Can someone explain to me what exactly a Red Neck is and why they are called that?

Question

The first three answers did not help. I want to know what a nedneck is, not their history. I mean really elementary stuff, were do they come from?, what are they like?, what is everyones opinion of them?, etc

Answer 1

Dear Brit,

A Red Neck is slang for a hard working Southerner. (An american who lives and was born in the Souther U.S). Theire necks have turned red from working in the file all day. True Southern are well mannered and would never work shirtless in public., therefore their necks and arms are always red from over exposure to the sun. Another terms is backwoods. or rural

Answer 2

A red neck is a young caucasian person in warmer climates that usually spends a lot of time outdoors doing various activities that have to do with mechanical attributes. For example, he'd be interested in guns, cars, tractors, four wheelers, and boats. They are may be interested in the sports of fishing or hunting - if only to use their boats and guns - but this mainly attributed to the older crowd that grew out of red necks.

A "red neck" is termed as such because being outdoors they will usually have some sort of cap or hat on to protect their face, however their necks will constantly become sun-burnt during the summer months: and because most of them have "no shame" or fear of being ridiculed because they are generally good people - they will take off their shirts to jump in the lake, and all you will see is blinding white and a big red band around their neck area.

In the past red necks were mostly in the south, but now have gone all the way to the north tips of the states - in the past, they were the uneducated farmers that tried to maintain their lands through their own children when they could no longer use black slavery - and thus started the stereo type that they were all stupid and racists - however that's not the case as much as it is the perceived case.

Answer 3

Your elaboration on your question doesn't make any sense, you don't want to know their history, but you want to know where they came from?

It isn't an ethnicity, if that's what you think. Most of the answers here are accurate. It's a derogatory phrase to refer to a subset of white Americans, originally southern poor (implying they are ignorant, bigoted, and low class). The phrase, as others have pointed out, came from sunburn from working their fields.

The comedian Jeff Foxworthy, self-proclaimed red neck, has made a career of making fun, both of the concept, but even more of himself and fellow red necks.

I bet if you did an Internet search on the phrase "you might be a redneck if" you'd get a bunch of his humor, and can see long lists of what the stereotype implies.

There was a song in the late sixties or early seventies "I'm sitting here with my red neck, my white socks, and my Blue Ribbon beer."

Answer 4

It use to mean a farmer that did not take off his shirt and the neck area was the only thing where the sun was able to hit. His neck turned red from the sun and he got a sunburn. Hence red neck!

Answer 5

it's a deroggative term used to call people poor, ignorant, and unclutured. the term originated in the poor farming areas of the southern united states. those who worked all day out in the sun would get sunburned, the backs of their necks getting red.
nowadays, it's a whole subculture, and many are proud to be called rednecks.

Answer 6

a physical worker usually who had to work outdoors hence the term red neck ... got burned by the sun or as a certian comedian describes them Someone with a glorious lack of sophistication usually whose retirement fund consists of things like collector plates and the hope of winning the lottery

Answer 7

A redneck is somebody who does really stupid things and usually from the south. These people, rednecks, will walk in a flood up to their chest in the pouring rain...with an umbrella. Fix things with duct tape. Create things, that don't make sense. To find out more watch Jeff Foxworthy...You might be a redneck.

Answer 8

I believe it is because they are out on the farm all day and get red necks from the sunburn.

Answer 9

A white person regarded as having a provincial, conservative, often bigoted attitude. It's offensive slang. I have no idea why they call people that.

Answer 10

I dunno but I love hanging out with rednecks. They are some chill people. They are nothing like Hillbillies..lol