O ostap77 Key Member Joined Sep 9, 2010 Member Type Student or Learner Native Language Ukrainian Home Country Ukraine Current Location Ukraine Oct 3, 2010 #1 Is "southern bell" used nowadays to talk about a woman from the southern states?
T Tdol No Longer With Us (RIP) Joined Nov 13, 2002 Member Type English Teacher Native Language British English Home Country UK Current Location Japan Oct 3, 2010 #2 Wouldn't it be belle? I've seen that term, but not bell.
O ostap77 Key Member Thread starter Joined Sep 9, 2010 Member Type Student or Learner Native Language Ukrainian Home Country Ukraine Current Location Ukraine Oct 3, 2010 #3 Tdol said: Wouldn't it be belle? I've seen that term, but not bell. Click to expand... I might be wrong but "bell" refers to a bell-shaped dresse they used to wear there.
Tdol said: Wouldn't it be belle? I've seen that term, but not bell. Click to expand... I might be wrong but "bell" refers to a bell-shaped dresse they used to wear there.
T TheParser VIP Member Joined Dec 8, 2009 Member Type Other Native Language English Home Country United States Current Location United States Oct 3, 2010 #4 ostap77 said: Is "southern bell" used nowadays to talk about a woman from the southern states? Click to expand... 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.
ostap77 said: Is "southern bell" used nowadays to talk about a woman from the southern states? Click to expand... 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.
