Allow me to translate...

Well actually I'm not going to be able to fully translate, but I will give it my best guess.

I have noticed that the words southern, country and redneck tend to be considered synonymous and while I am guilty of doing this as well, they are all very different words.

So for better or worse, here is how I interpret each of these words.

Southern
This word to me first and foremost denotes a person who lives in the South. Groundbreaking detective work, right? But the other assumption I usually make is that a southern person is from a confederate state, which is not always the case. There are many so-called southern states, like Kentucky, that fly the rebel flag like the war was yesterday but who never actually seceded and joined the confederacy.

Country
To me, a country person is one that lives off the beaten path, outside of the city and embraces the idea of being away from the hustle and bustle. Country people tend to have a very particular set of values and don't put as much emphasis on material wealth.

Redneck
This is the big word that people toss around like it doesn't have specific connotations. It does. Amidst all my kind-hearted jokes, I feel that the word redneck implies a person that is ignorant. Redneck is the word that makes me angrier than anything else. Call me country, call me southern, but do not call me redneck. I can joke and call myself that because some of my kin are redneck. But you can't call me that. Mainly because I'm not ignorant or a redneck, but also because it's a rude word in essence.

If you think about it, the word redneck is always used in jest. So consider that the next time you want to make a redneck joke.

So there you have it. My definitions of southern, country and redneck.

Bless your heart, if any of these definitions came as a surprise to you then I hope you never get into a linguistic battle with a redneck. You will surely lose.