Just out of curiosity

[TrickyNicky]

So I've been wondering for awhile a question that has caused me a great deal of thought.
I moved from my home state of Ca to Nashville last April and really like it out here, the people are great, the food rocks, the gun laws are obviously a huge improvement, and I just prefer the living in general.

So when if ever do I officially change from Yankee to good old boy? Is it even possible? Am I thus branded for life?

I've always had a distaste for most aspects of big city living and most of the people doing it and where I come from was always considered a bit "country" but out here I guess I just fit in. For the most part.

Maybe I can be Yankee by birth, Southern by the grace of god? Or, the grace of common sense? Edited November 27, 2012 by TrickyNicky

[Spots]

When you pick up your accent and natural slang to the point that California people can no longer understand anymore than half what you say. When I first got stationed in San Diego, I had to repeat myself very often....

[Troutburger]

You've just gone from a Yankee to a damn Yankee. Fortunately there are integration programs....

damn yankee

A yankee who moves South because of the warmer climate and friendly people, and decides to stay. (As opposed to regular yankees who return home because they like crappy food and weather cold enough to cause death).

[NRA]

Coming from Cal? I am not sure that even qualifies you as being a Yankee

[BrasilNuts]

People from California aren't Yankees, they're just weird. There are rednecks and good ole boys in every state in the union. IMHO what makes a Yankee a Yankee is a loud mouth and an attitude that the frozen crap hole they're from is superior to Dixie. Not all people from up north have these issues, I know some damn fine people from Ohio and Michigan. They talk funny, but are otherwise great people.

But none of that really applies to you since you are from California.

The next time someone looks at you funny and asks where you're from, just say "California, thank God I was able to escape!"

As long as you don't have an attitude of superiority most people from the South will accept you for who you are and those that wont.... who cares.

If you love the South the South will love you in return. Edited November 27, 2012 by BrasilNuts

[Murgatroy]

It takes the better part of 20 years or more.

When folks no longer ask you where you come from, or where you lived before, you are on the right path.

The stickler in this conversation is the whole California bit.

Unfortunately there is a stigma that comes from that. I ain't never met a normal Californian.

[Dolomite_supafly]

We have meet and I am glad to say you are a fine addition to the state of Tennessee. You are just as normal as anyone else. Every state has their weird people, California and Tennessee are not that far apart in that respect.

As far as the transition to good ole boy from something else it will take a very long time. My father moved here in 1976 and he is still a damn yankee. According to the locals he single handedly ruined the cheap land here, inflated the prices at flea markets and yard sale as well as increased everyone's taxes. Heck, I have been here since I was 6 and I am still seen as an outside among the older people in my area. Just be yourself and you might become one of those good yankees.

Dolomite

[Caster]

I was of the thinking that Yankees came from the north (or Florida) and Californians were more commonly know as pinko commies.

I would wager that the transition from Cali-Commie bastage to good ole boy would be more akin to accepting Christ. First, you must confess that your previous ways were unacceptable and commit in your heart to stand against those filthy values in the face of all odds and opposition. Do that and we can get a bit of moonshine to baptize the sins of californication from you, thus cleansing you and welcoming you into the fold.

[RED333]

I dont care where ya come from, good people are welcome to stay.

[dlm37015]

heck i am from goodlettsville built my house in ashland city in 84 people still ask me you are not from around here are you and i only came 30 miles

[jcoosi]

Pretty sure we refer to californias as damn hippies

[Caster]

[quote name='jcoosi' timestamp='1354022413' post='851232']
Pretty sure we refer to californias as damn hippies
[/quote]

That's a subculture of commies. You have damn hippies, dirty tree huggin hippies, bleeding heart liberals and left wing nuts just to name a few.

[glowdotGlock]

What do ya think about all these trees? Somethin' else ain't it

[MadMarx]

I come from Maine, and up there we are real Yankees, and everybody not from Maine is from "away". Live there for 20 or 30 years and you are still from away.I have been in Chattanooga for 23 years and I am still a Yankee. But I am DEFINITELY not like the people from away like Massachusetts or New York or New Jersey or Connecticut. People from Maine are alot like people from the South.

But to put it in a nutshell as my father told me a long time ago,
[indent=1][b]"You can put a kitten in the oven, but it will never be a biscuit"[/b][/indent]

[indent=1]:-)[/indent]

[10-Ring]

I've lived in Tennessee my whole life. I've met people from all over and I am proud to call them my friends. Treat others as you would like to be treated and you will have no problems in all but the most remote areas of the state.

[jcoosi]

Oh and carpetbaggers is another term used instead of yankee

[Caster]

[quote name='jcoosi' timestamp='1354025492' post='851262']
Oh and carpetbaggers is another term used instead of yankee
[/quote]


Unless they like disco music, then they'd be shagcarpetbaggers. Edited November 27, 2012 by Caster

[1morethan8]

Well... technically California was a Union State during the Civil War. But the people are not the same as the ones in the "northeast corner"... hell, no one is like them! The biggest problem seems to be their "attitude"! Most Yankees have the view that people are out to get them and most of the time, this is not true. Just about all of us "born and raised" in the South have a more "laid-back attitude" than the rest of our Country. We view things in a more humorous way, where a Yankee may view it as a "put-down", or more serious way. Many times it not the way you talk, but the way you "come across" that make people ask... "You're not from around here, is ya?".
Unless you were born and raised here you will never be 100% Southern. Because even if you moved here at an early age, some of your parent's way of seeing things will carry over to you. Sure, after some time here you'll fit right in, but it will take more than a few days.

[TMF]

[quote name='Caster' timestamp='1354018998' post='851210']I was of the thinking that Yankees came from the north (or Florida)

[/quote]

They most certainly do not come from Florida. Floridians can't be held responsible for the legions of New Yorkers, Jersey trash and Michiganders that flock there for tax breaks and warm weather. Trust me, there are more rednecks and good ol' boys in Florida than the state of Georgia and Tennessee combined.

[Steelharp]

This will help; say "Nashville" like a local. We put more emphasis on the first syllable, and say the second like "vul." "NASHvul."

[1morethan8]

Yankees that come from Florida are called "half-backs" here in the eastern mountains. They move to Florida only to discover that many times they're the only ones on their block to speak English. They don't move all the way back to Yankee land... but stop half way back to the Southern mountains!

[JWC]

[quote name='TMF' timestamp='1354026710' post='851276']

They most certainly do not come from Florida. Floridians can't be held responsible for the legions of New Yorkers, Jersey trash and Michiganders that flock there for tax breaks and warm weather. Trust me, there are more rednecks and good ol' boys in Florida than the state of Georgia and Tennessee combined.[/quote]

^There is a lot of truth to this. my wife comes from a long line of real deal crackers.

To me something that differentiates Southernors from others is our use of colorful phrases and symbolism. For instance in the #3 post it really oughta say "cold enough to chap a coons a$$." When you see something you like say "thats slicker than a minners peter." When hungry say "man I'm so hungry i could eat the azz end out of a rag doll", things like that will speed acceptance.

think about it, you rarely hear people outside the south use phrases in the fashion we do. When you can master this you've done something. You may never get to where it sounds right though, sorry.

[Caster]

[quote name='TMF' timestamp='1354026710' post='851276']
They most certainly do not come from Florida. Floridians can't be held responsible for the legions of New Yorkers, Jersey trash and Michiganders that flock there for tax breaks and warm weather. Trust me, there are more rednecks and good ol' boys in Florida than the state of Georgia and Tennessee combined.
[/quote]


Everyone is a victim of their upbringing. I apologize if I offended any GOOD floridians. I've always been told that if you head south through Georgia, you will start heading north again.

[TMF]

[quote name='Caster' timestamp='1354028368' post='851285']


Everyone is a victim of their upbringing. I apologize if I offended any GOOD floridians. I've always been told that if you head south through Georgia, you will start heading north again. [/quote]

The people of Miami and Orlando are not representative of folks outside of those areas.

[TrickyNicky]

Well it seems the answer lies somewhere between eventually and never lol. Oh well in the mean time for some reason Damn Yankee has a better ring to it so I'll take it.

The whole Ca stigma is a funny one, many times when I admit where I'm from people mention about coming down from up north. The funny thing is I actually came a bit north to get here, I've stopped pointing that out though as apparently I'm the only one who finds it funny I had to travel north to go south.