Chesapeake Bay Woman and I have been discussing different expressions and terms that we heard on a regular basis while growing up. Since we grew up only a couple of counties apart, it's no wonder we speak the same language. Until recently, it had never really occurred to me that people from other parts of the country would have difficulty interpreting these colloquialisms. I have told CBW that she and I should write a book in which we list as many of these sayings as we can gather. It would serve as a primer for those who are unfamiliar with our terminology, and a reminder for those who chose to leave the area. Please feel free to post your sayings in the comment section. We'll put them in the book....
I solicited material from my cousin, my uncle and my hubby. Here's what they came up with....I added a few of my own. Mine have more to do with morals, theirs have more to do with bodily functions.
1. That makes the cheese a little more binding.
2. Greasy as eel poop.
3. Tighter than a tick's butt.
4. Wet as a chicken.
5. Do the water bubble where the duck poo-poo?
6. We're going over yonder.
7. That torques my jaws. This one is my new favorite!
8. Deader than a door nail.
9. Ain't got sense enough to pour pi$$ out of a boot.
10. Ain't got a pot to pi$$ in or a window to throw it out of.
11. That frosts/chaps my butt.
12. Cash money.
13. Like white on rice.
14. Bless her heart.
15. He's running around like a chicken with his head cut off.
16. Used to could.
17. It's right smart hot outside.
18. Livin' the life of Riley.
19. Rode hard and put up wet.
20. I'm gonna jerk a knot in you.
21. She can't carry a tune in a bucket.
22. Better late than pregnant.
23. Crazy as a loon.
24. High falutin'.
25. Down the road a fer piece.
26. We're going to see Thelma en 'em.
27. Puttin' the cart before the horse.
28. Right as rain.
29. She thinks she's all that.
30. I'm fixin' to go pick some vegetables for dinner.
I'll just bet you feel smarter already!
21 comments:
Do you want input from a Tennessee girl? I gave CBW some of my faves!
Absolutely! Bring them on:)
Don't feel smarter one bit. I'm from Utah and most of those we use too! And I'm proud to be a country gal lol. My favorite of my dads...."well gohead and git cha some"
This is cracking me up. Bless your little heart for putting this list together! I'll see what I can come up with. Right now my brain is fried. FRIED!
Hugs,
Kim
'Bout smart enough to throw myself on the ground and miss! Which makes me mad as a mule chewin' on bumblebees. So don't you piss on my leg and tell me it's rainin'!!
Sorry - Couldn't help myself! I'm from the South too!!
I love it! Being from the West Coast we just use phrases such as "like, you know ..." I like, already feel smarter, ya know? Can't wait to catch up on your happenings! I missed you too!
These are great! Hmm, let's see.
*Blinkin' like a frog in a hail storm.
* Wouldn't hit a lick.
I know there are more. Let me think on it!
*Never look a gift horse in the mouth.
*Madder than a wet hornet.
*Nuttier than squirrel turds.
* " " a barn owl.
* " " than a fruit cake.
*Full to the gills.
*Tougher than a pine knot.
Oh Gosh, I know we have so many more.
Fun topic to do a post on.
Colder than a witches tit.
I never understood why a witches tit would be cold.
Colder than a well diggers a$$......I get why on that.
Apparently my neck of the woods was cold!!!!
Dumber then a box of nails.
I have more but some of them are slightly Xrated.
Something about chrome.........
UMMM- thinking, thinking, I know we have a bunch of sayings. Just can't come up with any at the moment.
Hey, I recognize almost every single one on your list. Someone in my family uses, "ain't got sense enough to pour piss out of a boot" on a routine basis. But I have an addition to that phrase. A true Mathews-onian said this:
He ain't got sense enough to pour piss out of a boot WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS WRITTEN ON THE BOTTOM.
Ha! I thought that was genius.
My mother said she was gonna think of some others. She does say this one occasionally, and please forgive the not-quite-ready-for-prime-time rating:
He's as useless as t*ts on a boarhog.
She said that in front of my daughter a long time ago, and my daughter, regrettably has never forgotten it.
I love them all! I have one that my grandmother said all the time when she wanted someone to stop talking, or to put it in plan English, shut up.
She'd say:
"Freeze your tongue and give your tonsils a sleigh ride"
I have never heard anyone else ever say that, so I can't give it any geographical status.
What in the world does "Better late than pregnant mean?"
I like "It's right smart hot outside" Totally using that one.
And to think, all we Californians came up with is "Bitchin'"
Here is my little contribution:
My daddy used to call me a Wahoo such as, "Don't act like that, ya little Wahoo!" Now, someone please tell me what in the heck is a wahoo.
"Go fetch me a soda"
"Don't get yer feathers all bunched up"
"Sweatin like a stuck pig"
"I aim to do that"
But the biggest thing for me is the difference in pronounciation. Our family, for the most part, still has this sound similar to the people of Ocracoke or Tangier Island...it's weird. We do not say boat(as in one syllable)...we say bow-ut(as in two syllables) and house becomes how-us...it's strange but is thought to be the correct dialect of Tidewater Natives.
Great post though...I love this.
In east Kentucky, it was a great insult to be thought of as dumber 'n a coal bucket.
"That person is like a turd that won't flush"
#1
"useless as tits on a boar"
"piss up a rope"
"I'm gonna jerk a knot in your tail"
"he don't know which side of his ass his butt is on"
These are all phrases I grew up hearing come out of my father's mouth. His family was from Texas.
Oh I like you so much better now! LOL! these are great, and probably heard every one of them on a daily basis growing up.
(Of course, I disagree that someone wouldnt have sense to pour piss out of a boot...who gets that drunk to piss in a boot? Well...except for that one time, but I had enough sense to just toss them)
Here are a few Wester NY country expressions:
"Crazier than a sh*t-house rat"
"Dumber than a stump"
"Stubborn as a mule"
"You ain't got the sense you were born with"
Here are some Western NY country saying (courtesy of my Grandma):
Crazier than a sh*t-house rat
Dumber than a stump
Older than dirt
Stubborn as a jackass
You ain't got the sense you were born with
Bouncin' around like a fart in a mitten
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