What exactly do people mean when using "Southern" as a descriptor? I get that one really often and I wonder.

Does it just mean from the South? If so, then yes, I am from farther South than 95% of my friends.

Is it because I speak with a drawl particularly when tipsy, tired or ticked even though I cultivated a different accent? Then yes, I am Southern.

Is it because I use the "colorful" expressions of my family and neighbors like "don't be showin' your hiney" and "goin' to the necessary?" Then yes, I am Southern.

Other aspects of who I am are often attributed to Southern upbringing but really are shared by so many others.

Respecting the traditions of my birthplace, family and culture is very important to me; but is it not to most people? Choosing to be careful in my speech is only something I have begun to learn as an adult.

Are there really others that do not encourage their children to grow up into ladies and gentlemen?

Granted, I have also fought the battle against having been reared to be passive aggressive and biased which I believe are hallmarks of our upbringing.

But I am still not sure what another person means by the descriptor Southern. It is not a word we use; I don't think I have ever called someone "Southern." I see myself as so much more than the stereotype of my culture...but perhaps these aspects lie unrevealed. Still, I wonder, if this is how I am seen, what does that descriptor mean?