dirtybuck
Well-known member
Even on "Golden Girls"
Oh, that Sophia.
Oh, that Sophia.
southernese
- Thread starter bwoods
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danemodsandy
Well-known member
The Worst Southernism of All:
It's the inability - or unwillingness - to pronounce the letter "L" unless it begins a word, or sometimes when it begins a syllable.
"All y'all" becomes "Aw yaw." My own mother says "miwk" (say "mee-yuk" fast) for "milk." You "faw down." You "get a thriw." You tell your enemies to "goda Hey-yuh."
There are times when an "L" is pronounced, as in "Atlanta." But Southern speech being what it is, the rest of the word has to be messed with even if the "L" is respected. "Uh-lanna" is the usual handling here.
It's the inability - or unwillingness - to pronounce the letter "L" unless it begins a word, or sometimes when it begins a syllable.
"All y'all" becomes "Aw yaw." My own mother says "miwk" (say "mee-yuk" fast) for "milk." You "faw down." You "get a thriw." You tell your enemies to "goda Hey-yuh."
There are times when an "L" is pronounced, as in "Atlanta." But Southern speech being what it is, the rest of the word has to be messed with even if the "L" is respected. "Uh-lanna" is the usual handling here.
"Make a Doctor"
or "make a nurse", etc. Several of my cousins in MS went to school for to become these.
or "make a nurse", etc. Several of my cousins in MS went to school for to become these.
whirlcool
Well-known member
I also recall when traveling in Texas that the laundromat was called the "washeteria" (spelling?). I hadn't heard that one up north before.
I did some research and found that the term is generally used in Texas and Louisiana, particularly north Louisiana. It may also be used in areas bordering these locations too.
Also, where are "you'se" guys going?
I was ridiculed to death by this when I was in college. All the southern people would joke about it. But I find "you'se guys" more particular to NJ than the midwest.Around the Chicago area we'd say "You guys".
When I first went to school in Louisiana whenever I'd say anything, people would just stare, sometimes with their jaws hanging open. Then they'd say "man, you talk fast". I'd just tell them to listen faster. I did eventually have to slow down, but later on fast speech helped me in my job. When speaking to ATC you have to talk fast, especially around large cities. The airwaves would be buzzing with all the aircraft in the area receiving their clearances for landing and you'd have to talk fast.
Most of my grandparents generation didn't start learning English until they were 6-8yrs old.
My grandparents on my mother's side never learned to speak more than a few words of English. When you went to visit, it was conversational German time. For a few years my Grandmother would baby sit me when I was a little kid. That's how I learned my German.
We're always "fixin' to" such as I'm fixin' to go to lunch.
I picked this up in college and have used it ever since! People up north say I sound like a southerner, people down south say I sound like a northerner and the people in Texas say I have no accent at all. They can't tell where I'm from.
We don't put our clothes in a chest-of-drawers, but in "chester drawers".
We used that in Chicago too. I was a teen before I realized what it was supposed to be. I have also heard "tared" many times in both La. & Texas.
It seems the smaller the town the person is from the more pronounced their accents will be.
I did some research and found that the term is generally used in Texas and Louisiana, particularly north Louisiana. It may also be used in areas bordering these locations too.
Also, where are "you'se" guys going?
I was ridiculed to death by this when I was in college. All the southern people would joke about it. But I find "you'se guys" more particular to NJ than the midwest.Around the Chicago area we'd say "You guys".
When I first went to school in Louisiana whenever I'd say anything, people would just stare, sometimes with their jaws hanging open. Then they'd say "man, you talk fast". I'd just tell them to listen faster. I did eventually have to slow down, but later on fast speech helped me in my job. When speaking to ATC you have to talk fast, especially around large cities. The airwaves would be buzzing with all the aircraft in the area receiving their clearances for landing and you'd have to talk fast.
Most of my grandparents generation didn't start learning English until they were 6-8yrs old.
My grandparents on my mother's side never learned to speak more than a few words of English. When you went to visit, it was conversational German time. For a few years my Grandmother would baby sit me when I was a little kid. That's how I learned my German.
We're always "fixin' to" such as I'm fixin' to go to lunch.
I picked this up in college and have used it ever since! People up north say I sound like a southerner, people down south say I sound like a northerner and the people in Texas say I have no accent at all. They can't tell where I'm from.
We don't put our clothes in a chest-of-drawers, but in "chester drawers".
We used that in Chicago too. I was a teen before I realized what it was supposed to be. I have also heard "tared" many times in both La. & Texas.
It seems the smaller the town the person is from the more pronounced their accents will be.
xraytech
Well-known member
In our area of Pittsburgh wash is often said one of two ways: warsh or wosh, Warsher, wosher, Warshington, Woshington.
Soda is called pop here, it is a buggy not a shopping cart.
There are also sammiches and chimleys, and ice tea.
We also call people a jag-off.
Aluminum foil is tin foil or tinna foil, there is wax paper, and gum bands, and you go dawn tawn, and a creek is often referred to as a crick.
Its sweeper here and not vacuum, and you store food in the deep freeze, then you un-thaw it before cooking it. A faucet can be called a spigot, and bologna the luncheon meat is called jumbo
Oh and one of the biggest Pittsburgh things is the use of yinz or younz
Soda is called pop here, it is a buggy not a shopping cart.
There are also sammiches and chimleys, and ice tea.
We also call people a jag-off.
Aluminum foil is tin foil or tinna foil, there is wax paper, and gum bands, and you go dawn tawn, and a creek is often referred to as a crick.
Its sweeper here and not vacuum, and you store food in the deep freeze, then you un-thaw it before cooking it. A faucet can be called a spigot, and bologna the luncheon meat is called jumbo
Oh and one of the biggest Pittsburgh things is the use of yinz or younz
whirlcool
Well-known member
A turn to the dark side..
We also call people a jag-off.
Heard this lots in the Chicago area. Shortened you could also say "He's a real jag, man." I knew a guy from Cleveland OH that used to say it.
But I never heard it anywhere else. I said it once at college and all I got were blank looks. Since nobody here (Texas)knows what it means, I don't use it. It has totally fallen out of my vocabulary.
I wonder what the area of it's use is? Which regions. I think it's a midwest thing, but I could be wrong.
We also call people a jag-off.
Heard this lots in the Chicago area. Shortened you could also say "He's a real jag, man." I knew a guy from Cleveland OH that used to say it.
But I never heard it anywhere else. I said it once at college and all I got were blank looks. Since nobody here (Texas)knows what it means, I don't use it. It has totally fallen out of my vocabulary.
I wonder what the area of it's use is? Which regions. I think it's a midwest thing, but I could be wrong.
norgeway
Well-known member
If you are really country..
Around here you HET water, not heat it, and you get water from a TAP, "Turn off that tap, your wastin water!"and any saucepan or dutch oven is known as a kettle.
Around here you HET water, not heat it, and you get water from a TAP, "Turn off that tap, your wastin water!"and any saucepan or dutch oven is known as a kettle.
danemodsandy
Well-known member
Hans:
Do you say "fall of the year" when you mean Fall, and do you say "car shed" when you mean a garage?
My late partner was from Hendersonville, and those were two locutions I will never forget.
Do you say "fall of the year" when you mean Fall, and do you say "car shed" when you mean a garage?
My late partner was from Hendersonville, and those were two locutions I will never forget.
Observed by Dave AMKrayoGuy:
Pet Peeve time:
"Ain't" doesn't just mean "isn't", "aren't", "hasn't", "haven't", but "didn't", as if the "A word" isn't over-worked enough in our English language...
Facecloth: not napkin, but washcloth, though you apparently use it for more than just washing parts of your body your face...
Facebowl: a basin or sink, of which you'd wash your face, but your hands, too...
Commode: toilet--as in one you flush; is it just a nice way of saying it, or does this date back to when you used a chamber pot?
Maybe I'm just too much of a yankee, in this case to really understand this sort of colloquialism, but just what I've noticed (and unfortunately don't sound good to these ears, up north)...!
-- Dave
Pet Peeve time:
"Ain't" doesn't just mean "isn't", "aren't", "hasn't", "haven't", but "didn't", as if the "A word" isn't over-worked enough in our English language...
Facecloth: not napkin, but washcloth, though you apparently use it for more than just washing parts of your body your face...
Facebowl: a basin or sink, of which you'd wash your face, but your hands, too...
Commode: toilet--as in one you flush; is it just a nice way of saying it, or does this date back to when you used a chamber pot?
Maybe I'm just too much of a yankee, in this case to really understand this sort of colloquialism, but just what I've noticed (and unfortunately don't sound good to these ears, up north)...!
-- Dave
abcomatic
Well-known member
Illinois
In central Illinois, people still say warsh for wash. I guess I am one of those people. lol I say "do the laundry and hang out the warsh. Gary
In central Illinois, people still say warsh for wash. I guess I am one of those people. lol I say "do the laundry and hang out the warsh. Gary
People in Mississippi also call the coin laundry a "Washeteria".
I call it that even though I live in Ohio, because my mom was from MS, and that's what she would call it.
I call it that even though I live in Ohio, because my mom was from MS, and that's what she would call it.
Let's not forget
Bal-mor for Baltimore and y'all come back now hear. Of course you don't drive on Bel-Air road in Baltimore it's Blair road. A couple from Charm City.
WK78
Bal-mor for Baltimore and y'all come back now hear. Of course you don't drive on Bel-Air road in Baltimore it's Blair road. A couple from Charm City.
WK78
@foxchapel
In the late seventies I stayed at Maryville College for part of the summer for geology field camp. At that time we from up north tried to duplicate the proper pronunciation from the locals.
The closest we could come up with was "mar'-uh-vul" It is said very quickly with all syllables run together.
BTW, I just saw a Craigslisting for "Washer Machine."
In the late seventies I stayed at Maryville College for part of the summer for geology field camp. At that time we from up north tried to duplicate the proper pronunciation from the locals.
The closest we could come up with was "mar'-uh-vul" It is said very quickly with all syllables run together.
BTW, I just saw a Craigslisting for "Washer Machine."
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
there are misspellings, misusages and misprints everywhere
As in the aforementioned "draw" for "drawer?"
I'll try AND fit you in, instead of I'll try TO fit you in?
Al-you-mini-yum for aluminum.
Need I bring up nuke-ya-ler for nuclear (Thanks, L'il George, for that one).
My western PA step mother: yunz (you-unz, or more correctly, you folks), or "six of one half of another," instead of, "six of one half a dozen of another." Rich and I refer to this as six of one and a bucket of clams when referring to her. Don't know where that came from other than it makes about as much sense.
And, how about all those places we love that pay good money to have signs made for their antique and collectable (um, collectible) shops?
At Dunkin Donuts here, you can often hear, "Can I help the next?" That's it. Not "Can I help the next person," not, "Can I help the next customer," not, "Can I help the next person in line..." Nothing. I once asked, "The next what?" and was met with a blank stare like they had no idea (idear) what I was talking about!
Do they even teach English in schools any more? I realize it's called "Language Arts" now, but you can't tell me there's any art in what I hear coming out of mouths here... other than something by Picasso!
By the way, is it "mouths," or "mouthes?" I don't want to catch hell from my proof-reader from my newsletter-writing days!
Chuck
As in the aforementioned "draw" for "drawer?"
I'll try AND fit you in, instead of I'll try TO fit you in?
Al-you-mini-yum for aluminum.
Need I bring up nuke-ya-ler for nuclear (Thanks, L'il George, for that one).
My western PA step mother: yunz (you-unz, or more correctly, you folks), or "six of one half of another," instead of, "six of one half a dozen of another." Rich and I refer to this as six of one and a bucket of clams when referring to her. Don't know where that came from other than it makes about as much sense.
And, how about all those places we love that pay good money to have signs made for their antique and collectable (um, collectible) shops?
At Dunkin Donuts here, you can often hear, "Can I help the next?" That's it. Not "Can I help the next person," not, "Can I help the next customer," not, "Can I help the next person in line..." Nothing. I once asked, "The next what?" and was met with a blank stare like they had no idea (idear) what I was talking about!
Do they even teach English in schools any more? I realize it's called "Language Arts" now, but you can't tell me there's any art in what I hear coming out of mouths here... other than something by Picasso!
By the way, is it "mouths," or "mouthes?" I don't want to catch hell from my proof-reader from my newsletter-writing days!
Chuck
norgeway
Well-known member
Re Fall...
Yep, Fall of the year is standard speach,but not car shed...lol,Something else we say, we never say nineteen fifty five or what ever the year is, we say, nineteen and fifty five!, Now you all must know Yankees cant talk properly...LOL! Just talk to a New Yorker, they call a car a caaa!a bar is a baaa..that sounds as strange to us as our speech does to them..
Yep, Fall of the year is standard speach,but not car shed...lol,Something else we say, we never say nineteen fifty five or what ever the year is, we say, nineteen and fifty five!, Now you all must know Yankees cant talk properly...LOL! Just talk to a New Yorker, they call a car a caaa!a bar is a baaa..that sounds as strange to us as our speech does to them..
Chuck-- You were correct; it's mouths.
D'ja order that Samsung frigidaire, yet?
D'ja order that Samsung frigidaire, yet?
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
I did see that model and another like it in the search and (gently) brought it up to Rich. As much as it might be nice to have all-fridge, we really should have a freezer up there for the parties and in the event we have to have someone living in that "wing" of the house.
Chuck
Chuck
I hope someday y'all can "learn" me the right way to talk....or may we southerners can "learn" the rest of y'all how to talk like we do! Another one I hear a lot is "chew" or "jew" for you. "Did jew see that?" or "why caint chew go with me?" My mother (and some others around here) tends to put an R on the end of words not requiring an R. My aunt alma has always been "Almer" and Reba is "Reber"
Jew/chew is pretty universal. I hear that up here all the time---and am probably guilty, myself.
Other universal ones include saying "tuh" for "to" and "fer" for "for".
Other universal ones include saying "tuh" for "to" and "fer" for "for".
whirlcool
Well-known member
I found these, they may be appropriate to our conversation.
whirlcool
Well-known member
And let's not forget... or some people just say "I'm fixin'".
a picture of that "roll dry" washer mentioned above
The "roll dry" part isn't even attached.
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/atq/3910140353.html
The "roll dry" part isn't even attached.
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/atq/3910140353.html
arbilab
Well-known member
Turn aloosta that.
Lay me aholta that.
Fixinta.
And the "friendly" west Texas greeting, "you're not from around here are ya?".
Lay me aholta that.
Fixinta.
And the "friendly" west Texas greeting, "you're not from around here are ya?".
Had a
Customer from M.S ( one of my favorites ) who has passed now, but remember her calling to tell her grand daughter that she had
"gave the baby (the dog) a wiener ( hot dog ) and a little bread, but didn't recon bread would hurt it none" LOL,
She also had a grandson who was " makin a doctor" but she was mad at him because he had " showed out the other day"
(lost his temper)
Customer from M.S ( one of my favorites ) who has passed now, but remember her calling to tell her grand daughter that she had
"gave the baby (the dog) a wiener ( hot dog ) and a little bread, but didn't recon bread would hurt it none" LOL,
She also had a grandson who was " makin a doctor" but she was mad at him because he had " showed out the other day"
(lost his temper)
whirlcool
Well-known member
Once we stopped by a little country store in a very small Texas town and as the old woman that was waiting on us was packing up our purchases she looked directly at me and said "Is your mother still livin'?" I told her no and she said "I figured as much." Very weird.
"Knowed" and "growed"
"I knowed you'd say that"
"He growed some fine 'maters"
"Spose"
"I spose I should be goin'."
"Frynus"
"I'm frynus some chicken"
"I knowed you'd say that"
"He growed some fine 'maters"
"Spose"
"I spose I should be goin'."
"Frynus"
"I'm frynus some chicken"
whirlcool
Well-known member
WHen I was growing up we used to say things like "I'm going to the store, do you want to come with?" to see if anyone wanted to tag along.
When I got down to the south, whenever I would say that I would get blank stares and inevitably someone would say "Where are you going?".
When I got down to the south, whenever I would say that I would get blank stares and inevitably someone would say "Where are you going?".
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