Greeting people from Mississippi?

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Somerset

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We have a group from Mississippi visiting our church on the next two Sundays - mixed age ranges. I want to make them feel welcome - but in an English way. I don't fancy "Yay" (?) and I'm not sure what they would make of "How do you do" - which in reality is a meaningless statement only couple of the equally meaningless reply "How do you do". This is usually followed by a comment about either the weather or cricket - depending on context.

I am thinking of offering them my hand and saying "Hello - I'm Ken, very pleased to meet you".

In light of the recent mega thread on Southern manners, comments would be welcome.
 
Ken, my friend, you are over-thinking this! "Hello, nice to meet you" will be just fine.

I think by "yay" you are referring to "ya'll," which is actually a contraction of "you all" (plural second person pronoun). No one would expect you to use that.

The only other things that might stand out would be saying "Yes/no sir" or "Yes/no ma'am" to someone who is older, out of respect. Also, referring to an older lady as "Miss ______" is something you might here, but I don't think it would be expected.

One more thing that you probably won't have to worry about, but your pastor might: people in Mississippi sometimes like to refer to the pastor as "Brother __________." I never really liked it when I was there, but it is pretty common.
 
Speaking as a Mississippian, a friendly smile, eye contact and an outstretched hand will be wonderfully sufficient, no matter how you verbalized. :)


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
People from Mississippi tend to be very friendly and hospitable and enjoy talking with others. Mark's comment is spot on.
 
No, everyone has it wrong. The first thing you say is "How 'bout them Crimson Tide?"




(Ken, whatever you do...don't do this....;) )
 
So a football team - presumably from one of the four neighboring states (had to look that up)

Edit - isn't granny google great. Alabama.
 
I say just be your regular polite self. Let them learn what English people are like. When one tries to adopt the mannerisms of people from another area, it just comes off as weird and makes people uncomfortable. You will do just fine.
 
Don't let it catch you off guard if, when driving out of the church's parking lot, they salute you with the left index finger upraised while still grasping the steering wheel. There are still parts of Mississippi (primarily in more rural sections) where it's considered very bad form if one doesn't greet others with such a wave as you pass them on the road. Just a taste of Southern culture for you! :)
 
Semi-controversial conversation starters might be

What do you think about Texas A&M? (recently switched from the Big 12 to the SEC West)
How's the SEC West going to shake out this year? (Your visitors might support either Ole Miss or Mississippi State; even if they support neither, they'll have an opinion)
More controversial - What do you think about the Bears? (Ole Miss recently dropped their traditional name (Rebels) for the politically correct 'Bears'. Unless everyone in the group agrees that it was a very bad move, you could spark an entertaining discussion.

But I'd recommend that you just be yourself.
 
As a Mississippi resident i would say just be true to yourself. Most rednecks take you for who you are on the inside not on what you show on the outside.Believe me they probably won't appear to be an impressive bunch on the outside either. Be yourself that's who they want to meet the more down home you are the more comfortable it will be. A typical redneck Sunday is a God honoring service followed by something fried(preferably chicken)after which a porch or shade tree to rest under while making homemade ice cream or eating watermelon before attending evening worship is gonna be hard to top though.
 
They are a really nice group of people. I find Americans and Australians very easy to get along with from the start, we can be rather backwards in coming forwards as it were - all those jokes about Englishmen on desert islands not speaking as no one has introduced them have a grain of truth for some of us. When they introduced themselves we were treated to a couple of real "Y'alls".

Consensus was to keep "Rebels" rather than "Bears". When we next meet I think one of them may be giving me a reply to Victor Bravo.
 
The interesting spelling is down to me - apologies. I supplied the state - they supplied the "witty" reply. They were unable to come up with anything for Idaho - is this not a well known sporting state?

I like your duck comment - thanks to granny Google.
 
Edward said:
Boise State thinks that it has a major football program,
Click to expand...

Right. Boise State is the big deal in Idaho, but it's about 300 miles from Lewiston. The biggest football teams around here, about 30 miles north, are Washington State Cougars in Pullman and U of Idaho Vandals in Moscow, and they are pretty small potatoes compared to Ole Miss.

Ken, I live in southeastern Washington, about 4 miles from the Idaho border. Lewiston, population around 30k is the nearest big city.

But Idaho is indeed a big sporting state--it's just the sport usually involves rifles, fly rods, bows, snowmobiles, 4X4s, skis, rafts, or backpacks.
 
Edward - very interesting link. Pool tables in Glasgow Rangers (soccer team) supporter's clubs are blue, as their arch rivals play in green. But a whole blue pitch - wow.
 
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