Thursday Thoughts ~ Southern Sayings III

I reckon ~ I guess or I suppose

Might as well, can't dance, ain't got show fare, and it's too dark (or wet, or cold, or hot) to play outside.~ This means the speaker has nothing else fun or interesting to do and so will do whatever you've suggested.

Wound up like an 8 day clock ~ hyper

Catawampus or cattywampus ~ crooked or askew

Quit actin' ugly ~ stop misbehaving or being rude

I'll jerk a knot in your tail ~ prediction of dire consequences for undesirable behavior

Going to make groceries ~ going to the store to buy food

Be sweet now, ya heah ~ mind your manners

He was so tall that if he fell down, he'd be half-way home ~ referring to one who is very tall

Lickety split ~ fast, in a jiffy, very quick

Busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest ~ extremely or excessively busy and rushed

Hankering ~ yearning or desire for something

If you don't stop that, I'll slap you into next week ~ another warning and prediction of serious consequences for bad behavior

Tump ~ a cross between "turn over" and "dump" ~ meaning to turn some container over and dump out its contents

Must have forgotten to pay the preacher ~ having bad luck

Thursday's Thoughts ~ Southern Sayings II

Hotter than a $2.00 pistol ~ very attractive, sexy

Whatever blows your skirt up ~ whatever makes you happy

Colder than a witch’s tit ~ frigid

Barking up the wrong tree ~ you’re asking the wrong person

Acting too big for your britches ~ trying to act older than you are, being arrogant

Finer than frog’s hair ~ exceedingly fine

Going off half cocked ~ charging into a situation unprepared

Ain’t got a pot to piss in and a window to throw it out of ~ profoundly poor

Counting your chickens before they hatch ~ making plans before you know what’s going to happen

Butter my butt and call me a biscuit ~ an explanation, I just can’t believe that

Thursday Thoughts ~ Southern Sayings

The South is known for its rich heritage of traditions, customs, music and cuisine. What is often overlooked is the language that is unique to the area.

Below are a few terms and sayings with a brief explanation.

Bless your heart ~ this can have a positive and negative meaning. It can be used to confer a blessing on or sympathy for someone going through a hard time, or it can have a sarcastic meaning and precede an insult.

Bubba ~ was slang for brother, but became a derogatory term for one that is not very bright.

Buggy ~ people in the rest of the country have shopping carts when they go to the grocery or discount store. In the South, you have a buggy.

That dog don’t hunt in these woods ~ that is not acceptable behavior here.

Put me wise to ~ informed me, gave me the inside scoop, or alerted me to something.

Honey please ~ in the rest of the country this would be expressed as give me break.

You’re crawfishing ~ means your backing up, being wishy washy, and going back on your word.

I got dirt to scratch and eggs to lay ~ not now I have things to do.

The boy ain’t right ~ person referred to is goofy.

Light bread ~ this refers to loaf bread as opposed to corn bread.

Over yonder ~ can refer to the other side of the room or a mile down the road.

Either fish or cut bait ~ get serious or keep playing around.

In a coon’s age ~ been a long time.

Grinnin like a possum ~ a smug expression or smirk.

Playing possum ~ playing dead, faking it.

Walkin in high cotton ~ being prosperous and happy.

Layin there like a bump on a log ~ being lazy.

Fixin to ~ about to do something.

Aim to ~ planning to do something.

Dinner ~ is the noon meal or lunch.

Supper ~ is the evening meal.

Lunch ~ is a meal you carry in a paper bag to work or school.

Who’s his people ~ means who is his family.

In the country ~ means in a rural area.

So and So passed ~ usually said with head down and quiet voice meaning someone has died.

Older than dirt ~ refers to a very old person.

Cookin with grease ~ making progress.

Sunday go to meetin clothes ~ church or dress clothes.

Go cut me a switch ~ get a small and thin limb from bush or tree, to be used for punishment.

Cold enough to hang meat ~ in the summer it means that a/c is set to high, in the winter it means the heat is set to low.

If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch ~ if you can’t keep up get out of the race or activity.

Nekkid ~ refers to being unclothed and up to something mischievous.