southern bell

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ostap77

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Is "southern bell" used nowadays to talk about a woman from the southern states?
 

Tdol

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Wouldn't it be belle? I've seen that term, but not bell.
 

ostap77

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Wouldn't it be belle? I've seen that term, but not bell.

I might be wrong but "bell" refers to a bell-shaped dresse they used to wear there.
 

TheParser

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Is "southern bell" used nowadays to talk about a woman from the southern states?

NOT A TEACHER

(1) I checked my dictionary:

belle comes from French, which took it from Latin, meaning

"beautiful."

(2) Originally, "southern belle" referred to the young upper-class

ladies of the South before our Civil War.

(3) I do not think that it is used nowadays by most Americans.

I most respectfully suggest that you not use it, for that term

may have racial overtones that can be very offensive to some

people.
 
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