While at school, I say Missouree. I go to school in the Chicago area.
When in St. Louis or Columbia visiting family, I say Missourah. The difference is really only because no one knows what you are talking about when you say Missourah. The response is "Oh, you mean Missouree...." It just gets annoying.....

That's interesting. Growing up my family and everyone we knew (yes African Americans) always said Missouree. I didn't know that other Missourians pronounced it differently until years later. BTW, I am from the Lou and the third generation to go to Sumner.

I am from southeast Missouri. We say "miz-er-ee", not "miz-er-ah".

Yeah, I have family from Southeast Missouri and they say it the same way.

I don't get the Missourah thing. I think it sounds dumb...then again my mother can't really pronounce Massachusetts so we've all got problems.

Glad to hear that. I was told that a true Missourian pronounces it Missourah. How crazy is that? :)

Most Missourians take people who pronounce it Missousrah to be considered hoosiers (or hillbillys, rednecks). I am from St. Louis and now go to school in Columbia (Mizzou) and that seems to be the more unpopular pronunciation.

I had never heard Missour-ah until I came to school in St Louis. Someone told me that some political campaigns make 2 of the same commercial, one where the candidate says "Missour-ee" for the St Louis area, and another where they say it with the '-ah' for the rest of the state...not sure if that's even close to true though.

I will say it depends on where you are in certain areas. My grandpa is a prof. emeritus (just retired) from Missou and he says Missourah. Then in St. Louis, 75% of the family says Missourah. Really it is a courtesy thing, like speaking in a foreign language in public places. People just don't do it.

The connotation of hick really come from the way they say it in the "Hick" parts of the state; where it is pronounced "Mizz - SIRR - UH" where it is a drawn out word with 3 solid beats. Instead, the other way to say it is basically 2 beats and "miss - ura" with "ura" as a single beat.

If you sing in choir it is the difference between g'ivn (1 beat) and given (2 beats), a common notation in classical music pieces.

I totally understand what you are talking about with the "Hick" thing.

Well, we're now assured of getting a completely GDI national champion in basketball

Is Texas considered "south"? I know it's the most south you can get without being in Mexico, but it seems to never get mentioned when compared to "real south" states like Mississippi, Bama, SC, Georgia, Louisiana.

Texas is in a pure class of its own.....plain and simple. East Texas is very Southern, but the rest of Texas is completely different in cultures (mostly Southwestern), which is why it doesn't get included with the rest. Obviously the state being enormous has alot to do with it.

I do though think the fact that Texas has contributed so much to the South historically makes for a legitimate argument for it being included in the mix of Southern states.

Its not exactly the South, but its similar. Its a helluva lot more southern than florida.

I concur.


Mac, what town is your family in, in Southeast Missouri? I have a lot of family in that area, my family just inherited a small ranch near the Mississipi

I've always thought of it as southwest--a combination of the south and the west. My daughter lives in Dallas and I don't feel like I have gone to the south when I visit her.

To me when I think of the "true" south, I think MS, AL, and GA. Not sure about the Carolinas, Louisiana, or Virginia. And Florida is a complete enigma. LOL