Southernisms

The Southernisms in my part of the south came mainly from Scotch-Irish immigrants who immigrated to America for political and economic reasons. Beginning in 1750 they arrived in large numbers, many coming through the port of Philadelphia which was the largest port in the country at that time. They found that land along the coasts had already been taken so they found open areas that suited them in the uplands of the Piedmont and along the rivers and streams of the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains. Continuing migration filled in the inland South.

Okay, enough history. This isn’t a history lesson. All I want to do is share a few southern expressions with you. This might be helpful if you ever visit the South because we still say some of these. However, don’t be saying too many of them. TV and newcomers have influenced the South, and diluted our regional dialect. People might think you were mocking them.

1. ya’ll This means you all and is PLURAL. How are ya’ll doing means you AND your family.
2. kin to-related to. Are you kin to Robert?
3. idnit-isn’t it. The weather is fine idnit?
4. fixin-getting ready to do something. I’m fixin to go to the store.
5. hissy fit- you lost your temper and carried on. She had a hissy fit when she found out about the car.
6. sorry-no account. He’s about as sorry as they come.
7. thang-any object I almost broke that thang.
8. thank-think I thank I left it at Joe’s house.
9. caint-can’t I caint solve this problem.
10. frazzle-fatigue, nervousness His nerves are frazzled.

Here are some expressions I’ve heard older people say, but younger people don’t use them regularly.

Poke-a sack
Holler-a small valley
Spell- a stretch of time
Atter-after
Study-think about it

What about the rest of you Southerners? What words would you add to the list?

The Southern Way

A couple of years ago our local newspaper ran an article about an Ivy league college that had been forced to offer a course on good manners to their graduates. It seems that the students had no idea about what constituted good manners, so they were offending people they were trying to do business with.

Duh! Anyone from the South could have told you that manners count. And not just because my mama said so. (That reminds me of the time one of my son’s teachers told me what a polite boy he was. I hadn’t noticed that at home so much, so I asked him about it. ‘Wouldn’t you rather I was polite in public than at home?’ he asked. I had to have a long talk with that boy.)

The South is changing-no doubt about that-but I hope we never forget good manners. Life certainly flows a lot smoother with good manners to lubricate our interaction with other people. Here are some things that a good southerner always does.

1.Be polite to everyone-the cashier at the bank, the guy who changed the oil in your car, your waitress at the local restaurant-everyone.

2.Only trashy people are loud and cause a fuss in public.

3.Always say please and thank you.

4.Be friendly to everyone whether you know them or not. It’s okay to talk to someone you don’t know if you’re waiting in line together.

5.If it’s in your power to do a kindness for others do it.

6.Don’t act like a know-it-all even if you know you’re right. Example. I have a friend who loves to go to Pigeon Forge in North Carolina. She’s been there so many times she could get there blindfolded. She went to Pigeon Forge with a church group who took a wrong turn. She didn’t say so, though. She said, ‘I think we should have turned onto that last exit.’

7.Always address people using ma’am or sir. Yes, ma’am. No, sir.

8.A gentleman always holds a door for a lady and lets her go before him.

9.A gentleman will stand when a lady enters a room. The guy who put down the tile in my bathroom was on his hands and knees on the floor when I poked my head around the door to check on his progress. He jumped up the minute he saw me.

10.Offer food and drink to visitors in your home.

11.If someone you know has surgery or a baby take some food over to them.

This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’ll get your started. In general, if you remember to put others first you’ll probably do okay.