When searching the terms redneck and hillbilly these are the results that I have found. A hillbilly refers to one as being an unsophisticated country person, associated originally with the remote regions of the Appalachians. A redneck is a working class white person especially a politically reactionary one from a rural area. Hillbilly was used in a derogatory way to say a hillbilly is someone not as sophisticated as an everyday person, basically lacking the most basic social skills one should have. Redneck was used a derogatory term to say someone was racist. I was not able to find a way in which the terms were used positively. When searching the term hillbilly images came up of people with messed up teeth and someone holding a gun. When searching the term redneck images of the confederate flag came up. I see people using the term hillbilly in a mean spirited way when they talk about someone being different from what they deem as the “norm” or when they see somebody as less fit for society. I see people using the term hillbilly in a mean spirited way when they talk about someone being racist. I saw where Appalachians used these terms for something they’re proud of by stating that they’re cultural and political markers. There are differences between the two terms as hillbilly means unsophisticated and redneck means a working-class white person. There also is a difference between the people that use them, as one group may use it as an insult while another as a compliment. A person can be redneck with hillbilly characteristics.
Work Cited
“Hillbilly.” Hillbilly – Google Search. Google, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
Kranitz, Stacy. “What It Means to Be a ‘Redneck’ or a ‘Hillbilly’ | VICE | United States.” VICE. VICE, 27 Apr. 2016. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
“Redneck.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.