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Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. It's truthful, nosotros do take a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners sympathise. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there'south just no other way to become your betoken across. If y'all're tying to exist nice, but you merely can't quite let it go, "bless your middle" is a go to. When y'all've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." If you lot just heard your mama come home and you oasis't finished your chores, she volition definitely exist "madder than a wet hen." Accept a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we simply couldn't live without.

Bless Your Heart

Anoint Your Heart

It tin can be deployed sincerely, merely if you're hearing "anoint your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. It'southward near always accompanied past a proficient-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, milkshake of the head. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and once again.

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Fixin' To

I'm fixin' to tell y'all that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. When you're fixin' to exercise something, it'southward going to happen, but y'all also may decide to take your sweet time.

It Doesn't Amount to a Colina of Beans

Amount to a Hill of Beans

In the S, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. Whether you're talking near volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. That means whatever y'all're talking about is worth less than very little.

It'south Blowin' Up a Tempest

Information technology'south Blowin' Up a Tempest

If you lot've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that y'all can experience, olfactory property, and run into a storm blowin' upwardly across the wide Southern skies. These skies can darken at a moment'southward notice, and summer afternoons frequently run across winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer rut.

More than Than Carter's Got Little Pills

This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. Obviously Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. You lot may still hear it if yous stop into a country store.

Over Yonder

When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant direction—any direction. The phrase may exist accompanied by a gesture indicating n, south, east, or west. Over yonder down the route. Over yonder past the cotton field. Over yonder toward the h2o tower. This phrase tin be intensified by the addition of the discussion "way," as in "mode over yonder."

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She was Madder Than a Moisture Hen

Madder Than a Moisture Hen

Have you ever seen a wet hen? If then, you know that beingness madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed.

'Til the Cows Come up Home

'Til the Cows Come Home

Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come up home, it'south going to take all day.

If I Had My Druthers

"Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way…" The phrase is historic in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the championship character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." And actually, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers?

I Reckon

I reckon "I reckon" tin replace whatsoever number of phrases, such every bit: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family unit on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South.

She's every bit Pretty equally a Peach

Pretty as a Peach

This is a high compliment in the Southward, since Southern states are known for their peaches. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more than peaches than any other states in the South. And of course, there'due south nothing prettier than a warm summertime day picking peaches in the sunshine.

Full Every bit A Tick

Total As A Tick

If you lot've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. Information technology'southward a vivid phrase, and information technology'south an accurate i too.

If the Creek Don't Rise

Creek Don't Rise

Translated, this ways: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." Unlike the United States Postal Service, whose motto proclaims "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" will continue them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted by a ascension creek or other unexpected bump in the road.

Worn Slap Out

When yous're exhausted in an I'm-and so-beat-I-tin't-go-on kind of manner, you're definitely worn slap out. It is a concrete and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100.

Hold Your Horses

Concord Your Horses

Stop right there! This i may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. If y'all hear this one, information technology'south best to tedious down.

Well, I Declare

A multipurpose Southernism. If you use this phrase, y'all could exist declaring whatsoever number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. The only requirement is that you lot declare it loud and proud.

He Was Funny as All Become Out

Funny every bit All Get Out

"All leave" finds its mode into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. I was surprised as all get out. It was bad as all become out. Anything to the degree of "all go out" is something to talk about.

No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond

No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Swimming

When you arrive on the banks of the line-fishing pond on Sabbatum mornings, you lot're hoping for a good grab—enough big catfish and bream to fry upwardly for the family on Saturday night. If you lot find only minnows, though, they await even smaller compared to the heavy take hold of you hoped for. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny equally tin can be.

Heavens to Betsy

An exclamation—of surprise, acrimony, happiness, actually any emotion—that is advisable in nearly every Southern scenario.

Hush Your Oral fissure

Hush Your Rima oris

Grandma might whisper this 1 over her hymnal if she sees yous cutting up in church on Sunday morning. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once.

Also Big for His Britches

Too Big for His Britches

Unarguable Southern criticism. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." If you hear this one, you lot should probably pause a moment. Southerners tell it like it is—no matter what it is—so think of this equally a learning moment.

She'south Got Gumption

She's Got Gumption

Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. If someone tells you that y'all've got gumption, you should thank them, and so walk a little taller, because you've received a lovely Southern compliment. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early on usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "go-up-and-go."

Tin't Never Could

Can't Never Could

Positive thinking, Southern style. If yous recall you can't, y'all won't be able to accomplish something, but if yous think you tin can, you'll succeed. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, merely, like nearly of these phrases, you lot tin apply it however yous'd like.

Well, I S'wanee

Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the pocket-size college town in Tennessee.

A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Side by side

A Rooster One Day a Feather Duster the Next

This is our artistic way of saying that you shouldn't crow like a rooster virtually your wealth and belonging today, because information technology could all disappear tomorrow.

Let Me Let You Get...

Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama'south chatting away, this may be the only way to end your conversation in a timely fashion.

Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama'south chatting away, this may be the only manner to terminate your conversation in a timely manner.

That's Cattywampus

While this phrase may sound made up, it's merely our multisyllabic mode of saying something is askew.

While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew.

I'll Tell Yous What!

This is a point of emphasis and assertion that often ends without whatever additional telling at all.

This is a signal of emphasis and exclamation that oftentimes ends without any additional telling at all.

Quit Existence Ugly

No, nosotros don't mean y'all need to go set your hair. This phrase isn't nigh physical appearance. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd similar you to mind your manners and end acting inappropriately. You'll near oftentimes hear it coming out of Mama's rima oris when the kids are running amok.

No, nosotros don't mean you demand to get fix your pilus. This phrase isn't about concrete appearance. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd similar you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok.

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Source: https://www.southernliving.com/culture/sayings/southern-sayings