Let's Discuss Southern Manners | Lollygabbin' Episode 3

When I was in college I took an American Sign Language class. One day my teacher told us that deaf people could always tell when a Southerner was singing to them because the Southerners were always smiling and friendly.

My wife's nieces and nephews, all more than 25 years younger than us, call us by our first names. In my family, I have a nephew just six years younger than me and he still calls me "Uncle Dave" in his late 40s. Generational respect was a big deal in my family.

I'm from Texas and I had two terrible parents. They were alcoholics and both neglectful and abusive. But they STILL taught me to say sir and ma'am, to be respectful of my elders, to share, and to not cuss in polite society. Good manners are so ingrained in the south that we obey them regardless of other factors in our upbringing.

When you visit someones home you never go in their refrigerator. That was a big mom rule and you couldn’t ask for anything. You had to be offered .

Also, if you walk in front of someone, you say "excuse me"

"Why do we feel this way about something so arbitrary?" "Because you had good home training!", says every Southern Mother. 😂 We dont ask why, we just do because the alternative was a fast way to meet your ancestors. 😉❤

Many years ago, I had a boss that would respond, "Say again?" when he didn't understand something someone said. He was a Vietnam veteran, and that was radio etiquette for asking someone to repeat their transmission. (He was also hard of hearing, so I heard that phrase a lot.) I do remember the prohibition against singing at the table. My great grandmother would say, "Sing at the table and laugh in bed, the devil will get you before you're dead." I sympathize with Talia. I also have RBF (resting b!tch face), but I'm in my 60s and I don't care what other people think anymore. I've traveled a long way, and some of those roads weren't paved. P.S. I think you're all absolutely adorable.

You forgot about driving manners in the south. 1-You always send up a hand of thanks when someone lets you go first at a 4 way stop. —(Unless there are four cars at the 4-way and everyone tries to “out nice” the other—so everyone ends up moving at the same— Then the process begins once more.) 2- You also have to wave at the person who lets you get over a lane. 3–you have to wave if you see a neighbor on your walk. (Even if you can’t remember their name.) Some will ask how you are. I’m good with a quick wave. 4- You have to pull over if you see a funeral procession. 5–Pedestrian crosswalk etiquette: Give a wave of thanks to the driver who stopped for you. Then the driver gives a wave of thanks for the wave of thanks.

I have traveled to several countries and many people have commented on the fact that I must be the Southern USA. I am and proud to be‼️‼️‼️

My ex husband was from the south and I LOVED visiting his relatives. I was welcomed with open arms. I'm from west coast and would often say sir and ma'am to the relatives. I miss Louisiana. ~Elizabeth

I was born and raised in Poland, where if you ask someone "How are you?", it is normal to hear anything form "Fine" all the way to that person's whole life story since the last time you saw each other... Imagine my culture shock when I moved to Boston, MA for a year... "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything" was a rule in my house as well, and I keep to it to this day.

I'm from Tennessee, and I was raised to use Ma'am and Sir as basically respectful ways of addressing an adult person you are unfamiliar with (much like Usted in Spanish). Once familiarity is achieved and neither of you hold positions of power or influence like a boss or a parent's friend, you can drop the Ma'am/Sir. My dad recently went on a rant about Northerners moving down to the South and changing the culture just by not abiding by ours. I'll admit there are things about Southern culture I wish would change, but the change is also happening with the good parts like manners and just general ways of showing respect. I was driving in my uncle's funeral procession earlier this year and an oncoming car just drove by and didn't pull over. All I could think was "There goes one of those Yankees dad was ranting about." And for negative people in the comment section, all I have to say is "SHAPE UP AND ACT LIKE YOU GOT SOME RAISIN'"

I was told by my momma that it's impolite to discuss private matters in public. She would probably have dropped dead to hear some of the things people discuss on their cell phones while in the grocery store. Thank you, thank you for this video. And Talia you are beautiful no matter what expression is on your face. You are all awesome for bringing the discussion of a little good old home training to YouTube.

I enjoyed this epidode. &, as a person that rarely gets onto YouTube, I appreciate the fact that the link for this was put on Facebook. And I want to say to Ryan that I am sorry that he HAD to act a certain way in public in order to make it home safely each day. Shame on us all that this is something that happened & continues to happen in America.

Y'all may have said it and I missed it, but "don't talk with your mouth full" was rule number one, followed by "keep your elbows off the table," at our dinner table. And, yes'm, tone of voice is everything! Love your show, thanks.

Thank you for being real. As a middle school teacher (25 years), this is a concept that needs to be reworked/addressed. It’s become a lost art.

Not having elbows on the table comes from a time gone by when large wooden boards were placed on top of what we would call "saw horses". If you put your elbows on the table top you would topple the entire table top on to the floor. Good bye food, plates, cup, etc. huge mess to clean up. LOL....

Having grown up in Quebec, Canada, southern good manners feel normal to me. We were brought up knowing that good manners exist to make sure everyone else is comfortable. It's a lovely thing. Love your channel!

My uncle married our art teacher from school and all of his nieces and nephews had the hardest time moving from Miss Rice to Aunt Kathy. No, she was Miss Rice.

I'm proud of y'all! This was entertaining and thought-provoking. And I'm another one who is sorry Ryan has had to carry an extra manners burden on account of being Black. Thanks to you all for addressing the topic of manners with transparency and humor.