Folklore: favorite southern US expression

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Tree
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:23 PM

Heard these from a guitarist I used to jam with.

Countrier'n (kunt-tree-ern) cowshit

Busier than a cat covering shit on tile.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Ferrara
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:24 PM

TNDARLN, my mom also said, "Well, I guess I'd better get back to my rat killin': to mean, "Got to get back to work."

Walking Eagle, you bet, use of vernacular expressions doesn't imply stupidity! In fact, the best expressions often come off the tongues of the smartest people.

Guest, Sapote jones, the Louisians expressions use French syntax as in "J'ai faim, moi!" Neat.

And another of my mom's expressions, I don't think of it as particularly southern, applies to not being too particular about something you're doing: "It'll never be seen from a galloping horse."

Mom was from Georgia.

Rita

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:28 PM

Well, there ya is Miz Diz.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Ron Olesko
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:29 PM

I've always been partial to - "what are you doing, loping your mule?" when someone is goofing off. Sounds worse than it actually is.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Ron Olesko
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:39 PM

Although it is used in a different context as well.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:46 PM

She ain't worth shootin'. (a worthless cow)

It's jest up the holler a bit.

Back 'ere.

If it's not worth doin' right, it's not worth doin' at all. (My mother would never say ain't.)

He's aggavatin' me. (My older brother would aggravate me.)

Time for her to freshen. (time for the cow to give birth and come to her milk)

My favorite around here -- There ought to be a Shepherdsville for people. (Shepherdsville is where you send all the worthless, unproductive animals to the slaughterhouse.)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 02:50 PM

Puttin' on airs.

Stepped out of a bandbox. (dressed up)

In high cotton. (rich)

floozie (loose woman)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 03:23 PM

Ah, yes, high cotton. I remember that one from my Georgia mother-in-law.
Floozie (floozy) is an odd one. H. L. Mencken (The American Language) considered it to be an American invented word. When Carl Sandburg's "Collected Poems" was printed in England, a glossary was added which included the word "floozy."
If you look in the Oxford English Dictionary, the preferred spelling is "floosie," whick strikes an American as funny; the word has been adopted by the English with their s instead of z.
The word first appeared in print in an article on white slavery, as floosie, so the OED could be right. But no one knows its origin.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 04:33 PM

Where ya goin'? Out. (none of your business)

Where ya goin'? To see a man about a dog. (none of your business)

Where'd ya catch that fish? Farm pond. (none of your business)

How much did that cost? Dollar three eighty seven. (none of your business)

Can't have the biggest piece, don't want none.

Someone stop me...

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 07:39 PM

Hit don'(t) make no never mind. Common in Texas.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 09:51 PM

"Wanna daince?"(would you like to dance?)

"She's just as sweet as she can be!"

"He's afflicted"(usually referring to one who's developmentally disabled or handicapped in some way)

"Oh, take an ol' cold 'tater'n wait!"(usually said to children who were begging to eat before dinner was ready. Then sort of morphed into meaning to possess one's self of patience)

"Shoot, the wood was stacked so poor you could throw a dog through anywheres"(I first ran across this phrase in Hucleberry Finn, but heard my great Uncle Willie use it in conversation years later.

"Hell if I had a dog as ugly as that baby I'd shave 'is ass an' make 'im walk backwards!"(cruel, but funny, nonetheless)

"Pretty is as pretty does"

"If he was mah dawg, Ah'd drown 'im!"(overheard in a laundromat years ago by a woman referring to her friend's no-account husband)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: GUEST,DancingMom
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 09:58 PM

"Ugly as a mud fence."
"Butt ugly."
"So crooked they gonna hafta screw 'im in the ground when he dies."
In addition to "fixin' to go to to work" there's "commence to workin'".
"The whole loblolly mess" (my mother-in-law, a wealth of funny Southern expressions)
My Virginia Grandma says, "Can you carry me to my Doctor's office?"
"Colder 'n a well-digger's butt in Alaska".
"'Bout yay high" (holding out a hand to indicate height).
"If I ain't purty enough, there's plenty of other places they can look".
Sharon

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 10:06 PM

all stove up (my grandmother said this referring to stiffness from arthritis)

meaner 'n a snake

just like a snake in the grass (sneaky, lowdown person)

hips like a chicken snake (slim)

slicker 'n a minna's (minnow's) dick

more than you can shake a stick at (a lot)

teched in the head (crazy)

I can't talk 'cause I have a lot of chicks out just now. (said by a man with teenagers -- your chickens come home to roost)

rode hard and put up wet (mistreated, or lived a hard life -- originally referring to a horse)

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Mary in Kentucky
Date: 14 Feb 03 - 10:50 PM

It flew all over me. (I got mad when I heard what was said.)

as right as rain

come on in and set a spell

spell me while I take a break (take my place, work in my place)

In Alabama I heard a lot of Biblical references in daily language:
add a star to your crown (a compliment for a thankless or self-sacrificing job)
cast you bread on the water (do good deeds and you'll receive back blessings)
get thee behind me Satan (don't tempt me)
waitin' for the trumpets
the Rapture
cross the river Jurden (Jorden)

Today I often "run" to the store or downtown. As a child I would "tote" someone on my bicycle.

run with the big dogs

I eat supper instead of dinner. I have an icebox instead of a refrigerator.

As a 10-yr-old, after "spending the night" with a girlfriend (today they are called sleepovers) when my mom picked me up, I ALWAYS had to tell my friend's mother, "I had a nice time."

Hubby refers to all soft drinks (coca-cola, pepsi, etc.) as pop.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: Kaleea
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 01:54 AM

My grandparents grew up in Arkansas (their ancestors had come from Tennessee before that, & so on back east all the way to Ireland), then after being married, moved to the hills of eastern Oklahoma. They were simple country folks with the wisdom which only country folks have! Some people are ashamed of their simple roots, and get upset at the hint of terms such as "hillbilly" or "redneck" but I take no offense, as I know that my ancestors were hard working people who faced every possible hardship along the way to my generation, and our people may have been called those terms along the way, but I know the truth--we are people who know how to be strong, we know what morals are, and we also know that it is in ignorance that people use such terminology. I'm proud of my simple roots! I also remember much of the knowledge passed on to me about things such as herbs & roots & teas. My family still enjoys some mild kidding with each other about our speech patterns!   My Granny (who had her "snuff" which was absolutely not the same thing as Grandad's "chaw"--snuff was more lady like!) also used to say, "We in high cotton now" and "I'll swan" and "La-a-a-nd a goshen" as well as a few other interesting things such as:

He run faster'n a feller whut bumped intuh a bee hive.
It ain't meye-yun, it mus be yer'un.
Yew'unz otta be purdy hongry bout now.
Yew yungunz git owtta thet barn fore it fallz in on all y'all!

I still call the grocery cart a "buggy" and my mother will refer to a ladies room with 2 stalls as a "2 holer." Grandad would never say the word "outhouse" nor would he say where he was going. If he saw somebody in the family coming around the house on one side, he would go to the outhouse via the other side. There is not a person among us who did not have ancestors who used an outhouse somewhere along the way! When one is out "camping" it can be very important knowledge to know which leaves to use instead of corn cobs or the sears & roebuck & co catalogue! I just keep my peace when people who look down their noses at some of us develop a horrendous rash from the wrong leaves.

Subject: RE: Folklore: favorite southern US expression
From: darkriver
Date: 15 Feb 03 - 03:55 AM

I'm surprised no one's yet mentioned tough titty (pronounced "tough tiddy"), meaning "tough luck".
I generally got the idea that no real sympathy was meant.

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???

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: 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: 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:
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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,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,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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
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: 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: 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: 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: Dani
Date: 18 Feb 03 - 08:28 PM

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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!!!