[tuxedocat]

Thanks Texas Reb--(My grandmother always acted llike "yankee" was a bad word and we had to whisper it.)

[tuxedocat]

I've never been much of anywhere except Alabama I guess so I didn't know. Sorry.

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by tuxedocat

when you don't think twice about hearing people say "I reckon" or "over yonder"

Or "fixin' to."

Originally Posted by TexasReb

I PROMISE I am not trying to intrude too much on an Alabama thread! It is just that I find it interesting and have family roots there (great-great-grandma and her bunch from LA and migrated to TX after the War). But anyway, the neat thing is that so much of what has been noted could apply to "you know you are from Texas if..." too.

It's OK, TexasReb! Do a little digging and you'll find MANY multi-generation Texans got there by way of Alabama. Ever heard of Burleson, Texas? When my family moved to Alabama in 1959, I thought we had no kin here. Turns out our Burleson kin had preceeded us by 120 years...and many of them migrated to Texas a generation or so later.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Or "fixin' to."


It's OK, TexasReb! Do a little digging and you'll find MANY multi-generation Texans got there by way of Alabama. Ever heard of Burleson, Texas? When my family moved to Alabama in 1959, I thought we had no kin here. Turns out our Burleson kin had preceeded us by 120 years...and many of them migrated to Texas a generation or so later.

Ohhh, yeah! LOL Fixin' to is another one shared by Texans and Alabamans. What is so hard for yankees to understand about it...?

Seriously, though Southlander, you are absolutely right about the original migration to Texas. Tennessee furnished the largest share of settlers to the Republic of Texas. The next closest? (and VERY close in numbers). Alabama!

This carried on AFTER the War. That is, folks from the southeastern former Confederate states coming to Texas to get a new start. My own family lines are mostly Mississippi, but a goodly dose of Alabama in the mix as well. A lot of people don't know it, but the "Texas cowboy" has direct roots in the cattle drover traditions of the Deep South. And most of the originals were ex-Confederate soldiers.

Anyway, didn't mean to get OT.

[OhioNative]

How about saying "used to could" or "might could?"

[NicoleC]

Most of these vocal mannerisms fit perfectly well in either Virginia (where I grew up) or the hills of WV (where all the family is).

[breck00]

My dad grew up in Alabama and his side of the family still all live there so I thought I had heard everything until I lived in Georgia (I'm originally from Illinois) and worked with some people from Alabama. One of my co-workers (from Demopolis) broke her arm at work and I took her to the ER. I called her husband to let him know what had happened and he asked if she needed to be "carried" home. Being the Yankee that I was I said "No, she only broke her arm. She can walk fine." He thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard.

Other favorite sayings of ours are "fall out" (for faint) and "mash" for "press", as in "mash the elevator button".

[Chinolala]

Originally Posted by Keeper

Your grandson from FL notices people are going into WalMart barefooted (in Foley)

You know where the real LA is..
Lower AL.

You've eaten Poke Saladit at least once

Had roadkill for Thanksgiving dinner

All true

I'm from Chicago and am reading this and am blown away? Barefoot shopping??? Eating roadkill? And what is Poke Saladit? ha ha

[Keeper]

Barefoot shopping is not unusual near the beach..
Polk Saladit is a plant that grows wild in N. AL. It taste kind of like collard greens when boiled. We even have a PS festival in May here in my small town.
The roadkill story is true, not as bad as it sounds, someone hit a deer with their car and took it home and dressed it..

[NorthAlabama]

Love this thread. Of course, you know the football thing! WOW! But what pride each side has! I also love colloquialisms! Moving around, I find this one of the most fun things. Here are a few I have come across.
Fix'n to
Instead of goodbye it's "We'll be see'in ya..." Nice, never say goodbye
For thank you "We appreciate ya.." this is a very nice way to put it - more feeling...
Always in the South...
Yes Sir/Ma'am
No Sir/Ma'am
Mr. Mrs. Miss [name]
The best I have heard so far...
for unbelievable "Well I'll be a gold toilet!"