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In the USA rednecks can come from literally any ethnic heritage or geographical region. However the original appalachian hillbillies are predominately scotch and irish, or so it has been said.



I saw a documentary about the coal strikes in W. Virginia in the early 1900s. It said that the striking miners wore red bandanas around their neck for identification, hence the word "rednecks."

Don S.



Thanks Don. Sounds quite plausible.

Having grown up mostly in the south, I always figured it had to do with light-skinned folk who work out in the sun for a living. Especially red-headed or freckled folk. It literally is a red neck, rather than brown tan. It is the kind of term that can either be used as an insult or sign of affection, depending on who says it, and in what context.

The Appalachian Scotch/Irish/English history is something I've been meaning to someday find time to study.

Musicologists went thru the Appalachians during the 1930's, and perhaps earlier, transcribing folk songs. First time I noticed it just in passing, from third- or fourth- removed sources. Back about 1970 got a Joan Baez album that was Appalachian folk songs. And happened on an album of modern renditions of English Elizabethan songs. Possibly Pentangle was the group. The dang songs were identical!

James Chandler Jr
http://www.errnum.com/