Known vs Unknown

The known is often the easier, more comfortable & safer no matter the situation, good or bad, than facing the unknown.  This thought came to mind a lot during the time I worked with victims of domestic violence. (One of the passions of my life-ending domestic violence.) 

The fear of the unknown, the comfort of the known-no matter how horrible-is often the choice people make in their lives, no matter the situation whether they are bad, such as abuse, or good, such as choosing to go to college or change careers, often traps people from exploring opportunities presented in life and taking a chance.

Air Words....

Me and my sister Lynette-1974ish? Monroe County

This is meant to be a fun and funny blog post and I had very much enjoyment in writing and remembering my relatives (and think about myself).  Before you start reading this remember the following!  People around here are both VERY smart and intelligent (there is a difference in those words) and know how to spell and speak.  I’ve spelled words in this blog NOT to insult someone’s education, nor my own! (I do have my Master’s degree and almost a second.) It’s impossible to write a dialect of a culture WITHOUT intentionally miss-spelling some words.  

Even then, it’s hard to “read” the way something is really pronounced without hearing it for yourself, in person, live.  And also remember and understand these are heavily laden words and sentences.  Most do not use them all at once or together or they are used sporadically. 

The way words and language are used and said also depend on which town or area you are located.  Even some counties from county line to county line have people who speak differently due to geography.  

Some try to clean up their speech for they think it makes them seem backward to those from outside the small towns of the South.  I do that too in certain situations.  One reason I do is that my words and way of putting things can be very difficult to understand.  About 20 years ago I was told by a woman who moved here from Oregon that I was the hardest person she had met in TN to understand.   After that I started working on my speech.  But it’s impossible to stray for long or in most company from who you are.  Who I want to remain.

My hope is this writing makes you want to visit the small towns of East Tennessee to get a taste of the wonderful people who make up the area and the beauty that lies within.)

Fixin to tail you of words an how thur used in a lil place in Ten’a’cee called Monroe (Mon’row) County.  These here words an way of puttin’ sentences tagether are common in a bunch of towns round us. Hope yu’r mint’ly ready to take it all in. Some fokes say East Tennessee is back’ard. But we all frum hear know bet’er.  We just have bet’er ways of doing an say’n things.  And a language all to air own.  You see set’lers in air area in the mounains of East TN was frum England or thar’bouts. An well, thur slang is air slang.  Thur language is aires, which is an awful good way of tawkn.  The tawk we say 'round here is ole as time.  Plus the way we stick it all tagether.  

The mounains kept air hollers cut off frum everbody else.  Ya see?  B’cause of limit’d akcess an such. So thu way we all tawk isn’t a back’ard ways it’s act’ully a history kindly way.  I just rekon we’re smarter then most fokes that move in here frum some place far off.  Fokes ’round here just have to add words to air speeking to make sure them not frum ‘round here git it. Like add’n “rite there” to everythin we point out to other people: "See that mounain rite there".  Or yonder. “That hill ov’r yonder”.

Now, git on yur meetin clothes or it wone be a pretty sight when ya’ll visit air purty area.  Ya’ll not know what the fokes is sayin. Or wone unerstand the deep culture of what makes us, us, an well, what makes us proud to be of Monroe County, Tennessee.  This is not intend’d to nsult the people living round here.  I feel mite’ly bless’d to have grow’d up here. Mite’ly.  An sure don’t wone to lose the history of ‘our ancestours an what communicat’n meant to em.

So here’s the list of some words an sayings to purpare ya’ll for yure visit. Or when yure visit makes ya’ll wanna call this place yure home.  Cause them fokes frum afar off an not of here sure like to move in here.  We jus axe them fokes not to try an change us.  Ya’ll move’d here for a reason. Part of that thar reason is us.  I’ve many a met that say the fokes in air area are the best they’d ev’r met. An ya know what?  I sure doo’ly b’lieve em.  So don’t judge us by air words or how we put em tagether.  By air words we show just how smart an behold’n to our roots we are—the way many ain’t taday.  Air history is rich.  Air bonds deep.  Taday many people frum afar don’t ev’n know thur neigh’bors an they care more bout what some star on TV is doin on Fridee night than thur own granny.  We got ties tha bind tha tell us to care for air elders an air neigh'bors.  Now, who ain’t the smart uns?  Ya git it?

Kindly a Southern Dict’onairy:

Air (Our.  “Air coach sure does git mad at us when we goof off in a game.”)

Thur (Their.  “Thur not goin to b’lieve what I tell em.”)

Shed of (Rid of. ("I'll shed of you when you go off to college. Sure will miss you.”)

Sugar (Kiss.  “Come over here an give me some sugar.”)

An (And.  “An she went on an an on an on an on….Ridiculus.”)

Sure is (It is.  “Sure is hot in the sun wile we play baseball.”)

Frum (From. “This gift is frum both a us.”)

Frum somewhar else (They are not from here.  “Can tell frum thur weird tawk they are frum somewhar else.”)

Rite there (Added to any sentence to tell someone where something is. The sentence “Please answer the phone.” would become “Please pick up the phone rite there fer me”)

 Pick me up (Take me somewhere. “Will you pick me up to go to town?” -not pick someone up in their arms.)

 Sight fore sore eyes (Expression means “So glad to see you”, “It’s wonderful to meet you.)

 “Go to a meetin” (Go somewhere-not referring to a “meeting” at work.)

Put on your meetin clothes or Sundee outfit (Dress up.  “Put on yore meetin clothes   

            afore we go to town.”)

 Sorta (kind of. “That person was sure sorta nice.)

  A’fore (Before. “The chick’n come a’fore the egg.”)

 Aught to (Should. “She aught to go out wit his’n boy.)

 Wone (Want. “Ya’ll wone to pick me up rite thar at the store?)

 You’n (You. Should.  “You’n aught not do that.)

 Ya’ll (You’s guys up North. “Ya’ll come back now ya hear”)

 Dow’n thar (Down there. “That crick dow’n thar is flooded.”)

 You’ins (You all. “You’ins are going git in trouble.)

 Back’ards. (Double meaning. Can mean to move backwards or someone who is shy or withdrawn. “That truck roll’d back’ards rite ov’r that thar man right thar.”  “She is a back’ards child and wone tawk much to nobody.”

 Tawk (Talk. “If ya’ll tawk out’lawd in church to etch’other ya’ll git a switchin’ when ya’ll git home.”

 Out’lawd (Talk. Not silent. “I cain’t b’lieve she is such a sot an said that out’lawd.”)

 Cain’t (Can’t. “She said they cain’t make her quit tawk’n out’lawd.”

 Mess (Measuring unit. “That mess of green beans sour’d.)

 I got tickled (Made to laugh. “I got tickled when he fell in the crick.”

 Up the road a piece (Direction. “Fokes, if ya’ll go up the road a piece ya’ll come to a hill an at the bottom of the next hill is where the ole Baptist church sat but it’s now a place to eat. Take that rite an go up the nex road a piece an thar it be.”)

 Place to eat (Restaurant. “That place to eat has the best burgers in town.”)

 Down the hill (Direction. “Fokes go down the hill an at the foot of that hill take a left where the mailbox is that the kids hit wit a baseball bat an there you be.)

 Drive (Drive way. “At the end of the drive is a pot’ole the size of a lake.”

 Fixin (About. “Even though it’s October we’re fixin to take down those Christmas lights. It’s fun to put em up but we gotta take em down fore we ken do ‘at.”)

 Hush now (Be quiet. “Hush now. Ure gonna git us in trouble if thay hear us.”)

 Bless her heart (Pity. You can say anything about anyone as long as you start it with “bless her heart” or end it with “bless her heart”.  “Bless her heart. She ain’t never learned how to git down her drive in a slow way.” or “He went up the road a piece reck’d his car an broke his nose. Now he looks awful bad an don’t have a way to work. Bless his heart.”

 Ain’t never heard no (I’ve never heard. “I ain’t never heard no fokes do that to thur own people.”

 Own people (Relative. “Her own people don’t even like her an ain’t never heard of no one that cain’t can a mess of green beans like her.  Bless her heart.”)

 Git (Go away or go somewhere.  “Git away from me dog!” “We better git to the store before it snows an buy us some milk an bread.)

 Store (General place but when we say it we exactly know which store we'll talking about and does the person we're talking to. To a Southerner means any place you can purchase something.  Or a group of places. “We got to go to the store. Thur havin’ a sail on britches today.” “Let’s go to the store in Turkey Creek. I love Target.” “Thu store in town is closed today.” “We are going to the store. But only got time to go to three taday.)

 Lord a mercy (Exclamation.  “Lord a mercy tha baby is ugly. Bless it’s heart.”

 Lawsie day (Exclamation. “Lawsie day!  You skeered me plum outta my britches!)

 Ov’r yonder (Destination or direction.  “Fokes, you see thu hill ov’r yonder?  I walked up an down tha hill, there an back, ov’r yonder, barefooted to skool.”

 rekon (Suppose. “I rekon you kin go to the store.  Jus as long as you bring me back a scoop neck shirt frum Old Navy.”)

 Yep (Yes. “Yep, we’re goin to the basketball game tanite.  I rekon it’s the last game before the playoffs. But I ain’t sure.”

 Taters (Potatoes. “I have to have Taters ever night fer supper or it just ain’t supper.”

 Dinner (Lunch. “Ring the dinner bell. It’s pass one an we’re hungry.  The taters are get’n lumpy!”  

 Supper (Dinner to fokes up North. “It’s six. Time for supper!”)

 Breakfast is just breakfast ever’where....

 Dreckly (In a little while. “I’ll meet you dreckly to pick you up to go to the store.”

 Laid out a weeks warshing (Got clothes ready. “I laid out a weeks warshing. Goin a be busy, busy.”)

 Hit the hay (Bedtime.  “I’m tuckered out. Time to hit the hay.”

 Tuckered out or tuckers out (Exhausted. “Hauling hay tuckers me out ever time.”)

 Pert near (Almost. “Spring’s bout here. It’s pert near time for gardn’n.” or “It’s a shame those roastnears pert near gone”)

 Gardn’n (Gardening. “I don’t like gardn’n but I sure do like some fresh maters.”)

 Roastnears (Corn on the cob.  “Tha mess of roastnears shore was the bess ever.)

 Shore (Sure. “That aught to be shore enuf illegal.”)

 Fit to be tied (Severely aggravated.  (Her daddy was fit to be tied wen he found out she snuck out to see tha boy.”

 Young’un (Children.  “Whose young’un are you? Id’n’it tha Jame’s woman’s you are?”)

 Dope (Any type of soft drink. “She ask’d me ‘what kindly dope do you wanna go wit your taters?’”

 Id’n’it (Isn’t it.  “Id’n’it time to go to skool.”)

 Way back when (Point of time.  “I member saying that way back when. In fac I cain’t b’lieve I said hit.”)

 It ain’t fer (Meaning a short distance. “It ain’t fer to that store frum ear.”

 Used to use (Past.  “I used to use that bike to go down the drive to get the mail. But now it jus sits ear an is turnin to rust now.”)

 Scat thar (Go away.  “Scat thar outside an play.”)

 Poke (Sack or bag.  “Momma put her mess of oak’ra in tha poke.”)

 Oak’ra (Okra. “I love oak’ra.  It’s my favorite thin outta the gard’n”.)

 Pokie (Jail. “Thur cousin got put in the pokie for being a sot.”)

 Murrville (Maryville-a town.  “Let’s go to Maryville to go to the store.”  Store in this instance generally meaning Target or JCPenney or Sears or Belk.)

“Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork. (Too much time on your hands gets you in trouble.)

 Wishy washy (Undecided. “She was always wishy washy 'bout stuff.”

 Warshin powder (Laundry Detergent.  “I’m outta warshin powder.  Guess I’ll have to go to the store.” Store generally meaning a grocery store.)

 Switch (Punishment device made of a skinny tree branch.  “My brother hid gramaw’s switch in the shed.”)

 Hickory (Punishment device made of a tree branch which is larger in diameter than a switch. “I wish granddaddy used a switch instead of a hickory. A switch has more bite to it.”)

 Spittin snow (Tiny particles of snow barely coming down.  “Wonder when the spitting snow is goin’ turn into flurries?”  Flurries usually mean snow that results in about three inches of snow.  Blizzard - three feet.)

 Fat back (Salt pork. “Fat back is way better than bacon but dries up your blood.”

 Sot (Alcoholic.  “Bless his heart. He’s a sot but a good family man. Bless his heart.” Have to use two Bless your Hearts when speaking of something real bad.)

 Dadgummit (Expression of exasperation.  “Dadgummit. I wen to Murrville but it started spitting snow an that made the young’uns yell at eachother out’lawd. I was fit to be tied an thay got a good switch’n when we got home.”)

 Courtin (Dating. “Her daddy won't let’er court till she’s 16.)

 Duskie dawn (Right before dawn. “Duskie dawn is my favorite part of the day.  Thu song is purty good too.”)

 Chimley (Chimney.  “Thu chimley part is my favorite part of that movie ‘Mary Poppins’".)

 Golly bum (Exclamation. “Well golly bum.  I gotta get my hairs cut.”)

Tryin to get sick/Catchin a cold (Sick. “Eh-law, she’s done try’n to catch a cold.” or “I ain’t been feelin good today. Reckon I’m tryin to get sick.”

 Get my hairs cut (Hair cut.  “That store has a barber shop to get your hair cut in.”)

Laudy (Lordy. Another exclaimation. The South has lots of em.  “Laudy The Walmarks was full of fokes since it started spittin snow at dinner time.”)

 The Walmarks (Walmart. “Thur’s a big sail at The Walmarks on skool sup’lies.”)

 Sup’lies (Supplies. “Gotta go to town fer sup’lies b’fore it starts spittin snow.”)

 Crick (Creek or small branch.  “The cows were all mired up in the crick o'ver yonder.”

 I carried them to town (Drove.  “I was going to carry them to town but I had a flat on my truck.”)

 Scat cat (Exclamation after a sneeze.  “Scat cat!”)

 “Scat there kitty, git yore tail outta the gravy”  (Expression to someone who sneezes.)

 Farwod (Firewood.  “We’re outta farwood an it’s going to be cawld ta’nite.)

 Fare tare (Fire tower.  “Let’s pick them up an go up to the fare tare.”)

 Pillars (Pillows. “Spring cleaning time.  Cain’t go to the Walmarks with you.  Got to hang my pillars out in the sunshine.)

 Raise Cane (Complain. "I don't think anybody will raise cane 'bout it."

 Feeshin (Fishing. “Wanna go bass feeshin?”)

 Laft (Laugh.  “Don't laft at me cause mamaw made me cut my own hickory”.)

 Skint (Skinned.  “I skint my knee when I was skipping stones in the crick down there.”)

 Don't chee rekon (Suppose so.  “Don't chee rekon the family reunion will have better food this year?  Thur jus not good at gard’n’n. Bless their heart.”)

 Wring his neck ring (Punish.  “When they get home I’m gonna to ring thur lil necks!”)

 Hey wha yall kids a doin’n in air (Question, usually when kids are doing something they shouldn’t.  “Hey. Wha ya’ll kids a doin’n air? Ya’ll better not be cuttin’ up the switch.  I’ll be fit to be tied if ya’ll are.”)

 Tickled my funny bone (Made laugh. “That talunt show tickled my funny bone.”)

 She was bad to tell lies (Being dishonest. “Lawsie day.  She was awful bad to tell lies. Bless her heart.”)

 She was bad to tell us (Gossiped. “She was bad to always tell us all that such an such bout that young’un.”)

Axe you a question (Ask. “I need to axe you a question.”)

Yore years needs worshin/chick’n’s 'ave been roostin  (Your ears need to be washed. Wax in ears. “The chick’n’s 'ave been roostin in yore years an they need to be worshed.”)

 Not frum round here (Not local.  “They ain’t frum round here.”) 

  He did such an such (and the person hearing it was assumed to know what that such and such was) (Acts.  “That young’un’s granny an granpa did such an such.  Bless that chiles heart.”

 Thur’re frum a far off (From out of town.  “Thur’re frum a far off an not frum round here.”

 Crazy as a coon (Lunatic like a raccoon with rabies.  “Thur crazy as a coon.”

 Mamaw an papaw (Grandmother and Grandfather.  “Her mamaw an papaw was good people.”

Bless their heart (Exclamation. You can say anything about anyone as long as you start it or end it with bless their heart. “He’s dummer n dirt for doing such an such. Bless his heart.”

 Dummer n a box of rocks (Description.  “Bless her heart.  She was bad to tell us

         that her young’un was dummer n a box of rocks to marry that sot.”

 Worshed.  (Washed.  We had those britches all worshed up till tha crazy as a coon dog wouldn’t skit.”

 Whoop. (Whip. “I’m ging to whoop that dog if he don't quit killin thoe chick’ns”)

 Fall up/Fell up. (Fall.  “Bless her heart she ain’t vary coor’d’nated, she done fell up the stairs.”)

 Aggs (Eggs.  “That chick’n don't lay no eggs no more.”)

 A n’em (And them. “Gotta go git momma n’em, its time to go pick ‘em up to go

                     to the store.”

 Hez/Shez a nice un (Double meaning: “He’s a nice un. Always doin for his wife

           an young’uns. Thur lucky people.” Or “Hez a nice un. The car’s been broke down  fer three weeks an they ain’t go no way to town. Real winner rite thar.” Or “Shez a nice un. Real purty. Hez a lucky man.” Or  “Shez a nice un. A real winner. I hear she cain’t even can a mess of green beans. Bless his heart.  He’ll starve wit that un.”

At’r wile (Point in time – after while.  “I’ll be thar to pick you up at’r’wile to carry you to the store.”)

 Lag (Leg.  That lag is broken on that there cheer.”)

 Cheer (Chair. “That there cheer there is not cumpfortable.”)

Led (Lid.  “The led is broke on the can.”)

 Spacial (Special. “Gramaw sure is spacial to us fam-lee.”)

 Fer. (Far.  “It’s a fer piece up to grapaws.”)

 Dawg (Dog.  “Tha dawgs sure did like them scraps.”)

 Scrap (Leftover food you feed to your dawgs and cats. “Make sure to throw ‘em

                     scraps to the dawgs a’ter supper.”)

Hawg (Hog. “Air family had two hawgs when we were lil. Me an my nephew

           nam’d em Rootin an Tootin.  One day we came home an momma was frying up some sausage to can.  My nephew axe ‘Whatcha cookin momma? (He called her  momma).  Witout thinkin momma said “Rootin an Tootin.” Think it took a  wile fer him to forgive her.  (True Story frum when I was lil!!!)

 Ware plarers (Wire pliers. “Git me them there ware plarers pleese.”)

 Proud fer ya. (“I’m proud fer ya.  Ya’ve work’d hard fer tha promotion.”)

 Britches (Pants.  “Time to go to tha store for new britches before skool starts up.”)

 Ya’ll rite (You okay?  “Ya’ll rite?  Looked like tha hurt purty bad when you fell

                      o’er tha log rite there.”)

 If ya don’t care too (Expression when asking someone to do something for you

           in a polite/kind/nice way.  “If ya don't care too would you take me to    town?”)

I don't care to (Expression of not minding to do something for someone when they ask. “I don’t care to take ya to town.” …Fokes not from here think that expression  means the person does NOT want to do whatever is asked of them...)

Mind (Nice/kind/polite word or questioning word.  “If ya done mind wood ya

           care to help me clean the house.”)

 The (Meaning my in many cases. “If you don’t mind would ya care to help me

           clean the house?”)

  I appreciate you (Expression of observance.  “Yore such a kind person to

            everbody ya know. I appreciate ya.”)

 Winder (Window.  “My winders was frosted o’er tis morn an that why I was

                    late fer work.”)

 Thank ye (Thanks.  “Thank ye fer helping me clean the house.”)

The house. (My house. “Drop by the house sometime.”)

 Aw’igh (Alright.  “It’s aw’righ if you cain’t take me to the ballgame. I don’t

                  mind.”)

 Aw’ighie then (Okay.  “Aw’righie then. Shez mean as a booger. Bless her heart.”

 Amboolance (Ambulance.  “Call the amboolance!  Shez done fell down there in

                     the crick!”)

Momma-n-nem (People.  “Momma-n-em are gone to the store in Murrville.”)

Great idear (Praise or cut down.  “Great idear. Now we are all mired up in mud an nobody has got a chain to pull us outta here.”  Or “That was a great idear to go to the fair. Lotsa fun!”)

Wadju do tha fer? (Question of exasperation. What did you do that for?  “Wadju

                  do tha fer? Ya know it’ll git ya in trouble!”)

An everthin of thu kind (To sum up a sentence.  “They’re not goin to do it

cause thar lazy, don't care, not neighberly an everthin of the kind. Bless their hearts.”)

Gussied up (Dressed up.  “Hez all gussied up in his Sundee best to go a court’n.)

Sundee, Mondee, Tuesdee, Wednesdee, Thursdee, Fridee, Saturdee (Days of the

                    week.)  Sundee next-next sunday, Mondee next-next Monday, Tuesdee next, next Tuesday, Wednesday next-next Wednesday, Thursdee next-next Thursday, Fridee next- next Friday, Saturdee next-next Saturday

Tha was just plum rude (Aggravation. “Tha was just plum rude ta turn down

                  gramaw.”)

Fummere (From here. “Where do ya go fummere to pick ‘em up?”)

I’ont (Don’t.  “I’ont know if ya orta do ‘at.”)

Orta (Should. “I’ont know if ya orta do at.”)

N‘amoanin (The morning.  “We’re going to carry ‘em to town in n’amoanin.”)

Wallered around like a pig in mud (Action. “They waller ‘round like a pig in

                  mud when thay get to fite’n.”)

Eh law (Oh well.  “Eh law.  We’ll see I guess. Such an such has went on fer a

         long time.”)

I've gotta mind to (Expression.  “I’ve gotta mind to go see what they’re a doing in the backyard.  Sounds like thur up to no good.”)

Barried (Borrowed.  “He barried the chainsaw to go cut farewood.”)

Step ins (Underwear.  “She bought her step ins at Belk.”)

Storm a brewin (Double meaning. “There’s a storm a brewin.  It’s already spittin

                  snow.”  “There’ll be a storm a brewin when daddy finds out.”)

Nairy (None.  “Haven’t seen nairy hide or hair of him since he got out of the

         pokie.”)

Hunnert (Heard.  “Hunnert he on the list to get promoted.”)

Strike a lick at nuthin (Lazy.  “She won’t strike a lick at nuthin.”)

Katie bar thu door (Take precaution. “Lawsie day, ya bet’r Katie Bar thu Door

                  afore she finds out ya cheated her outta that money.”)

So stinkin’ cute (Adorable. “Tha baby kitten is so stinkin’ cute.”)

Nuttin. (Nothing. “She don't have nuttin to do wit horses anymore. At’er she got 

                     bucked off that day she woodn’t get back on.”)

Bumfuzzeled (Confused.  “That varmit bumfuzzled me like I ain’t never been   

          bumfuzzled afore.”

Varmit (Rodent. “Daddy used to catch varmit with that there cat. But it’s old now so it’s liable to cain’t chase nuttin now.”)

It’s liable to (action. “It’s liable to start spittin snow at’er his’n gone to the store

         at’er while.”)

At’er wile (After while.  “At'er wile I’m a gonna to chew my backer.”)

Backer (Tobacoo. “How in the blue blazen do ya thin yore gonna git away wit

         chewn tha backer?”)

Blue blazen (Expression of exasperation.  “What in the blue blazen are ya kids

         doin in thar?  Ya better git yore butts in gear.”)

Git yore butts in gear. (Hurry up. “If ya don't get yore butt in gear we’ll be late for church.”)

Tole me different (Told me something else. “When I start’d they tole me different on who do it.”)

Sam Hill (Expression. “What in the Sam Hill was I think'n?”)

Dun gone an dun that. (Did. “His’n granpaw dun gone and dun ‘at.)

“If it would ‘av been a snake it wooda jumped up an bit ya.” (Couldn’t find what

                   you are looking for.)

Conniption (Her’n done an gone an throwed a conniption ‘cause thay wood’n let

         ‘er alone.”)

Let ‘er alone (Leave her alone. “Boys ya better let ‘er alone or hit ain’t goin be

         purty when her’n git own ya like stink on a June Bug.”)

Stink on a June Bug. (All over it. “I’m all o’er that like stink on a June Bug.

          You’ll have the work ta’mar.”)

Hit (It. “Hit ain’t fittin fer ‘em to do ‘at. Hit gonna be real bad when thur fam’lee

                     find out.”)

Ain’t fitting (Not appropriate. “It ain’t fitting to pick them up an then drop ‘em off late.”)

So stinkin cute. (Adorable. “Thur baby is so stinkin cute. Thur down thar at the

         house wit hit.”)

Cool as a cucumber. (State of mind. “Wen thur job enter’view come round they

         was cool as a cucumber.”)

Men foke (Gathering of men. “Them men foke bet’r hurry on in frum the fields fer the rain boils in.”)

Boils in (Quickly move in.  “His’n temur boils in when his youn’g gets liqur’d up an wines up in the pokie.”)

As the crow flies. (Destination. “Hits jus a hop, skip an a jump away so keep

         driving as the crow flies an ya’ll be thur in a few.”)

Hop, skip an a jump. (Destination nearby. “Granpa’s house is jus a hop, skip an

         a jump away.”)

Whoop your tail. (Action. “I’m fixin to fine my hickory an whoop yore tail!”)

Wear you out. (Spank. “I’m gonna wear you out for saying that swear word.”)

Swear word/bad word/curse word (“He let out a swear word/bad word/curse word when he hit his finger wit the hammer.”)

I own’t know (I don’t know. “I own’t know whar there frum.”)

Good ‘uns (Thing. “I’ll tell ya who’d ‘ave some good “uns.”)

Git up with the roosters (Early. “Work comes early. I gotta git up wit the

                  roosters. Mornin comes early.”)

Bucket (Pail. “Mike done gone an dun split that bucket of horse feed.”)

Ain’t never been. (“Ain’t nev’r been such a fine boy as his’n”)

Stuff like ‘at. (Thing. “Stuff like ‘at makes ya proud.”)

“Wood’n touch it wit a ten foot pole.” (Won’t go near.)

Oohl (Oil. “The gas station is goin change our oohl taday.”)

“I need it like a hole in the head.” (Don’t need.)

Think ye dear. (Thank you said by everyone to women when they help do

                  something for you. “Think ye dear.”

Going to spring city. (Bedtime. “Daddy always tole us 'bout 8 clock it were time to go to spring city.”)

Sharp as a tack. (Smart. “Her girl is as sharp as a tack an’s the spitt’n image of

         her.”)

Spitt’n image. (Identical. “That kid is the spitt’n image of him.”)

-Daddied that child. (Spoiled. “Lands sake uh-live! He daddied that child too much.”

Lands Sakes uh’live. (Expression. “Lands sakes uh-live! He was three sheets to the win.”)

Uh-live. (Alive.  “Grandpa sure come uh-live when them hornets start’d chasen him.”

Mad’r then a hornet. (Angry. “Lordy, she shore was madder then a hornet when

         her mess of green beans did’n take.”)

Win (Wind. “Tha win was a blowin jus rite for kite a flyin.”)

Did’n (Didn’t work.  “That x’plan’ation jus did’n take wit ‘em.”)

Three sheets to the wind. (Drunk. “Oh lawd!  He was three sheets to the wind when  he showed up to get his hair combed.”)

Get my hair combed. (Hair cut/style. “I got to go to town to get my hair combed”)

Okie Dokie. (Okay. “Okie dokie. Don’t get on yore high horse now.”)

Yore high horse  (Expression of superiority. Don’t go a get’n on yore high horse.

                     Sometime ye is wrong.”)

Uppidy (Snob.  “She shore is uppidy 'bout her kin foke.”)

Thank ye much. (Thank you very much. “Thank ye much for fixin me supper.”)

Sue Cow (Call cattle in to feed. “Suuuueeee cow!  Suuuuueeeee cow! Suuuuueeee cow! SUUUUEEEEE!”)

Pesty/pesky (Aggravating. “She shore was a pesty/pesky child. Always in to     

                    something.”)   (This was me.....)

Mess around. (Double meaning. Get into trouble. “yore goin to keep on messin’ ‘round till yore in trouble.” Dating-“She used to mess 'round wit him till she saw he was no good.”)

Saw/Seen (“I done seen what you did.”)

Always in to something (Trouble. “Gran’kids always seem to be in to something.”)

Hot and bothered (Angry. “She was all hot an bothered when he got put in the

                    poke.”

Gone an took sick (ill. “Them young’uns done gone an took sick at’er fooling

                  'round in the crick.”)

Foolin ‘round. (Double meaning. Wasting time. Goofing off. “She was foolin

‘round an did’n’t get her work done.”  “They was out foolin ‘round an end’d up going an takin sick.”)

Goofin off. (Doing something stupid. “They was goofin off an fell off tha

         Bridge down o’ver yonder.”)

Done be silly. (

Ack’tn the fool. (Acting foolish. “Granpaw always ack’t’d the fool wen court’n

                  granmaw in the old’n days.”)

Old’n days. (Past.  “We did’n do silly stuff like tha in the old’n days.”)

Tole (Told.  “I tole ya not to do tha right there. Now ya done gone an took sick.”)

Slow as Christmas (Extremely slow action. “Thur slow as Christmas id’n’they?”)

“I’m a talk’n ta ya” (A get your attention statement.)

Scrimp (Stingy. “He scrimps on how much money he spends at Christmas.”)

Jeat? Nah. Jew? You’own’to? Ah’ight.” (Did you eat? No. Did you? Do you want to? Yes I do.”)

Them boys (Boys. “Them boys rite thar are up to no good.”)

Up to no good. (Trouble.)

Rolling yards (Throwing toilet paper up in the trees of someone you know’s yard

                     around Halloween. “Let’s go roll Coach Smith’s yard ta’night!”)

Mad as a wet hen (Extreme anger. “Coach Smith was madder than a wet hen wen

               we roll'd his yard!”)

Vittles (Food. “Mamaw. Would you fix me some vittles?”)

Prolly (Probably. “I’ll prolly go to the movies tis week’n.”)

Crotchety/ornery ( “He sure is a crotchety/ornery ole man.”)

Gripe (Complain. “She sure does gripe a lot 'bout jus 'bout everthin.”)

Fer (“Whatcha do that fer (for)?” How fer (far) is it to drive to Murrville?”)

Keer. (Care. Do you keer if we go out tanight?”)

Keer (Don’t like. “I don't keer for green bean casserole.”)

On thu same page (Understanding. “Are you an me on the same page now?”)

Met on road (Went past/pass by-not meet. “I met him driving by the road. I waved but he did’n see me I don't think.”)

Have a bite (Eat a meal. “Come on by the house an have a bite.”)

<!“You make me so mad I could bite a ten penny nail.” (Angry)

Out an ‘bout. (Let’s go to town an see who’s out an ‘bout.”)

We fix a lot of stuff in Monroe County.  We fix cars (repair). We get fixed up (put make up on-put our face on.) We fix our hair. We fix food (will you fix me some pancakes.) Fix plates (Will you fix me a plate of supper?) We do a lot of fixing too’s (I’m fixing to go town. I’m fixing to do that. I’m fixing to get mad. I’m fixing to tan yore hid (spank). I’m fixing to go to the swimmin hole.)

Snicker (Laugh. “She snickered at me ‘cause I tend to be slow as Christmas.”)

Full as a tick. (Not hungry. “I was full as a tick at’er Thanksgiving dinner.”)

Read up. (Study. “Bet’r read up on them directions to put tha gurl’s doll house

                     ta’gether afore ya start hit.”)

Directions in Monroe County are given based on time travel not distance. (“It’ll

                    take me 45 minutes to get to Murrville. You need ta know
                     miles?  I don’t know how many miles tha is but it’ll take me 45 
                     minutes.”

Giving directions on going to town depends on where you are in the county as to

                    where go to town is.  If you’re in Coker Creek you’re directions to go to town will meaning to Tellico Plains. If you are Citico you’re directions to go to town will  mean going to Vonore.  And the person you are giving directions to will know where “going to town” is.)

 Mintly ready (Mentally ready.  “I hope you are mintly ready to not go crazy as a

                  Coon after a read’n this nonsense about Southern Slang.”

These are my interpretations of words and sentences.  It’s amazing the memories of saying all of these in one way or another at one time or another through my life.

Many ways people say/express the words I have written. Feel free to comment!   Please leave a phrase or word I’ve not written correctly by posting directly onto the bottom of this blog. If we’ve missed any words or ways those words are put into sentences please post in the comments section.  If you see any errors I’v made please let me know by commenting.

Once again, please post to this blog if there are more sayings I’ve missed.  Everyone is very much enjoying the blog.  Myself and other readers would LOVE to read your comments and posts about what sayings and slang words you’ve heard