Favorite TN slang (house, high school, garden)

[MomsTn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TNBound
My husband had to get used to the many little sayings that I grew up with, that he didn't quite understand...

like "it's colder than a Well Diggers butt."
Now, that is cold...

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Oh my gosh, I heard someone say that the other day. No kidding!

Oh, I've got a bunch of them.
My hubby is a born and bred yankee, and he just couldn't believe half of the stuff that came out of my mouth.

I thought everyone had heard that one.
I heard it enough growing up.

[amyevansmom]

A cute one I heard on a pouring down rain day:

Boy, it sure is frog floater today!


And someone telling me a story of something stupid they did and it caused them to fall down said:

"I squalled and fell backerds" <---no, not spelled wrong! hahah!

[mbmouse]

TN bound was talking about great "southern slang" she heard while growing up in the South and I thought I would start a new thread on it.( and moved those here, just don't know why they went to the top, now a bit confusing, sorry)
I know growing up in CT, then spending years in FL, when I moved here to East TN, some people spoke in what I thought was a foreign language. It's not, it is just English mixed with Southern slang. hahhahaha So for some folks thinking of moving here, lets acclimate them to our "lingo" round these parts (see started already hahahhaha)
Some definitions:
"Up the road a piece"- now this could mean 4 blocks or 40 miles.
"toboggan"- This is a hat that is worn in the winter to keep your head warm, not a sled. Yankees call them "ski caps"
"tickled"- this means you smiled or laughed, or made you very happy about what ever it was that "tickled" you. Not necessarily any touching involved. Example: "That gift I received just tickled me to death"
"mess"- This is an actual measurement. Example: "I gave my neighbor 3 mess of beans from my garden yesterday and she was so tickled" (see, they are used in conjunction with each other)
Ma-maw and Papaw- this is what grandma and grandpa are called here.
"fixen"- this means getting ready, has nothing to do with tools. Example: "I am fixen to go to the store."


I can't think of any other right now as I am putting myself on the spot to think of them hahahahha I am also so used to hearing them and even use them myself now.

As for great "southern" phrases:
"Bless your (her, his, their) heart"- This means you are empathizing with someone and wish them the best.
"I appreciate you"- This one is self explanatory and is really meant.
"As nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs"
"jaungry, jaeeetjet"- This is a question, Are you hungry? Have you eaten?
"Come in and sit a spell" This means welcome and stay as long as you would like to.
"in the floor"- This means something is on the floor. Example: "You left your towel in the bathroom floor"

Others can share here.
Don't get me wrong, I am by NO means picking on or criticizing the way anyone speaks. I think these are great words and phrases that are commonly used in this area. These phrases and words have been used and said for generations and it shows me that roots do run deep here and there is a great pride in family.

[hiknapster]

My absolute favorites involve the kindness of the culture.

Instead of saying, "Do it."
You say, "You want to go ahead and do that."

Instead of saying, "Shut up!"
You say, "Hush!"


Instead of saying, "Stop being a jerk!"
You say, "Now you be sweet!" Note: pronounced "suh-weet"

[mbmouse]

Just remembererd another!
"Come give me some sugar"- I want a kiss and/or a hug

[JMT]

I love those! And many of them are so ingrained in me that I never knew how strange they sounded until I moved out of the South.

One thing, mbmouse, "bless his/her heart" can be said to soften any insult. For example, if I said "He's an idiot," that would be an insult. But if I say, "He's an idiot, bless his heart," it's no longer an insult but is a show of compassion.

"That baby sure is ugly." That's an insult.

"That baby sure is ugly, bless his heart." That's a show of compassion.

I love it!

Another one that I had never heard, even in Florida, until moving to Tennessee. A "fursee" is a unit of measurement. "To get to the general store, take Hwy 56 north and go four fursees, then turn right."

A "fursee" is short for "as far as you can see." Such a unit of measurement wouldn't work in Florida or Kansas with all those long, flat stretches of road. But in the hills of the Upper Cumberland with all the twists and turns in the roads, it makes sense.

Bless their hearts!

[MomsTn]

You can also tell someone that they are an idiot this way...

"You sure are an idiot..... "I'm just sayin...."

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Just remembererd another!
"Come give me some sugar"- I want a kiss and/or a hug

Oooooh my gosh, that one brings back some fun memories!

My first high school girlfriend in Tennessee was a sweetie. The day after our first date, my best friend in HS called me and asked me if her sugar was sweet. I had NO idea what he was talking about, but he rephrased it as "is she a good kisser" and then I understood.

Another good Southern phrase (I think it's Southern) that I like: "white on rice."

"She's on him like white on rice."

[MomsTn]

Oh, I forgot, with the "I'm just sayin..."
You have to shrug your shoulders and lift your hands....

So, you can say....

"My my that's an ugly hairstyle", (shrug your shoulders, lift your hands...)

"I'm just sayin...."

[JMT]

OK here's something that I've heard a lot of Northerners complain about when they move to Tennessee. It's the expression, "I'll carry you to the store" ("I'll take you to the store"). I've heard more than one Northerner say how stupid that is.

Well, even up North, if you say you're going to come by my house to take me to the store, do you not say you'll "pick me up"? ("I'll be by to pick you up in 15 minutes.") The logical extension of "picking me up" would be to carry me. Perfectly logical!