Folklore: favorite southern US expression

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Wordless Woman
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 03:29 PM

You done tore your drawers now! (You're in trouble, deep!)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Tommy
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 11:51 AM

Earlier on, one of yous was talking about 'red up' meaning to 'clean up' etc. That's still used in a good lock of places (quite a few) in the north of Ireland (must a been those aul settlers).
There's a rake more (loads more) wee phrases but most of them come from Gaelic Irish and yous might not have them anymore in the southern states.
Some funny ones from english that yous might know is a word that they say in Tyrone, (but that i don't say just a few miles to the south) a great 'handlin' meaning 'an awful bother'.
Also, me granda when he was wee had a 'goesunder' for the toilet pot, as it went under the bed.

Rapaire: 'For somebody who grew up in west-central Illinois', you have a bit of an Irish nickname, highwayman.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: denise:^)
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 08:10 PM

"I'm fuller'n a tick." -- my aunt (from Tennessee) says this all the time, and my mother thought she was referring to a biting bug, and not an old-time mattress, which had to be stuffed with straw (a straw-tick) or feathers (a feather-tick), and had to be full so that you could sleep on it comfortably...

My grandmother used to say, "I feel like I was called for and couldn't go," meaning, she felt as if she should already be dead, but couldn't go yet.

Denise:^)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: TNDARLN
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 08:09 PM

In our local paper yesterday, a columnist-musician-retired politician guy used term "bollyfox"- said his Mother useta' say it a lot; and that the best definition he could give for it is "to consciously, but lackadaisically pursue the moment-by-moment interests that cross your mind [as long as it's not important]- best done on days given completely to it...

Anyone out there ever' heard tell of such?

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: EJ
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 10:29 AM

From Central NC

Don't git so het up. (Heated up, upset)

Whatcha git fu'um?    (How much for them?)

Ya wuss'na dry poke.   (As iritating as dry sex)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Annie
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 11:41 PM

"I got a hankerin' to __________." (burning desire)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From:
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 11:31 PM

A young professional woman from Missouri is flying business class, and as Missourians will do, turned to the woman in the seat next to her, smiled and said "So where y'all from?" And the neighbor looked her up and down, and answered in an icy Eastern tone "I'm from a place where we learn better than to end a sentence with a preposition."

The Missouri lady thought about that for a moment, smiled again, and said, "So where y'all from, BITCH?"

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,FloridaNative
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 07:35 PM

Darkriver

My memory tells me that my parents and older relatives used the terms "paper sack", "burlap sack", "feed sack"

I cannot recall hearing them use "bag" to refer to anything other than a lady's handbag

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: KateG
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 12:30 PM

From my grandfather, who was born on a farm in SW Arkansas in 1896:

"Livin' high on the hog" -- living well

"If it had been a snake, it would have bit me" -- when you can't find something that's in plain view.

His parents were unable to read and write (though his mom learned a bit in order to help the children with their school work). They were so committed to education that all 12 of their children, boys and girls alike, went to college, and at least four of the boys became doctors.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,eavesdropper
Date: 21 Feb 03 - 09:27 AM

CORRECTION

From the mountains of NC/TN should read:

"Nothin's as purty as a big ol' hairy-assed woman."

                   ALSO

"Nervous as a whore in church."

"As obvious as a two-bit whore with a bag of quarters."

"Shooting squirrels." (Looking up ladie's dresses.)

"This place has got a hhhuuummm to it." (This place stinks.)

"This is more fun than goin' out with twins."

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Neighmond
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 10:32 PM

Sandy Creek,

Pot Licker is the water after cooking veggies (Corn, carrots, collard grees, etc.) and you keep it over and use it to cook with, rather like a broth or baste.


Someone asked about a "Gunnie sack"-

When I was a little set-a-bout child grandma used gunniie cloth to cover bellies on chairs and sofas and that-
As I understand it, Gunnie cloth is a coarse cloth that is tighter thhan burlap but not by much

FWIW
Chaz

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Annie
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 09:57 PM

Through the driver's window to the car hop: "I'll take a hot dog with chili and slaw and a A&W Rootbeer".

Got that in Cape Cod? (Have that in Cape Cod?)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,eavesdropper
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:51 PM

From mountains of NC/TN "Nothin's as purty as a hairy-assed woman."

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: 53
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 03:19 PM

yall

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Bill D
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 12:25 PM

man comes in from a rough day, trying to say he's shaken, weary and thoroughly tired of it all...

"I feel like I done been shot at an' missed an' shit at an' hit!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: MMario
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 10:27 AM

I think a lot of these "southern" expressions may just be "americanisms" or perhaps "rural-isms"- because a heck of a lot ot 'em I'm familiar with from my childhood on Cape Cod.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: wilco
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 10:26 AM

I should have never started this thread. Now, I'm so self-conscious. I use these sayings everyday, and now I don't know what to say!!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: mike the knife
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:47 AM

"Got more of (X) than Carter's got little liver pills..."
"Fixin' to git ready": Preparing to prepare. Maddening.
To be "shut" of something: Finished with.
"Ate up": Bothered, troubled
"Onlyest": only, singular

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:29 AM

What on earth are you doing?

I have no earthly idea.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Sandy Creek
Date: 20 Feb 03 - 08:00 AM

From central North Carolina

"As jumpy as a frog lef in a hot skillet."

"He's about as wecome as a fart in a divers helmet."

What is pot licker?

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Served time in SC
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 03:46 PM

Dang. Not only can I not count, I can't even post right. Hmmph.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Served time in SC
Date: 19 Feb 03 - 03:41 PM

Two from SC:

"Like white on rice," all over (usually in the sense of punishment - "You do that I'll be on you like white on rice.")

"Case quarter" twenty-five cents in quarter form, as opposed to two dimes and a nickel. No clue what the derivation is.

"Buggy" shopping cart. Somebody asked me to "fetch that buggy" and I looked all over for a baby carriage...

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 10:33 PM

Hey Mary! What a thang to say to ol' Spaw! I dunno' whether ta shit or go blind.........I cain't imagin' you sayin' sech a thang...Woman, I think you'd likely eat shit an run rabbits!

As others have noted, a lot of these are more rural/redneck than distinctly southern, but at this point it would be tough to go back through and try to actually separate them. Country folk over most of the east at least still refer to the evening meal as supper for instance.

Well, I'm gonna' go get me some bakin' sody cuz I feel like I bin et by a bar an shit over a cliff.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Annie
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 10:00 PM

You better pee or get off the pot! (Make up your mind.)

Oh, sugar!! (Sweeter version of "oh, s**t"!!)

That don't make no never mind no how. (Similar to Texas version but longer - from Georgia in 1969)

Dang!! (Amazed)

If it ain't one thing, it's another. (Exasperation)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Dani
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 08:31 PM

What I MEANT to say was...

I had a yankee friend when I lived in Charleston, and the useful expression "y'all" drove him crazy. He'd look someone in the eye and say, "A YAWL is a BOAT!" Just didn't get it.

I love that people here just order "tay", and expect that it'll be thick-sweet with sugar. And you can tell alot about a place that ASKS if you want is "sweet or unsweet" Pretty clear that they had to invent a word to deal with the way "those" people drink their tea!

Dani

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Dani
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 08:28 PM

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: MMario
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 04:36 PM

nope - "tow" as in coarse linen; also used for coarsely woven cloth = burlap!

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: TNDARLN
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 04:34 PM

Not burlap bag, not gunny sack- tow sack. To tow thangs in, I reckon...

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 01:34 PM

Darkriver, never thought about it, but I think you're right.

We "bag" our groceries, but in a paper sack. A burlap bag and a lady's handbag (purse) are about the only bags I know of.

I thought of more:

Where ya goin'? To water the bulls. (none of your business)

Where ya goin'? That's for me to know and you to find out. (none of your business)

Where ya goin'? Are ya writin' a book? If so, leave that chapter out. (none of your business)

I spotted them uptown carryin' on to beat the band.

spot on (hit the nail on the head)

I suspect "gunny sack" has something to do with animals, don't know for sure.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 01:10 PM

From Central North Carolina

"Jeet?"...Did you eat
"Dem Fangs."...Those things
"Nary 'un."...Not a one
"Rat cheer."...Right here
"Chur, Cheer, Char."...Chair

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 12:54 PM

So.... where did "gunny sack" come from then?

~S~

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 12:35 AM

Always called it a burlap bag. West and western canada

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: darkriver
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 12:23 AM

A linguist once told me that southerners prefer the expression "paper sack" to "paper bag." He said they also use "burlap bag." In other words, the northern 'sack' = southern 'bag' and vice-versa.

Would all you southern folk please confirm or deny? Would be nice to know if James Woodward was putting me on. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mr Happy
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 09:19 PM

just bin reading another hread. there was 'go piss up a rope!' - a us expression.

does it mean there's a rope dangling down & you go & wee up it?

or do you climb up a rope & wee down it?

if you're a chap, you could probably manage the first option ok, but a girly would need to take care!

in the second example, you could break your neck trying to undo your fly & trying to hold onto the rope at the sametime, if you're a bloke.

if you're a girlie on the rope, you need to use you imagination!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,ballpienhammer
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 09:10 PM

slicker'n pig snot!

uglier'n a mud fence!

slower'n a one legged octipus!

madder'n a sore ass duck in saltwater!

my favorite: idjit(idiot)

My Mom was Pa Dutch- she often told me to "redd up my room".

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,McLeod
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 08:29 PM

My mother's family is McLeod - my father is Robertson, so I have a double dose of Scot
The family has been in Florida since the 1700's (the McLeods came from Southern Georgia - the Robertsons from Kentucky)
My Aunt Ruth(McLeod) said "holp", as in "Can you holp me with this bucket"
I have heard older relatives say something was "riupar" for right up there; and "can you reach me that jar".
Daddy never cursed. His "that son of a pup" told us clearly what he thought.
Everyone in the family knows when its "fixin'" to rain, and can say
"Ah'mona" git to th' house.
My sister Bea laid one on me that I did not remember ever hearing. We were talking about time frame and she said "We'll be done eat by then". Talk about jaw drop!!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: open mike
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 06:04 PM

here is a web site where you can translate anything into
one of several dialects--http://www.rinkworks.com/dialect/
see what you get when you enter www.mudcat.org
the red neck one might be quite interesting...

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Merritt
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 05:23 PM

RE: "Can't see it from my house. (Meaning, I don't care unless it affects me.)"

I worked construction in North and South Carolina, and it's amazing how often that line is used on a work site. Other phrases heard on construction sites:

"Shoot, that looks like it grew thar!" – in other words, the piece of crown mold or whatever was cut and installed just right.

"Goin' down the road talkin' to hisself." – As I recall, a comment on someone who's out of touch, or doesn't get something basic. Once the first line is stated, others would add to it, e.g., "Countin' fence posts".."winkin' at tail-lights"

"Measure twice, cut once." - good advice for woodworking from older carpenter when I was learning the trade.

"Put that last lick in your pocket." - for finish (or what they call "trim") work, you hold that last wack with the hammer, hit the nail with nail-set, fill the hole with putty, sand, paint, etc. That way you don't ding up the trim.

"Well, we must be livin' right." - When everything goes right, tongue-in-cheek pat on the back for the crew.

***************

"Nay'une" – pronounced "nigh-yoon" My wife (then galfriend) taught elementary school in rural North Carolina for a while and heard this word or phrase for many weeks before realizing via context that it was a squished version of "nary a one" as in "nary a one of them could speak Yankee worth a damn." Soon after beginning her job, her name changed from Mrs. Taylor to Miz Tay.

- Merritt

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 03:18 PM

From my Alabama/Kentucky grandmother . . .
She's been coming here since the cows ate up her little brother (She's been coming here a long time)
He's just as happy as if he had good sense.
That pie's good enough to make you slap your grandma!

My mother knew a girl who was looking for bellbottoms in a Kentucky department store in the 70s. When she asked the saleswoman where the flared pants were, the lady led her to some straight-legged pants. Confused, the girl repeated that she wanted flared pants. "Well," said the saleslady, pointing to the floral pattern, "These've got flares all over 'em!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 01:14 PM

Raised in New Mexico, "pop" was used for all bottled soft drinks in the 1930s. I still say pop and icebox. My favorite pop, Delaware Punch, wasn't carbonated. Sigh! Long gone! Hide nor hair is widespread.
Cold as a well-diggers ass is universal in N. Am.
Shite is a spelling that escaped from Ireland and north of England. Sometimes heard in eastern Canada as noted by Guest, but is never caught on in the States.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:43 PM

I think that referring to all soft drinks as pop is almost Universal in Canada. Eastern canada still has breakfast, dinner and supper. Also, a party is often refered to as a "time". I like the following..couldn"t find shite in a bog.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 03 - 12:36 PM

Some grand ones here..but I think many of them are common expressions in mant places...here a few from Eastern Canada... Dumb as a bag of hammers. Lazy as Larry's dog, he gotta lay down to bark. Cold as a well diggers ass. Dim as cowshit. he ain't got what Paddy Shot At.
    In fact, I have never heard the last one outside of Nova Scotia. Has anyone else heard this. Does anyone know what it means. Thanks ..great thread

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Ferrara
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 02:25 PM

Rapaire,

We had an ice box too (this was in Washington, DC in the early forties) and a washing machine with a wringer. And a "mangle" ironer for ironing the sheets.

I loved the ice man. He brought the ice up to the house in a pair of tongs, put it in a special metal box on the front porch. Seems to me he actually had a horse drawn wagon as well. If we asked nicely, he'd take an ice pick and hack off a long "icicle" for us to eat like a lollipop.

Also, for many more years, there were old rag men and other vendors who came around driving a horse and wagon. Once there was too much traffic in the streets, they used the alleys.

My country cousins still have much more colorful language than the homogenized stuff you hear in the cities and in the media. It's witty and fun to hear them, especially the exchanges of insults which get pretty creative.

Me, I just don't have the knack.

Rita

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Feb 03 - 01:58 PM

For someone who grew up in west-central Illinois, many of these expressions are ones I grew up with. For instance, we ate breakfast, dinner, and supper (and this caused all sorts of problems when I married someone who ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner!). We kept our food in an icebox (and yes, we had a true icebox in the basement -- didn't use it). Clothes were put through the wringer after they were washed, then hung up to dry (we didn't do laundry, of course, we did the wash). There were many, many of the expressions given in this thread in common use.

Perhaps it was because I grew up in a city on the banks of the Mississippi, twenty miles above Hannibal, MO, in Mark Twain country. Or it could be that in the '50s the area was pretty much bypassed by homogenization of language.

I can still go back, however, and hear my cousins talking about it raining like a cow pissin' on a flat rock, or someone so dumb that they'd milk a bull and drink it (YEEECH!).

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Tree
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:15 PM

All of these remind me of a joke about such expressions and the misunderstanding that can result.


A mountain woman went to the doctor and was told to go home and come back in a couple of days with a specimen. When she got home she asked her husband, "What is a specimen?"

He replied. "Darn if I know. Go next door and ask Edith. She's a nurse".

The woman went next door and came back in about twenty minutes with her clothes all torn and with multiple cuts and bruises on her face and body.

What in the world happened?"asked her husband.

Darned if I know," she replies. "I asked Edith what a specimen was and she told me to go piss in a bottle. I told her to go fart in a jug and then all hell broke loose"

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From:
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 09:57 PM

My Missouri collection:

http://www2.truman.edu/~adavis/expressions.html

Best,

Adam

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Giac
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 02:09 PM

Having swarped and been swarped many times, here's an idear about it--

'at youngun' sayussed me and ah swarped him upside the haid.

---

To someone who's bitchy:

Well, who licked the red offa yore candy?


---

I do believe that c'yarn comes from carrion. The most common expression using the word here is, "stinks like c'yarn in the road."

---

Don't have nuthin' to do with him, he acts plumb black guardish.

---

Didn't see one of my late mother's favorites. If I said I wished I had a particular unobtainable thing --

Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up the fastest.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Allan C.
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:49 AM

"You see somthin'green?" - a way of asking "What the hell are you gawking at?"

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: TNDARLN
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 10:06 AM

Harper-
I'm going to try this one, although it's almost out of my personal experience: I think of valleys being wider, cut out by rivers, etc., as in "bottomland". If you live in a valley, you live on flat land.

A holler, OTH, has elevation. Mountains or hills close 'round. A house built in a holler probably has a steep yard, garden, etc. And you'd want to build your 'holer down the holler!

Sorcha- I had forgotten that one! Only it was "Pure O- D ugly" for us. Ferrara- I'm relieved actually to know Daddy didn't make up "ratkillin'".

Anyone here ever' accused of "messin and gommin"? You could get your hide tanned real fast for doing that--- or less even!

"Whar's yore brother? I'm goin' tan his hide for messin and gommin' up the porch again!"

"Mama, I ain't seen "hide ner hair" of 'im since supper-- "

"You better tell me the truth, Gal-"

"If I"m a-lyin', I'm a-dyin'!!!"

Gol - ly Bum!!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: harper
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 09:25 AM

Ummm.......by the way,   what is a "holler?"    Seems that lots of my in-law's "kin" lived "cross the holler" or "down in the holler." I'm sort of assuming, in my northern language, that they lived in the valley???