Hi. I am doing research on American rural subcultures. I know what a hillbilly is:
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillbilly :
" 'Hillbilly' is a term (often derogatory) for people who dwell in rural,
mountainous areas in the United States, primarily in southern
Appalachia and the Ozarks. The term was later used to refer to people
from other rural and mountainous areas west of the Mississippi river too,
particularly those of the Rocky Mountains and near the Rio Grande."
I know what a redneck is:
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redneck :
"Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to
white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely
associated with rural whites of the Southern United States. Its
usage is similar in meaning to cracker (especially regarding Texas,
Georgia, and Florida), hillbilly (especially regarding Appalachia and the
Ozarks), and white trash (but without the last term's suggestions of
immorality). In Britain the Cambridge Dictionary definition
states: 'a poor, white person without education, esp. one living in the
countryside in the southern US, who is believed to have prejudiced ideas
and beliefs. This word is usually considered offensive.' People from
the white South sometimes jocularly call themselves 'rednecks' as
insider humor.
By the 1970s, the term had become offensive slang, its meaning expanded
to include racism, loutishness, and opposition to modern ways."
But how is a hillbilly and a redneck different from a good ol' boy?
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_boy_network :
"Mostly in the Southern United States, the term good ol' boy has a slightly
different, often derogatory meaning—a friendly, unambitious, relatively
uneducated white man who embodies the stereotype of the folksy culture
of the South. A good old boys network has the connotation of this sort of
personality combined with cronyism.
This southern term also refers to the personal and friendly relationship
between common citizens and local authorities usually resulting in
lenient or sometimes no punishments for crimes committed by friends of
law enforcement."
Please help. Thank you.