Southern-isms (Atlanta: attorney, live, groceries)

[small town south]

What is your favorite southernism? What does it mean to you? I love some of the old southern expressions - like "that dog won't hunt" and "useless as teats on a boar hog". (They are much more descriptive and fun than those text message combo-words.) You may have heard such expressions from your grandparents or, for newcomers, from a town elder. At any rate, we don't hear them much anymore. I thought it would be fun to tap memories and get a collection going!

[BuckeyeGal]

It's so good it'll make you want to slap yo mama.

Stop when it sounds expensive. This term is used when backing up a vehicle.

[deja-zebbie]

My FAVORITE Southern saying I've heard so far (used when you're looking for something and finally find it) "even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then". This one was from our attorney who finally found the correct paper after much looking and I almost fell over from laughing so hard when I first heard it.

Also down where we live (rural area S. of Atlanta) "Southern" words which are actually English in origin: "boot" for trunk, "bonnet" for under the hood.

"ordering groceries" for going to the grocery store

Very old saying for money in our neck of the woods: "ducky" or "duckies" which I believe is from "ducat/s" (European coins that remained in use for some time in areas that are now U.S.)

"kick up sand" : make a fuss

"crank up the car" as in start the car

this I'l write phonetically, as I have NO clue how to spell it: "tee-teed in my oh-oaties" as in, "I almost tee-teed in my oh-oaties" (almost pissed in my pants). This from some Southern folks of Scottish descent who have lived in our area since FOREVER.

I LOVE the richness of language in the South.

zebbie

[deja-zebbie]

oooh, oooh, here are a couple more:

"John Brown it" (damn it)

"full of mud" (full of crap), such as "you're full of mud"

"when you start showing your face instead of your ass" (used to say "I'll talk to you when you start acting nice").

And, of course: "bless his (or her) heart" followed by a criticism

"heifer" (or is that heiffer?) for a "trashy" woman.


zebbie

[BuckeyeGal]

Useta could and might still can are used a lot.

This one stresses me: Cut off the lights - - - Cut on the lights. Should I take a pair of scissors to the lights???

Oh, and this. Did you know that when you drop paper IN the floor it doesn't go down a hole in the floor? It stays on the floor.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Cuter than a speckled puppy's butt.

Or when something is perceived to be too expensive my hubby says "I wouldn't pay THAT much to see a gnat eat a bale of hay!"

[mdiggs1]

If you ask somebody if they are drunk they will say "drunker than Cootie Brown!"

LOL. I was rollin when I heard that one. Does anybody know who is Cootie Brown?

[Tdiddy0027]

two words: fixin to ___________

[chrisg3]

Cuttin the fool -means joking around.

[pickleswanson]

Y'all its colder than a well diggers butt (witches tit) depending on what area your from. And it really is too, here in the mountains of Cali; but, snow has been great.