"Bless your heart" and "Take your sweet time" might seem like sympathetic phrases but they're not always. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Question: Would please explain the expression 'speak of the devil,' and verify that it is a Southern saying? In the same way you. Generally, I have not heard comments about men's pants at all. It can also refer to a person without a care in the world. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. Meaning: (Phrase) Over yonder means over there in Southern slang. 1. You're lyin' like a no-legged dog! It's a Southern way of cursing politely and not taking the Lord's name in vain (Jesus Christ!) Meaning: (Phrase) The phrase wound tighter than a clock refers to a person so stressed out that its beyond healthy measures. Black folks, most likely from the South of the Midwest, took it a step further and completely got rid of the second consonant sound, creating bae. Meaning: (Phrase) The term knee-high to a bullfrog is a term used to describe the age difference between two people talking. You act like a hog wild! Meaning: (Phrase) Deader than a doornail is a phrase used when a person is already deceased. ", she asks. ", "I been running all over hell's half acre. I need to figure this out. Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things You'll Only Hear In A Southern Grocery Store. Example: "That's not going to work, son. Example: Spit a spell and drink some sweet tea I prepared before you continue with work. Things in the South aren't "broken"they're "tore . Example: Our children are going on a trip. A gentle reminder that Grandma still cares about your bedtimeand general wellbeing. What happened to you?! Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is often used as a prayer and a way to avoid jinxing oneself. 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. (One step above a hissy fit.). 4. I dont know why Black people just cant say "I have to go, good talking to you, bye". This classic proverb either encourages action instead of standing still or reminds that it's hard to put down roots when you're moving. Example: In this crazy world, you cant get too big for yer britches or you wont make it. Example: Hi! Scottish people may have a bleak outlook on life, but their jokes are funny and their sayings are even funnier. It was colder than a witch's tit in a brass bra. .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. He doesn't know whether to check his ass or scratch his watch. Meaning: (Phrase) The Southern words take your own sweet time means to not rush when doing something. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. Another staple for black parents. Example: Make sure you be back directly once youre done with the project. Any of numerous rather large leaf-eating scarab beetles (subfamily Melolonthinae) that fly chiefly in late spring and have larvae that are white grubs which live in soil and feed chiefly on the roots of grasses and other plants. Colder than a banker's heart on foreclosure day at the widows' and orphans' home. Hunted prey such as raccoons or bears would escape the dogs by climbing up trees. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. Do you remember me? 5. I swan, you all musta pissed God off somehow. We always have that one family member who just cant stay out of trouble. Whether or not you're currently a local to any of the states south of the Mason Dixon, or just reminiscing about your younger years or times spent with family, reading through these sayings will make you want to whip up a .css-1e1wdvt{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#0A5C80;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1e1wdvt:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:#0A5C80;}batch of biscuits, pour another glass of sweet tea while rocking on a porch, or stroll down a driveway dripping with moss. He don't know s**t from shinola. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. The legacy of "Do you have McDonalds money?" He's so dumb, he could throw himself on the ground and miss. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. You sure you could go to work? Southerners love hosting and entertaining as well, so youll be treated in the best way possible. (Translation: Run and hide! Its been a long time. When traveling abroad, it's usually wise to learn a few words and phrases in the native language to help in case you find yourself in a jam. 1. His brain rattles around like a BB in a boxcar. An ode to the black entrepreneurship spirit over the years. 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. This way, youll have a smooth time while experiencing their culture. There's a tree stump in a Louisiana swamp with a higher IQ. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." Example: Wow, you are hotter than hell, arent ya? ", "I was born at night, but not last night! Why so sad? Black is lazy and easy- but mysterious. He wont stop! Well only get milk and tea. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. And bring me something useful if you dont want me to find something else! If I had a dog as ugly as you, I'd shave his butt and make him walk backwards. Answer: Yuns is a shortened version of "you ones", similar to "you all". "We're living in high cotton." Cotton has long been a key crop to the South's economy, so every harvest farmers. 2. I was surprised as all get out. Hes happier than a dead pig in the sunshine. ", "Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. You look like you've been rode hard and put up wet! Deep in the South where sushi is still called bait. Example: She might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she definitely has potential. She doesnt find anyone as attractive as her. (have a good time) Go off half-cocked. Meaning: (Onomatopoeia) These Southern words mean that a person should keep quiet or stop talking. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. comes from. We care about your data. Meaning: (Phrase) This phrase is another slang used in the South to tell a person to stop misbehaving. Also called June beetles. 1. or, "He doesn't have the sense to come in out of the rain, bless his heart.". He is so dumb, he could throw himself on the ground and miss. Example: You two are high as a kite! You can camp near the beach at private campgrounds or one of the four campgrounds on the National Seashore. Example: I dont like her style, bless her heart. And in many cases, being able to fluidly change ones speech is a form of survival. Leah Hall is currently a digital producer and writer for Country Living. Meaning: (Exclamation) In the Southern way of things, swearing is bad. (Most of these comments are made about women. Meaning: (Phrase) Cotton pickin minute is an intensifier used as a Southern saying that means to move at a speed of how much time it is to pick a basketful of cotton which is around 1.31 minutes. Black parents will read you to the heavens and make you reevaluate your entire life. 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. I called the house phone, but it rang busy and I forgot your cell phone number. Unarguable Southern criticism. Example: Mind your Ps and Qs. Example: Hes always plumb tuckered out, come Saturday mornings, so we cant do anything during summer afternoons. It was bad as all get out. Of course, there are the good old standbys we all know and love, like "y'all" and "down yonder." If you are Black you know youve heard these sayings at some point in time throughout your life. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. Example: Come here and give me some sugar! 1. It's plain as a pig on a sofa. It's cold enough to freeze the tit off a frog. Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. If you are planning to go on a trip to the South, you can read these Southern slang words and phrases and learn how they talk. Example: Hes like a bull in a China shop. His bread basket is bigger than a bread basket, if you know what I mean. I'm sure if you're a mother now, you may find yourself saying. Once they've talked to the point of physical exhaustion, this is how the phone call ends, Alright girl, well I just got home. This is the couth Southerner's way of insulting your intelligence without using so many words. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. That nonsense came out of a pigs lips! And the tone in this question is without regard to our egregious student loans, deflated wages, high rent, as if it's purely by choice. Example: I cant believe you couldnt find your phone. Example: No more hissy fit in the mall today. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. My question though is about the exclamation "Well my lands!" He was so poor, he had a tumbleweed as a pet. Example: You shouldnt be acting like youre madder than a wet hen in public. 3. She has almost certainly exclaimed "Goodness gracious!" If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. Example: Why are you so rowdy? And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. You could have a stroke out here. ), He has a duck fit. Meaning: (Phrase) cut that out is another phrase to use when a person is misbehaving. You'd call an alligator a lizard. Meaning: (Exclamation) Well, Ill be is an expression used when a person is surprised. Example: Goodness gracious! Meaning: (Exclamation) The term Supper time! is used when dinner is ready and its time to call the members of the family to eat. She already knows anywaysomehowso you should go ahead and come clean. When you visit or move to the US South, you may need help to understand what we are talking about! He hasn't got the sense God gave a goose. Vintage Photos Of Black History Being Made In America. No one can mistake the intent and meaning of "I'm going to jerk a knot in your tail!" Yankees are like hemorrhoids: Pain in the butt when they come down and always a relief when they go back up. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death. Question: What does "Wake with the South In My Mouth" mean? This phrase is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. Again, black parents are masters at humbling you. Mid-interview he clearly has had enough. But saying, "no, you do not look like Boo-Boo The Fool" is worse than a wrong answer, because duh, the question is rhetorical. Example: What you did stinks to the high heavens! ", "I'll knock you into the middle of next week looking both ways for Sunday!". 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. In this case, "little" means your friends are not on your parent's level, caliber, importance; which is why you will not speak to them any type of way. In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present. Meaning: (Phrase) The term flew off the handle is used when someone goes out of control. My mother and aunts used to say this if they thought someone was telling a tall tale. Barking up the wrong tree. 1. Perhaps they are used to conversing with people who allow this type of behavior. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. When you're speaking to them, you speak with respect. Don't pee down my back and tell me it's raining. It happened faster than a knife fight in a phone booth. These series of gifs are the epitome of "See, this right here is what we not finna do": Black people are great "hype-men" for one another. I haven't eaten all day." We call this "fine bara" in Nigerian Pidgin English. Maybe you've heard that "still waters run deep." Meaning: (Phrase) The South Carolina term hold your horses means to wait and be patient. It's been said every day, all day, for as long as we can remember. As soon as this phrase is said, you immediately stop what you're doing and head over to see what happened. No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond, A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Next. Answer: I haven't heard that expression, but your explanation sounds likely. We like to sing this one to children.) Ugly. If it had been a snake, itd bit you. Whatcha gonna do when the crick runs dry? I'm wilting. He's so highfalutin' he thinks his sh*t tastes like sherbert. Meaning: (Phrase) The phrase stinks to high heavens means that a person has done something bad. beat box. Source: Flickr/Eric Norris When A Southerner Gets Mad 3. Example: Hello, little miss priss. I reckon you still want to go with them? Example: Thats too much. Meaning: (Expression) The expression hows yer mama n them? is a sign of respect for a family and should be used even when you already know the answer to this question. Though all similar, the accents range from the small town twang to the unique Charleston accent. It means that a person is acting innocently trying to hide something in order for him or her to deceive others. If you hear this one, it's best to slow down. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. That makes about as much sense as tits on a bull. He's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine/a trapdoor on a canoe. These are probably some of my very favorites! So before reading these ten very black phrases and thinking "this isn't proper language", learn to respect the different spaces that exist in this country and understand that culture, heritage, and humor are ever-changing; and for many people language is a way to celebrate their unique identity in a country that has ostracized them for being different. Example: I will pinch a plug out of you if you dont stop running around as if youre inside an empty house. 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? It can also be used if the speaker believes the recipient needs to grow up and deal with it, when the speaker says it in a sarcastic tone. It's so dry the trees are bribing the dogs. Evidently, in the 1920s, "spade" started being used as a slang term, and then a derogatory slur, for . For example, us millennials aren't having enough kids to keep the Unites States population at its "replacement level". Meaning: (Noun) A ding-dong is a person who lacks common sense because he or she is mentally challenged. So dumb he couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel. You dont know dip sh** from apple butter! Meaning: (Phrase) When a person is found to be very attractive or hot, he or she is hotter than hell. Meaning: (Phrase) the term tickled pink is used in a more positive thinking way, meaning a person is delighted. The brilliance of black parents is that they can make you feel stupid with a few words and a glare. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? That dog won't hunt. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." Example: Hold your horses! Wheres your mama? Made famous by Forrest Gump, this phrase reminds us to look a little deeper. Meaning: (Phrase) Plumb tuckered out is used when a person is dead-tired because of physical exertion. Example: We told you that its not good to use swear words even if you think youre cool. 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. This phrase means a person was pushed to his or her limit and can get angry any time soon. I'm fixin' to fix the porch door after I finish this sweet tea. You've got that part on there Wrong Sudadderds." The South is well-known for having a way with words. 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. Meaning: (Exclamation) The Southern expression heavens to Betsy is often used when a person is shocked or surprised. But we declare if your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes from Gone With the Wind, you're missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. (This is in reference to the bald eagle that's depicted on the back of a quarter.) This is a perfect time to mention another black phrase, I got five on it. It draws a line saying "no matter how much I love you, this relationship ain't equal". This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. On the other hand, there are some Southernisms that it might take a Yankee like me years to figure out without a translator. Whatever cranks your tractor. Bless your heart. The other reason black people love saying this phrase is out of pure pettiness. Don't go borrowing trouble. Meaning: (Hyperbole) The term slap you silly is hyperbole for someone who is mad and can slap another person. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. But we've just realizedthey've passed down their vocabularies too. Yohji Yamamoto. Meaning: (Phrase) In the South, if you are raisin cane, you are conjuring up trouble. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Did Chevrolet stop makin trucks? So it really hurts when a celebrity does something that embarrasses us. Question: I'm from Northern Alabama. Example: Why do you worry so much? ", "She could start an argument in an empty house. There's only so much you can do (but do what you can anyway). We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Answer: I think that "law" is actually a form of "Lord", possibly calling on the lord tor help or understanding. Means: Take the wrong approach or waste your efforts Real meaning: This is an old saying that originates in America and refers to hunting dogs in the early 19 th century. I could slap you silly! Instead of accepting the repercussions or come up with a believable excuse, the kid answers with, "See, what had happened was my phone restarted and changed my clock so I thought it was 10 p.m., instead of midnight. They even teamed up with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots to turn their hit song into into a jingle using only office supplies. Youve grown a few inches! ", "Hes so cheap he wouldnt give a nickel to see Jesus ridin a bicycle. While their images and colloquialisms tickle the funny bone, Southern expressions usually convey exactly what the speaker intended. Clean this mess right now! For marginalized groups, language is more than a method of communicating thoughts and ideas. If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out More Funny Southern Sayings and Southernisms from Readers. Ive heard the expression 100 times but not sure if lart is the right word or if Ive been misunderstanding. Answer: I believe that the expression is "Happy as a lark", a bird noted for it's cheerful, happy song. 9 out of every 10 black women has weekly phone calls so long that it takes up your drive from Santa Monica to Pasadena. Question: Have you heard anyone say Oh, my hind foot!? Meaning: (Phrase) The Southern saying Be back directly is a saying when a person is telling another to go back right away. "See, this right here is what we not finna do" means just what it sounds like it means, "this conversation, this situation, is not going to happen". Therefore, Southerners call this kind of act from a person madder than a wet hen.. This phrase refers to two people that have a close relationship, they stick together all the time. Law, pull that down! Or opaque. Meaning: (Phrase) When Southern people say spit a spell it means to take a seat for a minute before leaving or doing something. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. And on the way you are praying that the person in question is not a friend or acquaintance of yours.