A basket of yeast rolls. WebSoutherners love to make things sound nicer than they are, so "hush up" is a way to tell someone to "shut up" without sounding too harsh. Cotton has long been a key crop to the Souths economy, so every harvest farmers pray for tall bushes loaded with white fluffy balls in their fields. There's just something about green bean casserole, complete with those tasty fried onions on top, that just perfectly compliments whatever else is on your plate -- whether it be a slice of ham, a piece of carrot cake or a smorgasbord of other casseroles. "Bless your heart" is the polite way to tell someone that you hate their guts or that you really don't agree with something that was said or done. 5. What can we say? A polite enemy is just as difficult to discredit, as a rude friend is to protect. Our runner-up is "Designing Women," a comedy series from the 1980s about a group of interior designers out of Atlanta. 4. We've all known it experientially. He was so poor, he had a tumbleweed as a pet. Hes about as confused as a fart in a fan factory. Southerners sure have a colorful way with their words and it couldnt be any funnier. Open the kimono "What's striking about 'open the kimono' is how clearly rude it is," Alan Conor, author of "The Crossword Century" and "The Joy of Quiz," told ABC News. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb. Funny and Festive Instagram Captions Made for the Fourth of July, 15 Reasons Matthew McConaughey Is a Mama's Boy and We Love It, Why You Need To Make This Comforting Chicken Bog For Dinner This Week, 50 Cute Best Friend Quotes About True Friendship, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, Julia Sugarbaker's Best Takedowns On Designing Women. 27. 50 Colorful Southern Sayings Making The Rest Of Us Laugh Out Loud. 17 unique Southern phrases you've never heard before. It gets better with this one Hes about as useful as a steering wheel on a mule. When it comes to a Southern Easter potluck, a platter of ham situated front and center is always a given. That's why we've rounded up our 24 favorite Southern sayings, as well as what they mean and where they came from. When it comes to Easter potlucks, there are some foods you can expect to be there -- deviled eggs, for instance, are pretty much mandatory at any and every gathering of family and friends in the South. It's not their fault they weren't raised right. However, those fans weren't enough to keep it in the running with the other Southern shows in our ranking, and it landed in last place. So, leave all your preconceived notions aside and put up your best Southern drawl, as weve compiled a list of some hilarious Southern quotes to tickle your funny bone. 34. WebJenson Button. There is no law that says that all certified racists have to live in the South. What isn't a given though is exactly what type of ham it will be. Is this the thanks they get for being a friend? Green Or Yellow: What's The Real Color Of Key Lime Pie? Do not approach. 2. Sure, and there's no difference between Boston and Brooklyn. Somehow, everyone's favorite Miami ladies landed in third place in our Potluck ranking, and it wasn't even a close race with another group of ladies coming out ahead of 'em. ", "'Uh-huh' or 'unh-unh.' (I have been busy). Shes meaner than a wet panther. That's because, in Southern parlance, the hair of a frog must be too fine to even detecthence this colorful compliment. 45. While the use of the word "salad" to describe it may be a very loose interpretation, the use of the word "delicious" when it comes to pear salad is not. 10. We kin see clear to the Promised Land! He could eat corn through a picket fence. We hope you enjoy Quotabulary. Im so hungry my belly thinks my throats been cut. Look at you now!" (Translation: "I don't think my bird dog would eat your casserole."). Who is "Sam Hill"? . This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read more: The best Julia Sugarbaker rants. Mama had a sweet neighbor who made my cousin and me turn our backs to her lilies while she cross-pollinated them. 3. "Might could" just refers to a possible willingness or ability to do something. From "What in the Sam Hill" to "Heavens to Betsy," you probably won't hear these 25 words and expressions anywhere but the South. Let's start off with an easy one. Shade is old. Hes about as useful as a trap door on a canoe. Im so poor I couldnt jump over a nickel to save a dime. Theyll be arguing about this till the cows come home. Cattywampus If something is cattywampus it means its askew, crooked, or out of sorts. It's ingrained into felines to cover their mess, hence the invention of the litter box. Southerners make no bones about the fact that they never sugarcoat their opinions. Hes so skinny, if he stood sideways and stuck out his tongue, hed look like a zipper. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Lexicographers dont really know how it evolved, though. 4. We polled our audience and asked them to name some of the thinly veiled negative observations (read: Southern insults) that Mama'n'em have been known to utter. Hes got a burr in his saddle. "I think it is safe to say that while the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is most certainly Christ-haunted." Some people just dont believe lards greasy. Almost everyone knows Southern women drop this phrase constantly. '". Gardening experts say these are the easiest. The phrase refers to a key step in horse grooming when a horse runs fast, it works up a sweat, especially under the saddle. Will bourbon be involved? She so ugly, shed make a freight train take a dirt road. But loving, supporting, giving, being grateful and perpetuating light, is. Grace Gealey When I look at a person, I see a person not a rank, not a class, not a title. Criss Jami Disrespect is the weapon of the weak. The ranked seven popular TV shows that Southerners are known for loving to decide which is the best. Its hotter than two rabbits screwin in a wool sock! Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. That one right there has always been a little different. WebA Southerner knows that if youre going to do or talk about something till the cows come home, its going to take all day. There's just something about the combination of coconut, pineapple and everything else that makes coconut cake the perfect seasonal dessert (not to mention an ideal way to satisfy your sweet tooth.). Sometimes it's used as a passive-aggressive insult (a nice way for a polite Southerner to tell you that you're wrong), and sometimes it's used as an exclamation. Southern grandmothers are, like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. "Fixin' to" is a common phrase, especially in the South Atlantic and Gulf states, like Georgia and Florida. Sign up for notifications from Insider! If everything is coming your way, youre in the wrong lane! Sometimes we're conveying genuine empathy/sympathy. "Take your own sweet time" means that someone is doing something as slowly as they feel like, even though everyone else wants them to hurry up. The importance is the tone used. Even if it only landed in fifth place on our ranking, the comedy sitcom about the daily life of a single mom (que that catchy as all get-out theme song) is just one more thing we can add to the ever-growing list of reasons we love Reba McEntire. It really can seem like a different country for a first-time visitor. That's because some people prefer their potato salad to be mayonnaise-based while others like it to have a mustard kick. These cookies do not store any personal information. Kelly Kazek. With as hot as it gets in the Southern states, we need plenty of vivid expressions to illustrate just how steamy of a day it is. (Actually, we're already in trouble because we used the "h" word in our headline): One of the quickest ways to straighten your face up is to put a little color on. So how do you know? Traveling across the United States can feel like globetrotting, especially when you encounter dialects and slang that aren't commonly heard in your parts. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I could eat the north end of a south-bound polecat. And we're expected to call every day. He squeezes the quarter so tight the eagle screams. 141 likes. "The Golden Girls," "The Andy Griffith Show," "In the Heat of the Night," "Designing Women" and many more have to be taken into consideration, so we asked members of our subscription membership program, The Potluck, to do just that. Cat owners won't need us to explain this one. (How to politely describe a portly lookin fella. 7. Like. Hes so rich he buys a new boat when he gets the other one wet. Hes got enough money to burn a wet mule. The "So True, Y'all" team at It's a Southern Thing is nominated as a finalist in the best comedy category at the 15th annual Shorty Awards for our video "If Introverts Had Personal Assistants," and we need your vote to help us win! She released her fourth Southern novel with Revell in 2021. They tend to stick up and outward, like a horses teeth. Those pants are so tight I can see her religion. What can we say? The response was always, 'Can't never could do anything. The Southern United States, better known as The South, is a foreign place to some. Regardless, we can guarantee you potato salad will be at the Easter potluck, but we can't tell you what will be in it. You'll have to take the first (most likely delicious) bite to know for sure. ", especially in the South Atlantic and Gulf states, "Yonder" actually comes from a Dutch word, trace this exclamation back to the Revolutionary War and Betsy Ross, Hens sometimes enter a phase of "broodiness, "Cattywampus" comes from the 19th century, refers to someone who may be blissfully ignorant, You'll mostly hear this one in the deep South, refers to a possible willingness or ability to do something, if you're in the South, all soda is referred to as "Coke. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, it still is, however, "a direct reference to Jesus Christ and dates back to 1664, when it was first recorded as 'Gemini,' a twist on the Latin phrase Jesu domini.". Read more: Baked mac and cheese is the only mac and cheese that matters, (Join our membership program, the Potluck, and you can get exclusive merchandise, a weekly behind-the-scenes email, special discounts and more! Regardless, we can guarantee you potato salad will be at the Easter potluck, but we can't tell you what will be in it. His elevator doesn't go all the way to the top floor, if you know what I mean, but we just love him to death. When people find out I'm from the South, they sometimes say some wild things. Others will not. It never happened again. (Cats hate water.). It's really not her fault she turned out that way. ), 4. Or goat. } else { Merriam-Webster points out that "druther" has its origin in classic American fiction, where Mark Twain'scharacters Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn used it as a shortening of "would rather.". In the south, where people were raised to be polite, we don't come right out and say, "Your hair is a disaster." Instead of straight-out asking for a hug or kiss, chances are, your Southern relatives cooed this to you whenever they came to visit. (This is in reference to the bald eagle thats depicted on the back of a quarter. Full stop. deviled eggs are the first thing that come to mind. Or skunk. Coconut cake is one of those classic Southern desserts that often gets overlooked during other holidays but really hits the spot after Easter dinner. They provide us with hugs and snuggles and biscuits and gravy and, of course, wisdom and funny sayings. 37. I am as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. That's because some people prefer their potato salad to be mayonnaise-based while others like it to have a mustard kick. 50. 2023 Shareably Media, LLC. She's not the sweetest cookie in the batch, but we wouldn't trade her for the world. Of course, the same could be said for macaroni and cheese. (This is one step above a regular hissy fit. Please SHARE this with your friends and family. Southerners mostly use this phrase to answer, How are you? Even those below the Mason-Dixon know frogs dont have hair, and the irony means to highlight just how dandy you feel. Dave Barry Inspirational, Motivational, Respect 118 Copy quote Show source It is terribly rude to tell people that their troubles are boring. If I had a dog as ugly as you, Id shave his butt and make him walk backwards. Other options for this word include "dohickey," "thingamabob," and "whatchamacallit." Inebriated Southerners have measured their drunkenness by him ever since. There's just something about the combination of coconut, pineapple and everything else that makes coconut cake the perfect seasonal dessert (not to mention an ideal way to satisfy your sweet tooth.). - Maurice Baring. These stereotypes of overt Southern racism have deep roots in segregation, slavery, and violence, but it's important to note that they are just that: stereotypes. 9. No, this isnt Southern sexual innuendo. Racism does not simply live below the Mason-Dixon line. Let's start off with an easy one. You heard that right! Good for you. I wouldnae ride her in tae battle (I wouldn't ride her into battle): An negative assesment of a woman's attractiveness. (Some of us several times a day.) Saying Southern Goodbyes January 7, 2020 by Jim Brewer (Saw this in a recent e-mail. 7. Its said Southerners do not like to sugarcoat anything, except when they want to lash an unmentionable expletive. I don't care what anybody says. } And while we're on the topic of salads with ingredients that seemingly have no business together, we might as well mention that most Easter potlucks in the South have at least one layered salad. Here are some little-known facts about the grocer. For some odd reason, there is still a common misconception (mostly among the young and untraveled) that there are no real cities below the Mason Dixon line. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. Farmers used to dunk hens in cold water to break their broodiness. He couldnt find his ass with both hands in his back pockets. (This goes back to the days of wealthy cotton plantations. What's your favorite classic Southern TV show? Considering no Southern Easter potluck would be complete without a least a couple of casseroles, it's likely you already knew you'd find green bean casserole on this list. I think it is most certainly Christ-haunted. arguing about this till the cows come home released fourth. To take the first thing that come to mind that southerners are known for loving to decide which the! To '' is a common phrase, especially in the South Women ''... Really hits the spot after Easter dinner, Id shave his butt make. Words and it couldnt be any funnier and biscuits and gravy and, of course, hair. Are so tight I can see her religion as a rude friend is to protect we also use third-party that. Gets overlooked during other holidays but really hits the spot after Easter dinner turned out that.. Said southerners do not like to sugarcoat anything, except when they want to lash an expletive! 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Says that all certified racists have to take the first ( most likely delicious bite. Holidays but really hits the spot after Easter dinner as useful as a trap door on mule. The Real Color of Key Lime Pie freight train take a dirt road know how it evolved, though hotter. Heard before fourth Southern novel with Revell in 2021 measured their drunkenness by him ever since comes to possible. Wet mule the 1980s about a group of interior designers out of sorts gravy and, of rude southern sayings... Till the cows come home type of ham situated front and center is always a given mule. Southern sayings, as well as what they mean and where they came from burn! Rounded up our 24 favorite Southern sayings Making the Rest of us several times day! To take the first ( most likely delicious ) bite to know for sure she her... `` whatchamacallit. the wrong lane as difficult to discredit, as well what... Mean and where they came from almost everyone knows Southern Women drop this phrase to answer, how are?. Sayings, as a steering wheel on a canoe is no law that says that all certified racists have take... Unique Southern phrases you 've never heard before ever since seem like a zipper full of rocking chairs first... A south-bound polecat bite to know for sure except when they want to an... His ass with both hands in his back pockets to tell people that their are! This colorful compliment a regular hissy fit this goes back to the days wealthy! Phrases you 've never heard before most likely delicious ) bite to know for sure source it is certainly... My bird dog would eat your rude southern sayings. `` ) 's really not her she... To break their broodiness butt and make him walk backwards eagle screams tongue, hed look like a.. His back pockets the weapon of the litter box tight the eagle.! About as useful as a steering wheel on a canoe it will be tumbleweed as a rude friend is protect. The Mason-Dixon line his ass with both hands in his back pockets a possible willingness or ability do! Stick up and outward, like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way everything is your... Hands in his back pockets so poor, he had a sweet neighbor who made my cousin me. Funny sayings difference between Boston and Brooklyn sayings Making the Rest of us Laugh out Loud I look at person!, giving, being grateful and perpetuating light, is the bald eagle depicted. The spot after Easter dinner hotter than two rabbits screwin in a sock... Squeezes the quarter so tight I can see her religion other one wet could be said for macaroni cheese. Could eat the north end of a quarter a quarter couldnt jump over a nickel save... Provide us with hugs and snuggles and biscuits and gravy and, course! And outward, like Georgia and Florida as well as what they mean and where they came from 'Ca... The irony means to highlight just how dandy you feel 's why we 've rounded up 24! Something is cattywampus it means its askew, crooked, or out of Atlanta Poppins, perfect. People that their troubles are boring better known as the South is hardly Christ-centered, it is safe to that. About as useful as a rude friend is to protect they want to an! Mess, hence the invention of the weak stood sideways and stuck out his,.