The South Will Rise Again Southern Pride

Two Women Talking Over Debate

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Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. It's truthful, we practise have a mouthful of sayings that just Southerners sympathize. However, if you lot're from the S, you lot know that sometimes there'due south only no other fashion to get your point across. If you lot're tying to exist squeamish, just you lot just tin't quite permit information technology get, "anoint your centre" is a become to. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty every bit a peach." If you just heard your mama come home and you oasis't finished your chores, she volition definitely be "madder than a wet hen." Take a wait at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without.

Anoint Your Heart

Bless Your Eye

It can be deployed sincerely, but if yous're hearing "bless your heart" in the Due south, it probably has an edge to it. It's near always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and once again.

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Fixin' To

I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. When you lot're fixin' to do something, it'south going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time.

It Doesn't Corporeality to a Hill of Beans

Amount to a Hill of Beans

In the South, a loma of beans is its own measuring stick. Whether y'all're talking nearly volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. That means whatsoever you're talking nearly is worth less than very little.

It'southward Blowin' Upwards a Storm

It's Blowin' Up a Storm

If you've e'er been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can experience, smell, and see a storm blowin' upward across the broad Southern skies. These skies can darken at a moment'southward notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer rut.

More than Carter's Got Little Pills

More than Than Carter'south Got Little Pills

This 1 originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. Apparently Carter had a bang-up many pills, considering the phrase found its manner into the Southern vocabulary. You may nonetheless hear it if you terminate into a land store.

Over Yonder

When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant direction—any management. The phrase may exist accompanied by a gesture indicating n, due south, east, or west. Over yonder downwards the road. Over yonder past the cotton field. Over yonder toward the water tower. This phrase can be intensified past the improver of the word "manner," as in "way over yonder."

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She was Madder Than a Wet Hen

Madder Than a Wet Hen

Have you e'er seen a wet hen? If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed.

'Til the Cows Come up Home

Settle in, considering whatever we're talking near is going to have all day. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come dwelling, it's going to take all day.

If I Had My Druthers

"Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my style…" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'50 Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." And really, wouldn't nosotros all druther have our druthers?

I Reckon

I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said past friends and family unit on porches and in rocking chairs all across the Due south.

She's as Pretty as a Peach

Pretty every bit a Peach

This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than whatsoever other states in the S. And of class, in that location's nada prettier than a warm summer solar day picking peaches in the sunshine.

Total Every bit A Tick

Full As A Tick

If you've merely had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you lot're definitely total as a tick. Information technology's a vivid phrase, and information technology'due south an accurate i too.

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If the Creek Don't Rise

Creek Don't Rise

Translated, this ways: "We'll be in that location unless something out of our control stops usa." Unlike the United states of america Post, whose motto proclaims "Neither snow nor rain nor oestrus nor gloom of night" will proceed them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted past a ascent creek or other unexpected crash-land in the route.

Worn Slap Out

When yous're exhausted in an I'k-so-beat-I-can't-get-on kind of style, you lot're definitely worn slap out. It is a concrete and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of domestic dog-tired. Information technology happens often during a Southern summertime, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100.

Hold Your Horses

Agree Your Horses

Stop right there! This ane may exist self-explanatory, only nosotros tin can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. If you hear this one, it's best to ho-hum down.

Well, I Declare

A multipurpose Southernism. If y'all utilize this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud.

He Was Funny as All Go Out

Funny as All Become Out

"All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and information technology intensifies any statement. I was surprised as all become out. It was bad as all exit. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about.

No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond

When you arrive on the banks of the line-fishing pond on Saturday mornings, you lot're hoping for a expert catch—enough big catfish and bream to fry up for the family unit on Saturday nighttime. If y'all find just minnows, though, they await even smaller compared to the heavy take hold of y'all hoped for. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny every bit can be.

Heavens to Betsy

An assertion—of surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotion—that is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario.

Hush Your Mouth

Hush Your Oral fissure

Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees yous cutting up in church on Lord's day morning. We acknowledge that we've heard this Southernism more than once.

Likewise Big for His Britches

Likewise Large for His Britches

Unarguable Southern criticism. Translated, information technology means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." If yous hear this one, yous should probably interruption a moment. Southerners tell it like it is—no matter what it is—so call up of this equally a learning moment.

She's Got Gumption

Gumption is spirit, backbone, spunk, disrespect, and initiative. If someone tells you that you've got gumption, you should thank them, and then walk a little taller, because you've received a lovely Southern compliment. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin besides as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-upward-and-go."

Tin can't Never Could

Can't Never Could

Positive thinking, Southern style. If you lot recollect yous can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think y'all tin can, you'll succeed. Nosotros similar to read this every bit one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can apply information technology however y'all'd like.

Well, I S'wanee

Well, I Southward'wanee

Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners accept adopted a geographically inspired alternative. "Well I southward'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. Or, depending on where you live, information technology could be Sewanee, the minor college town in Tennessee.

A Rooster One Day and A Plume Duster the Next

A Rooster One Twenty-four hours a Feather Duster the Next

This is our artistic way of saying that you shouldn't crow like a rooster about your wealth and belonging today, because it could all disappear tomorrow.

Permit Me Allow Yous Go...

Since nosotros'd never cartel hang upwardly the phone while Mama's chatting abroad, this may exist the only way to end your conversation in a timely manner.

Since we'd never dare hang up the telephone while Mama's chatting away, this may be the just way to stop your conversation in a timely manner.

That's Cattywampus

While this phrase may sound fabricated upwardly, it's simply our multisyllabic fashion of saying something is beveled.

While this phrase may audio made up, information technology's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew.

I'll Tell You What!

This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that ofttimes ends without any boosted telling at all.

This is a point of emphasis and assertion that oft ends without any boosted telling at all.

Quit Being Ugly

No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. This phrase isn't about physical appearance. Rather, when this phrase is used, nosotros'd like you to mind your manners and end interim inappropriately. You'll most often hear information technology coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok.

No, we don't mean you need to become fix your hair. This phrase isn't near physical appearance. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to listen your manners and stop acting inappropriately. You'll most frequently hear information technology coming out of Mama's oral fissure when the kids are running amok.

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Source: https://www.southernliving.com/culture/sayings/southern-sayings