This is one of the Southern sayings used to correct a childs behavior. Example: Heavens to Betsy! Watch Matthew McConaughey School Hugh Grant and Charlie Hunnam in Southern Slang, 135 Best Dad Jokes That Are Actually Funny, 20 Things Southerners Love To Say About The Weather, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, The Difference Between Being Done And Being Finished, Things Mama Whispers During A Southern Funeral, 30 Fishing Quotes That'll Make You Want to Get on the Water, 38 Southern Chicken Names For Your Favorite Bird. Example: Arent you a precious little girl? She's so gussied up you'd think it was a beauty contest. I'll knock you so hard you'll see tomorrow today. Question: What does the phrase "he's dumber than a mud fence" mean? "Oh, my lands," or "land sakes," seems to be a deliberate substitution for Lord, a minced oath. At this point, the adolescent in question is thinking to themselves 1) "Who the heck is boo-boo the fool?" is so strong that it has now become the go-to response for any requests that requires your money. Girl, this wind is blowing at my door too hard, Im gonna have to call you right back. (have only half the facts) Go to bed with the chickens. A phrase used to show appreciation to someone who brings you a glass of sweet tea (or does something nice in general) or as a sympathetic phrase to let you know that the person understands the difficult time you are going through. Question: Do you think that "bless her/your/his heart" is an insult? 5. (And, of course, we have too.) Black slang and AAVE (African-American Vernacular English) have long been considered inferior to so-called "standard" English, and the black people who use it seen as uneducated or unintelligent (forcing many to master the art of code-switching).So when suddenly words and phrases that have strong ties to the black community are adopted and warped by non . Meaning: (Phrase) One of the Southern phrases used when a person is about to do something or is in the middle of doing it is fixin to.. You make your bed hard, you gotta lay it This one is an ultimate throwback. Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is used when a person cannot carry a tune when singing. (Translation: Run and hide! In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. I dont know why Black people just cant say "I have to go, good talking to you, bye". We have inherited their styles, their heirlooms, and more than a few of their favorite sayings as well. If you havent been to the South, then its time you come up with a plan to visit soon. America is highly segregated and there are swathes of people uneducated to vernacular not like theirs. Read on for information and tips for camping near the beach and driving on the sand. Example: Youre proud as a peacock, yet you cant prove anything! It's so dry the trees are bribing the dogs. Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is another slang used in the South to tell a person to stop misbehaving. My mother and aunts used to say this if they thought someone was telling a tall tale. Of course you don't have McDonald's money, you could be as young as young as five or six years old. (One step above a hissy fit.). (And because she still listens to this Doris Day tune.). After a mouthful of expletives and reminders that you live in her house and are lucky to be there, she will finish it off with "I don't know who you think you are taking to, because I am not one of your little friends". What Southerners Say About Being Cheap 1. Whatever the case may be, at this point you are left with no other option but to let them know you are not that same person; that you are in fact the wrong one. It happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth. Example: Is she fixin to the garden? Meaning: (Phrase) If a person is using drugs and is high, the slang term for that is high as a kite.. My favorite saying. Though all similar, the accents range from the small town twang to the unique Charleston accent. You are slow as molasses! Youll e raisin cane if you dont stop. Have you ever seen a wet hen? Vintage Photos Of Black History Being Made In America. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. "She's pitching a hissy fit with a tail on it. Also: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He's about as confused as a fart in a fan factory. I know God is tired of us co-signing his name on our mess. Growing up in a black household, nothing is really yours; your parents are simply kind enough to let you temporarily and carefully use something. We family You probably heard this one if you were visiting extended family, but no matter if they were your cousins cousin, your moms best friend, or your great uncle, someone always made you feel like family even if you werent related by blood. He made such a ruckus he woke the possums. Meaning: (Phrase) A hissy fit is a tantrum done by a child who does not know how to control and direct his or her emotions. Divide equally, and everyone will be happy. Example: I am tickled pink to see my new picket fence! And by the time of post-Reconstruction, through means of systematic oppression, community disinvestment, unequal access to public infrastructure, and political disenfranchisement, wed been pushed to live in the margins. One expression that I've never been able to find was one used in my family. 25 words and phrases you'll only hear in the South. Youre as sick as a dog and we dont want you to get too tired. There are some things you just don't say to someone from the South (like me!). In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. Your parent couldn't care less how you and your friends converse with one another. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. Whether youre out and about amongst friends or getting a bit of scolding from mom, Black folks are known for shouting, yelling, and saying some of the best proverbs, slang, and terms of endearment known to man and some of those famous sayings taught us how to navigate throughout life. It was colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra. They feel so rightthey must be in our DNA. Some people say it's a derogatory statement, others have told me it's a good thing. Don't pee down my back and tell me it's raining. I've looked all over hell and half of Georgia to find the best and funniest Southern sayings for all y'all, and I sure hope they tickled you as much as they tickled me. Meaning: (Exclamation) What in tarnation is a Southern slang expression; originated from the words damnation and tarnal. This expression dates back to the 18th century and is used when irritated or surprised. Example: Well, I declare! and 2) "I don't know? Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things You'll Only Hear In A Southern Grocery Store. Blessed and highly favored a positive affirmative that black folks use to say that they have been blessed throughout life. She's busier than a cat covering crap on a marble floor. Too poor to paint, too proud to whitewash. Andrew LaSane. Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is often used as a prayer and a way to avoid jinxing oneself. Maybe you've heard that "still waters run deep." Meaning: (Phrase) In the South, if you are raisin cane, you are conjuring up trouble. I haven't heard any particular witty comebacks lately, though, have you? Example: You two are high as a kite! Good fortune comes to everyone eventually. Meaning: (Expression) Goodness gracious is an expression used when a person is shocked by something he or she learned about. We always have that one family member who just cant stay out of trouble. 2. 1. I am from the south and have always enjoyed the expression "grinning like a jack-ass eating briars" when someone is overly proud of themselves or just has a silly grin on their face. I can't hear a lick with all this hooplah. Meaning: (Noun) A ding-dong is a person who lacks common sense because he or she is mentally challenged. He doesn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. My house is finally finished. 4. Once someone has said God knows my heart, just know theyve already made up in their mind that they are A) Currently sinning B) About to sin C) Premeditating a future sin D) Justifying a past sin or E) All of the above. She has a dying duck fit. Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is used when a person wont stop complaining. "Excuse me? No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. Yes, lawd. It is just one of those sayings that you have to hear in context to understand what meaning is intended. What did you do? Something smells bad enough to knock a dog off a gut wagon. This term is commonly used in restaurants and bars. Discover Scottish humor here! I guess we dont want to make the other person feel like we're no longer interested in their conversation. Do you have any idea of its origin? Well, that's all she wrote, y'all. I have a hankerin' for biscuits and gravy. Maybe you do look like boo-boo the fool". Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). .css-2x3ibz{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Kepler,Helvetica,Arial,Serif;font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:normal;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-2x3ibz:hover{color:link-hover;}}Rob Lowe Shares the Secret to His Marriage, Fans Rally Around Valerie Bertinelli's Sad News, Reese Witherspoon Walks Red Carpet After Breakup, Here's When to Watch Every Episode of Rabbit Hole, 'Yellowstone' Stars Confirm Real-Life Romance, Flipping 101 with Tarek El Moussa Is Returning, See Joanna Gaines's Emotional Family Update, LeAnn Rimes Fans Are Freaking Out Over Sheer Dress, Miranda Lamberts Husband Posted a Thirst Trap. It starts at home with our mothers and from the time we are young, they have a series of sayings we hear well into our adult years. As a common Northerner (I moved to The South from the Pacific Northwest), it was quite an eye opener the first time I heard most of the people around me talking in the familiar Southern accent and downright confusing the first time I heard someone say, "I might could"! You can camp near the beach at private campgrounds or one of the four campgrounds on the National Seashore. The parent will promptly respond with "Do I look like Boo-Boo The Fool?". Example: Move at a cotton pickin minute if you wont want to be late for the game! (You've got yourself a lost cause, son.) Wikimedia Commons . Bless your heart. We believe in call and response, highly interactive communication styles. Example: Well, Ill be shocked to know you are graduating. There's only so much you can do (but do what you can anyway). The food is delicious and always fried, and they have the best tea, or sweet tea, in the country. Youre so fulla s**t your eyes are brown. Our mothers and grandmothers have given us so much. When you hear this phrase, you can interpret it as, "If I had my way" or "If I had my choice." If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. He is so dumb, he could throw himself on the ground and miss. Example: Goodness gracious! It takes a strong woman to fill that cup Another throwback among the older matriarchs in the family. Meaning: (Phrase) I reckon is a quintessential southern phrase for I suppose.. Example: Lord willin and the creek dont rise, Ill be there to support you! Meaning: (Phrase) When a person is extremely mad to a point where he or she needs to be restrained, he or she is fit to be tied. People with this lack of exposure to anything considered different, are quick to proclaim another person's speech improper or incorrect. Meaning: (Exclamation) The Southern expression heavens to Betsy is often used when a person is shocked or surprised. as you ran away from your mama when you got in trouble. Happy Cabbage Happy. They then give you an order such as, "take out the trash", without a single care for what you're currently doing, because why would they adhere to your schedule? Meaning: (Phrase) The Southern saying "Be back directly" is a saying when a person is telling another to go back right away. I lived in Alabama in the early fifties after living my first few years in Brazil, Ginny, I assumed everyone the US spoke like this back then. This way, youll have a smooth time while experiencing their culture. Whatever it is, it is not quite up to par. Keep it up and I'll cancel your birth certificate. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about. Meaning: (Phrase) One of the most used Southern sayings go outside and get me a switch means that a child should find something his or her parents would use to spank him or her for doing something wrong. (Now this one I've heard in New Jersey). (Spelling a phonetic guess). Southern Living. It's been hotter'n a goat's butt in a pepper patch. You could have a stroke out here. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. Travel anywhere below the Mason-Dixon Line and you're bound to hear a friendly "Y'all," a cheeky "Bless Your Heart," or any of these other classic Southern sayings. Example: Im heading out to get a coke. I'm burning slap up. 1.phrase used by Southern women to excuse themselves for speaking ill of someone else. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. It rained like a cow pissin' on a flat rock. This phrase is from John Keats' Endymion. Grandma would not recommend buying something sight unseen. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. Answer: Well it all depends on who is saying it and the intention. Take your own sweet time and Ill call you when suppers ready. He's so ugly, he didn't get hit with the ugly stick, he got whopped with the whole forest! You better give your heart to Jesus, 'cause your butt is mine. Meaning: (Phrase) Hug yer neck is a term used by older people when they want to hug the kids. She's not looking for sweets; she wants a hug and a kiss. You don't have a job and you probably dont have an allowance because why would your parents pay you to do what youre supposed to do while living their household. Please move faster. This is a phrase that our grandmother and great aunties would use to describe a woman who has been through her fair share of lifes ups and downs and we know many of them in the family. National Parks and Monuments in the US showcase some of the most unique and stunning areas of this country. Putting five dollars on gas was suitable in the 90s when goods and services cost less, the economy was booming, and our wages werent stagnant. Meaning: (Exclamation) Sam Hill was a store owner who sells a variety of things. Example: Our children are going on a trip. Although we may not know these celebrities personally, we feel a kinship seeing that they represent the culture at large. Meaning: (Phrase) When Southern people say spit a spell it means to take a seat for a minute before leaving or doing something. If brains were leather, he wouldn't have enough to saddle a junebug. Its not helping anyone. So dumb he couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel. And on the way you are praying that the person in question is not a friend or acquaintance of yours. I'm sure if you're a mother now, you may find yourself saying. Meaning: (Phrase) When you caused trouble or is caught in the middle of it, then you are like a bull in a China shop. Have You Heard These Southern Compliments? It can also be the opening to striking a bargain, sharing a strongly held opinion, or offering a piece of advice you may or may not want to hear. You better praise him! Another proverb you wouldve probably heard growing up if you were raised by God-fearing parents or grandparents. You're lyin' like a no-legged dog! This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. I'm so poor I can't afford to pay attention. Example: Up and at em! This statement will be affirmed to you with a swiftness when you seem to forget who exactly you are speaking to. Question: What does it mean when people start a sentence with law? Ive enjoyed reading these. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. 5. We heard all of these adages growing up, and we couldn't help but pick up a few ourselves. 1. 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