How Many Southern Sayings Do You Recognize? | The Odyssey Online
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How Many Southern Sayings Do You Recognize?

And how many different ways are there to say "Bless your heart?"

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How Many Southern Sayings Do You Recognize?
flickr.com

If you're not lucky enough to be from the South, well bless your heart. If you can't speak our language, here are a few Southern-isms you'll need to know. And no, Florida doesn't count as the south.

(To) be too big for one's britches: To think too highly of oneself
Ex. Lisa is getting to be too big for her britches. Her mama needs to jerk a knot in her hide.

Britches: Pants
Ex. Dangit John, you tore another hole in your britches.

Bless his/her heart: Usually followed by sad news
Ex. Did you hear about Jenny? Her brother was in that four-wheelin accident right after her dog ran away, bless her heart.

Bless your heart: Either an expression of sympathy or of thinly veiled disgust, very different from bless his/her heart
Ex. She cut me off in the Target parking lot with her buggy! I just looked at her and said, "Bless your heart, I guess you didn't see where you were going with that hair floppin in your face, Beth does great hair over on Main Street. Tell her I sent you."

Can't carry a tune in a bucket: Unable to sing
Ex. It's a good thing the church choir doesn't have auditions, cause Anne can't carry a tune in a bucket.

Cattywampus: Askew, crooked
Ex. Go fix that picture frame, it's hangin all cattywampus.

Clod-hopper: Large, heavy shoes
Ex. Buddy, I don't need you tracking mud all through the house in them clod-hoppers, so take them off at the door.

Directly: Eventually
Ex. Quit your fussin, I'll be there directly.

Fixin' to: getting ready to/prepared to
Ex. I'm fixin' to go to Wal-Mart. Y'all need anything?

Gussied up: Cleaned up and dressed nicely
Ex. Rita got her kids all gussied up for Easter Sunday, but Lord knows they're caked in mud every other day.

Hold your horses: Slow down, chill out, be patient
Ex. Hold your horses, Anna, we'll get there eventually.

Kin/Kinfolk: Family, in small towns, probably the entire town
Ex. Yeah the Hucks' are my kinfolk, but I ain't claiming Josh.

Knee-high to a grasshopper: Very young, small
Ex. Oh my goodness, look at little Sarah all grown up! Last time I saw you, you were just knee-high to a grasshopper!

Ornery: Bad-tempered, stubborn
Ex. Granddaddy sure has gotten ornery in his old age.

Reckon: Suppose
Ex. If she don't get out the house, I reckon I'll have to drag her.

Rubber-neck: To drive slowly past
Ex. Traffic is backed up all the way to First Baptist with people rubber-neckin at that wreck Ella was in.

See someone's Christmas: The person in question should put more clothing on
Ex. Allison needs to wear a longer dress, you can see her Christmas. She needs to keep it wrapped.

Tater: Potato
Ex. We're havin taters and onions with the fish fry tonight, so y'all come hungry.

Yonder: A place
Ex. Go cut off the light in yonder.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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