Regional cliches... especially stuff parents say (neighborhood, school, money)

[dianalee4jc]

Hey y'all!

I'm compiling a list to use as a running gag in my novel. I'm looking for parental cliches. You know the stuff like, "Close that door! I'm not paying to heat the neighborhood!"

They don't have to be funny by themselves... the context I'll put them in will make them funny.

Remember any? I especially want regional cliches.

Cheers,
Diana

"Eat your supper. There are starving children in China."

[scottinmass]

From my Mother: When I was kid I used to walk to school in a blizzard!

I guess she meant that we were lucky to have school cancelled...

[dianalee4jc]

Heheheh... or barefoot, uphill... both ways.

[leighbhe]

Okay, my husbands family is from eastern north carolina and I don't understand half of what they are saying and I am also from north carolina....but they say things like:

When you ask them what they think of something, they will say:
"it's like your drawers"...........which means, it is like your pants, up to you, as in they are up against your body. They also use words like britches for any long pants, or basically anything wore on the legs

they say, "well, i swanee" for I swear

They say, "bless her heart or bless his heart just before they are going to insult someone" as in "bless her heart, she just didn't get the looks in the family".

Those are the only things I can think of off of the top of my head, but I am sure more will follow.

oh, how about "do you want a coke" then the person will respond "sure" What kind" and their response may be "a sprite".

Leigh

[dianalee4jc]

Originally Posted by leighbhe

Okay, my husbands family is from eastern north carolina and I don't understand half of what they are saying and I am also from north carolina....but they say things like:

When you ask them what they think of something, they will say:
"it's like your drawers"...........which means, it is like your pants, up to you, as in they are up against your body. They also use words like britches for any long pants, or basically anything wore on the legs

they say, "well, i swanee" for I swear

They say, "bless her heart or bless his heart just before they are going to insult someone" as in "bless her heart, she just didn't get the looks in the family".

Those are the only things I can think of off of the top of my head, but I am sure more will follow.

oh, how about "do you want a coke" then the person will respond "sure" What kind" and their response may be "a sprite".

Leigh

Hey Leigh!
Thanks for those! I was going to ask what your typical carbonated beverage was called anyway! It varies so much from region to region... cola, pop, soda, sodie, coke-cola... That's precious!

Cheers,
Diana

[NC little foot]

"In my day potato chips were a delicacy" HUH! And the famous "Money doesn't grow on tree's ya know" And yes, the "I had to walk 12 miles barefoot in the snow to get to school" Sure.....

[Weis02]

Well my parents walked up hill both ways in the snow too ....

Also if you made a face you were warned if could freeze like that

I could have lost my head several times if it wasn't attached to my shoulders

And the one that cursed me and have already said it to mine many times

I hope you have 100 just like you

[leighbhe]

Diana

My in laws looked at me strange when I ask for a soda (my parents are not from the south). Here, everyone calls soda coke, regardless of what it really is. Now, of course there are people who will not drink coke, but must have pepsi, but that is a whole different story.

[VickiR]

How about while riding in the car, your dad would look back and say..."do you want me to pull over now?"

Or your mom would say..."do you want me to smack you?"

We NEVER answered yes to either!!!

Vicki

[Weis02]

You should look into children cliches too, based on Vicki R's post

Are we there yet?

These some how get past on too.