OK, so if you have read my blog in the last week, ya know I am a Texan and ya know that I have an accent. Because of my recent experiences, I got to thinking about accents and southern words.
I got to looking at
this website and some of the words I didn't know (and still don't believe) were a southern thing. Some are just words I say different because I am a native Texan*. Some are embarrassing but I will still admit to them (I have no shame). Some (on their list, not mine) I have never said and never will.
Here is a list of the words I use a bunch and some I didn't know were "southern". On some I am using my own examples because I didn't like theirs. I'll explain as I go so you don't get lost.
Ain't - v. cont Contraction of "am not." Not really a Southern contribution but usually attributed to them. The problem is not the word, but the use of the word to replace "isn't" and "aren't".
I say this all the time. Drives my mom crazy!
Awl - a. Ever damn one. It's really spelled "all".
Yes, I do say it like that.
Booger - n. Nose stuffing; a rascal, as in "Come here, you little booger!"
That's actually one of my dogs name because when we got him, Benny said "He looks like a little booger".Britches - n. Pretty much anything worn over the legs: pants, dungarees—trousers.
I don't say this much but Benny does all the time.Cain't - v. aux. Can not.
My mom and I say this but she hates the word Ain't. Makes no sense to me.Catty-corner(ed) - a. Diagonal.
One of the words I thought we all used.Cattywampus - a. Askew, awry; not straight.
I actually say caddywhompered but whatever.Conniption - n. A major fit, total loss of control of one's temper; you pitch a conniption.
I don't say this but is one of the words I didn't think was just southern.Coon - n. (Rac)coon. Syllables preceding the accented one seldom catch the attention of people born below the Mason-Dixon line.
I do say this. Just lazy I guess.Critter - n. Creature, with special preference for animals.
That's actually one of my labels I think. Also, I thought everybody said this.Dawg - n. An animal of the canine persuasion.
Yes, I say it like that.Differnt - a. Not the same, different.
I actually say "diffrent".Doohickey - n. A Southern thingamabob.
Another I don't say but thought everybody did. I actually say thingamajig.Everbody - pro. Not excluding anyone. (The pronouns "everyone", "someone", etc. with "one" instead of "body" are avoided by real Southerners.)
Yes, I say "everbody" but type "everybody". Notice how the 'Y' is not in the first one. I also type "everyone" but seldom say it.
Fetch - v. Go, get, and bring back. Another example of clever compacting in the Southern dialects.
That can't just be a southern thing!Fixin - v. aux. Getting ready to: "I'm fixin to leave."
Say this ALL the time. Who doesn't?Fokes - n. People (good ol' boys and girls).
Yup, I drop the 'L'. You know, instead of saying folks.For crying out loud! - Well, I'll be damned!
I usually just say "Well, I'll be damned" but sometimes do say the other. Give out - adj.Exhausted, tard, tuckered out, as coming home from plowing 40 acres plumb give out.
Once again, thought everybody said it.Goodness gracious! - int. An expression of surprise you can use in front of your mother.
I say this when the kids do something funny or surprising except I put "Well" in front of it.Hafta - v. aux. Modal auxiliary indicating obligation. (Must is a word not found in most Southern dialects).
Actually, I say "gotta". Ex: I gotta go get some more beer.Hawg - n. An animal of the porcine persuasion.
Guilty of talking this way.Hissy - n. A minor fit, slight loss of control of one's temper; you pitch a hissy or hissy fit.
I say this and still think everybody does but I use it for adults only. Like if Benny is getting pissy over something stupid I say he is throwing a hissy fit. Pisses him off even more which is usually the plan.Howdy - int. Short for 'howdy do', a common greeting down South.
Yup, say this all the time but I say it fast. Not long and drawn out.Idnit - Isn't it.
I'm all over this one.Lick - n. The smallest amount, whacha might lick up from the bottom of the plate.
Ex: He doesn't have a lick of sense.Liddle-biddy - n. About the same size as a lick, very small.
Say it all the time. I never say something is small.Like-to - adv. Almost, nearly.
Ex: I like to busted my ass.Lord a'mercy! - inter. What you say when thangs get outta control.
Don't say this one but put it in here because of the next one.
Lordy, lordy! - int. Something else that works in a bad situation.
Yup, this is the one I say a lot.Mash - v. (1) Push (a button). (2) Squush up, as in "mash 'taters".
I don't think this one is just southern either.Member - v. Remember.
Another one I say but I think people say it because of the lazy factor.No 'count - a. (contraction of 'no-account') Worthless.
Ex: You no count son of a bitch! I know I have said that once or twice.Ornery - a. Mean, hard to get along with.
Ok, I KNOW this is nation wide, right?Pitcher - n. (1) A vessel for holding and pouring sweet tea. (2) A visual representation of something, as a photograph. The "t" is silent.
Guilty on both. Theirs said water but I changed it to sweet tea.Pistol - n. Someone who is unpredictable: "Sarah Lee Got married last night? She's a pistol, I'm a tellin you!"
I don't use this much unless the person really earned it.Plain(a) - a. Somewhat ugly, e.g. "She's a plain girl"
Just like using the word "homely", same thing.Plane (a) - adv. Downright, as in "That's plane stupid".
Use it all the time.Plumb - adv. Completely: "Are you plumb crazy?"
All the time.Pooch (out) - v. Stick out: "Why are ya lips pooched out like that, honey?"
Another I figured (figgered) everybody used.Possum - n. Opossum. Southerners are characteristically uninterested in what comes before the accented syllable of a word.
I always thought the 'O' was silent. Idn't?Puny - a. Weak, sickly.
Who doesn't say that?Reckon - v. Think, figure (figger).
Ok, I use it instead of the word guess. Ex: "What are we gonna do today?" "Well, I reckon we'll go to mom's."Recollect - v. Remember.
Thought this was normal everywhere.Seeins how - v. Since.
Use all the time. Ex: Seeins how you are up anyway...Shore - a. Positive.
The real spelling is sure. I use both. Ex: I'll say "You shore are pretty". Or, if someone asks me to do something I will say "Sure thing" instead of just saying yes or ok.Smack (dab) - a. Precisely, as in "smack dab in the middle."
I use this one a lot.Sorry - a. No good, as in, "Ain't he a sorry scannel?!"
I don't know what a scannel is but you get the point.Sugar - n. As in "Gimme some sugar": affection, a chance to snuggle your neck, huggin' or kissin' or both.
I say sugars when talking about kisses. Ex: Give me some sugars! Oh, I also had a dog named Sugar.Tarnation - An acceptable substitute in the presence of ladies for "damnation".
Ex: What in tarnation is that?! I usually just say "what the hell is that" though.Tater - n. The potato.
I love me some taters and onions!Them - pro. Those.
Ex: Where did you get them britches? And yes, I say it a lot.Toad - v. Past tense of "tell", as in "I toad you so!".
I usually drop the 'I' and just say "Toad ya so" with a smirk.Upside - adv. On the side of.
I have explained this one before. I say it daily.
Vetern - n. Somebody who fought in a war and came back home.
My daddy is a vetern.Wadn't it? - Wasn't it.
Say it all the time.
Young'n - (See
-n) A young thang, a baby.
Yup, say it too.Yousta - adv. An adverb indicating past frequented activity.
Ex: I yousta be fat but now I'm not.Now, I don't usually type this way but I do talk this way.
I love the line in Sweet Home Alabama "Just because I talk slow doesn't mean I'm stupid." except I talk really fast usually. So to me it's "Just because I have a Texan/southern accent doesn't mean I'm stupid."
So how many do you say?
By the way, the spell checker had a field day with this post.
*I didn't mean ALL Texans talk this way, just all the ones I know.Oh shit! I almost forgot.
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