Favorite TN slang (Knoxville, Chattanooga: law, moving, eat)

[irishfan]

There are fixins (ingredients for a recipe) and there is fixin (as in getting ready to do something). My favorite is "I might can do that". I grew up in Virginia but have lived in Southern California for the past 40+ years. I love Tennessee and own a place in Cookeville. I like the pace of life, the genuine warmth of the people, and the 99 shades of green. It's a great place to visit and a hard place to leave. So why don't ya sit a spell and loosin' yer coller.

[FL_TN_Nana]

Originally Posted by Jim280

Tennessee Ten Commandments
> >
> > Some people in Tennessee have trouble with all those "shalls" and "shall nots" in the in the Ten commandments. . Folks just aren't used to talking in those terms. So, some folks in middle Tennessee got together and translated the "King James" into " Jackson County " language,.... no joke, read on... The Hillbilly's Ten Commandments (posted on the wall at Cross Trails Church in Gainesboro , TN. )
(1) Just one God.
(2) Honor yer Ma &Pa.
(3) No tellin' tales or gossipin'.
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
(5) Put nothin' before God.
(6) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(7) No killin.'
(8) Watch yer mouth.
(9) Don't take what ain't yers.
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff

I received an e-mail recently that was very similar only it was Cajun 10 Commandments....I know some hunters and fishermen in TN who would like this one too!

1. God is number one... and das' All.
2. Don't pray to nuttin' or nobody... jus' God.
3. Don't cuss nobody... 'specially da Good Lord.
4. When it be Sunday... pass yo'self by the church house.
5. Yo mama an' yo daddy dun did it all... lissen to dem.
6. Killin' duck an' fish, das' OK... people - No!
7. God done give you a wife... sleep wit' jus' her.
8. Don't take nobody's boat... or nuttin' else.
9. Don't go wantin' somebody's stuff.
10. Stop lyin'... yo tongue gonna fall out yo mouf!

[Kklynnt]

I always find this saying amusing..You can still hear it occasionally around "these here parts."

when you would visit someone they would invite you in and then say:

"pull you up a seat and sit down beside it"

If by chance you found yourself without a seat, some of the old timers would tell you to:

"sit on your fist and lean back on your thumb"

[Jessg]

This thread is great! I was born and raised in east Tn (wait is that one too?!?) & I say most of these things everyday and didnt even realize that it was out of the ordinary. How funny! We says youns round these parts (hahaha) Here are the two that were always my favorite besides Bless her heart-a classic!
Your room is a gom! My mom would say that when our room was messy
Oh flitter!-My mamaw says that all time as a way to not cuss. Its nice to read these things that I use everyday & you wonderful people arent making fun of how we talk!

[dreamofmonterey]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Ohhh, here's another...

Instead of saying, "You need to talk to John."
You say, "you need to get with John about that."

thats true- I found myself saying that-"get with" instead of meeting with. One thing funny is instead of "calling in" to the office, they say call outs. Not a big thing but I was initially confused-lol.

[hiknapster]

And you don't get your picture taken, you get it made.

[MomsTn]

[Not sure if this is southern slang or not.
Found myself saying it today.
I know I grew up with it.]

"Now, don't go off half-cocked!"

[Bear Creek]

I was in my late teens when I realized that "harsh tators" and Irish potatoes were the same thing.

[cdeneve]

Oh... what a fun thread!

My co-worker from Massachusetts almost fell off her chair laughing when she heard me say that someone "ran like a scalded dog."

When you want the door barely opened, you "crack the door."

I used to tell my kids that I "would beat them like a rug" but I never did and they never believed me, anyway.

And when my accent would really come out, my son would look at me, roll his eyes, and say, "is the yella pilla in the winda?" Little creep!

[MB2]

This is such a fun thread!!!!
I love it! lol
Wow, some people are really confused, when they hear southern slang.....Can you imagine, a foreigner living in PA, having best friends from Knoxville/ TN, trying to learn how to speak "proper" english????? LOL
I was kind of "stuck" in between the north and south slangs, and at times mixed them all up. (Boy, was that hysterical, because now nobody understood anything anymore....lol)
Well, all I'm saying is, my english is way better now, and understand a southern slang pretty good. (Yeah, it only took me 18 years....LOL)
Keep this thread goin y'all....