Southern Slang

[DeepGreenEyes]

Might could.

"What do you want to do?"

"We might could go to a movie."

 

[Homburg]

I've never gotten the soda/pop/whatever thing. I've lived all over, and had people ask me if I wanted a pop. My usual response is something like "No thanks, but I'll have a diet coke if you've got one. Diet pepsi will work too." It's not a "coke" unless it is Coca-Cola. If it is Pepsi, then it's a Pepsi. I use brand names. I don't want a pop or a soda. I want one of the few specific drinks that I like. Not just whatever carbonated spoo is handy.

But my Pennsylvania relatives still look at me like I'm crazy because I don't say "pop" for anything fizzy in a can that isn't alcohol.

 

[graceanne]

When we lived in Minnesota it was coke, no matter the brand. When we lived in Texas it was soda, and when we lived in Missouri it was sodie or soda pop. I figure it's one of those tomato tomahto things - depends on where you live.

 

[JMohegan]

I have lived in the deep south my entire life,and I have to say that most of the people that use these terms are on t.v. Yes, the older generation uses Bless her heart quite often. I'm not sure how you "Yanks" are, but down here we do call everyone by an endearment, such as sweetie and sugar.

Outside of a relationship involving actual endearment, using terms of endearment is definitely not the norm, no.

Is there a southern slang word for 'very'? The Boston version is 'wicked,' as in:

"That test was wicked hahd!" or "This pie's wicked good."

 

[BiBunny]

When we lived in Minnesota it was coke, no matter the brand. When we lived in Texas it was soda, and when we lived in Missouri it was sodie or soda pop. I figure it's one of those tomato tomahto things - depends on where you live.

Most of the people I know just use "drink" to describe a soft drink. Older people use "Coke" sometimes. "Soda" and "pop" both kind of grate on my nerves.

Outside of a relationship involving actual endearment, using terms of endearment is definitely not the norm, no.

Is there a southern slang word for 'very'? The Boston version is 'wicked,' as in:

"That test was wicked hahd!" or "This pie's wicked good."

"Really" or "real" are the ones I always hear. I don't think that's strictly a Southernism, though.

 

[graceanne]

I call almost everyone I know (not strangers, unless they're kids) honey or sweetie and I have since I was a teen. I don't necessarily think it's a southern thing, although it might be that, too.

 

[Aquila1]

Well I'm not exactly southern by most of your definitions. But at 42 degrees south in latitude, technically I am more southern.

As a linguistics grad from way back, I love stuff like this. I'm struck by how prevalent the Scots/Irish origins are in some of these expressions.

I know language is constantly changing and evolving, but a small part of me is saddened by what we are losing. Hard to fight the MTV culture on a global level I guess.

Over here, we never say pop. Or Soda. We call it "fizz" or "fizzy", or "fizzy drink". And we don't say candy either - we call all confectionery (other than chocolate) "lollies". And fries and potato chips are just called"chips" - we just differentiate by adding the prefix "hot" in front.

Anyone prepared to take a guess at these local expressions?

"Rattle your dags"
"tin-arse"
"take the piss"

 

[SherylSunshine]

"Ya'll watch this!" ...watch...laugh...dial 911.

I was a teen the first time I heard the word pop used for coke. I had no idea what the guy was talking about. It's a Coke regardless of what it says on the bottle.

Don't call me darlin, sweety or any other sappy word. I ain't your darlin...

I got new tars. << I hate such as that but know what the person is talking about.

"Youknowit" One word. It can be a question or a statement.

And yes I know where over yonder is.

 

[graceanne]

"Ya'll watch this!" ...watch...laugh...dial 911.

Have you heard the joke:

What's do rednecks say right before they die?

Hey! Watch this!

 

[BiBunny]

Have you heard the joke:

What's do rednecks say right before they die?

Hey! Watch this!

LOL. We always said a redneck's last words are "Hold my beer, and y'all watch this shit."

 

[yourmissl]

'take the piss' = teasing, or 'bustin' someone's chops'

On the other hand, 'being pissed' requires context for definition - could be angry or drunk.

My kids still call orange soda 'fanta' - and we all occasionally perplex people by 'going to the loo,' or offend them by 'using the toilet.'

 

[neci]

you better git ya ass inside before pa gives you a whoopin!

sweet tea, catfish with green tomato relish and hush puppies yummmmy

anyone ever been noodling? them damn catfish got big ol chompers.

i knew two little ol gals who went hog huntin one day. tracked them fuckers down to the creek, and busted some caps in their asses. them wild hogs is mean SOB's.

 

[DVS]

you better git ya ass inside before pa gives you a whoopin!

I think the above should be wuppin in stead of whoopin. It's more like the sound of the word "up" instead of "toot".

them wild hogs is mean SOB's.

SOB = sumbeech

But, it's all relative.

 

[DVS]

When we lived in Minnesota it was coke, no matter the brand. When we lived in Texas it was soda, and when we lived in Missouri it was sodie or soda pop. I figure it's one of those tomato tomahto things - depends on where you live.

I hear the "oldens" say pop or soda pop. But, with cable TV, all local culture is dying a quick death. No matter where you live, the kids are influenced by RAP artist's slang, like "muthufuckah" and "beeotch". But, until we were inundated with global TV, you could go 100 miles in one direction and have the local flavor change drastically.

There is also the distinction of different pronunciations of the word for "beer on tap". In some cases, it's "draft" and in some cases it's "draw".

And yes, it's most definitely a tomato or tomahto thing. And some just say "maders" or "demaders". Theyz all good eatin'.

Oh, and when we were kids we would call eggs "soft" when we meant sunny side up. I think that might have been just our family, though. when you get a gaggle of humans together, who knows what words will be created.

 

[EmpressFi]

Doesn't Jeff Foxworthy have a routine about this?

but its so true

 

[graceanne]

but its so true

Oh, I don't disagree. I laugh the hardest over comedy routines that are true, and I was laughing pretty hard about that one.

 

[neci]

SOB = sumbeech

But, it's all relative.

i wuz thinkn sum-a-a-beech
gotta git dat draall
sumbeech reminds me of tri-in ta buggie burd in da gulf
or tri-in ta git sumbeech in da sac.
but, true, it is all relative.