when I refer to someone from Maine  that way.