I believe the word "Wallah" mentioned by many as being an Indian (Hindi) phrase may be one and the same with the Arabic phrase, "Wallah" or "Wallahi", which means literally, "By God", used as we would say "I swear" or used when replying in astonishment, such as "Really?"

My daddy was from (the "boonies", the sticks") Gibson Co., TN (I say that with a smile). and he had some funny expressions. Here's a few he used and we used growing up (we grew up in Hermitage, a suburb of Nashville, i.e. the "boonies" of Nashville"):

Coke, or "Co-co-la" -ANY softdrink, not just Coca-Cola or Coca-Cola products, Pepsi too.

"Bri-ches"- my daddy never wore pants, trousers or slacks, just "bri-ches", the ones with his suit were just fancy "bri-ches".

Dad always liked to have a "swig" of coffee or iced tea.

"Sweet-tea" may as well be one word.

"What in Sam's Hill!" -i.e., What the Hell. I always though Sam's Hill was an actual place. It must be "over yonder" -an unspecified distance.

"Doomafloggy", "Dohicky", "Thingamabob"- unknown object. -does anyone else use "doomafloggy"? I don't think I've ever heard anyone else use it.

We also use the expression "carry", such as "Carry me to the Kroger's or Krystal's", notice the "'s" on the end of Kroger and Krystal ("the" before Kroger's and Krystal's is optional). Don't know why.

Nothing is pronounced they way it probably should be around here. "Shell-bee-ville (Shellybyville)" is "She-ba-vul", "Lu-wee-ville" is in fact (ha!) "Lua-vul", "Leb-anon" is "Lebnun" and what should seem to be "O-bee-on" County is "Obi(short "i")n". Memphis is "Mem-fus". My mother, whose parents grew up in the midwest, pronouces Missouri "Missoura". One of my professors called Raleigh, Memphis, "East Jesus"- he was from the north.

"Do whut?" is a popular expression.

"perty" -pretty

"How come" and "Why come" replace "how can it be" and "why is it".

When we were children, if we didn't drink our milk we were told we'd, "dry up and blow away".

"tee-niny" -really small.

"slowpoke"- no doubt from my midwestern maternal grandfather who homesteaded out in California.

"You better pack a lunch 'cause it's gonna take all day!"-my dad said this in reply to an obnoxious drunk in a truckstop who tried to provoke him to fight. A classic!

"I'm gonna be on you like a duck on a june bug!" -Major Beale, 2nd Mar Div, Camp Lejeune, NC., USMC.

"Copycat" -someone who mocks someone else, someone who "copied" someone else -silly!

"Goofball"- silly person.

"Cornball"- dry humor. I'm sure I'll think of more.

Next, someone should start a thread on CB radio expressions.