Figures of Speech

[Dave G]

Anybody have any good figures of speech or country talk?
For instance, whenever any of us would sneeze, everybody else would say, "Scat, kitty! You"re tail"s on fire!!
(What the heck? I can"t use my apostrophe for some reason. It keeps calling up a search bar.)
Another example: My grandmother would often call me an "imp of satan." She usually had an impish smile as well.
What are some of yours?

[The Curtmudgeon]

Grandfather, who was a Baptist preacher, never cussed, but when he was really exasperated (usually while working in his wood shop, or working on the car) his usual expression was "Plagonit!" (accent on either the first or second syllable, depending on level of exasperation). I was nearly an adult before I parsed that into its constituent pieces ("Plague on it!").

Grandmother would often make fun of my sister and me using the phrase "Play'ke" when we were playing; I'm not sure where we got it from, but since Grandmother (a very formative influence on us at the time) didn't recognise it, it must have been from school kids. "Play'ke [Play like] we're building a house!" "Play'ke we're having a tea party!" And such.

Our relatives in "backwoods" East Texas and "no woods" West Texas often had very picturesque phrases, but I think most of them were invented on the spot just to have fun with us city kids. I can't really recall any that I heard being used in general conversation, other than the standard Texas wish when making future plans out loud: "If the sky don't fall, and the crick [creek] don't rise!" That's so deeply ingrained in me now that I almost forgot to mention it -- I just think of it as "normal", not idiomatic!

The (a sudden rise in the 'crick' in Texas can be really bad news) Curtmudgeon

[Dave G]

I just talked to my dad, and I asked him what he was doing. He said he had to "find a feller." He meant he needed to talk to someone about the budget for the Elks Lodge, but I had to ask him those details.
Mentioning replacements for cussing, when I drove a tractor for a farmer, I got too close to the well once and broke off a big ground plow called a sweep. When the farmer got off his tractor, he said, "CHICKEN fried STEAK!"

[Soyeong]

I'm in a pickle!


Figures of speach are the best when they are translated into other languages.

[Dave G]

Grandfather, who was a Baptist preacher, never cussed, but when he was really exasperated (usually while working in his wood shop, or working on the car) his usual expression was "Plagonit!" (accent on either the first or second syllable, depending on level of exasperation). I was nearly an adult before I parsed that into its constituent pieces ("Plague on it!").

Grandmother would often make fun of my sister and me using the phrase "Play'ke" when we were playing; I'm not sure where we got it from, but since Grandmother (a very formative influence on us at the time) didn't recognise it, it must have been from school kids. "Play'ke [Play like] we're building a house!" "Play'ke we're having a tea party!" And such.

Our relatives in "backwoods" East Texas and "no woods" West Texas often had very picturesque phrases, but I think most of them were invented on the spot just to have fun with us city kids. I can't really recall any that I heard being used in general conversation, other than the standard Texas wish when making future plans out loud: "If the sky don't fall, and the crick [creek] don't rise!" That's so deeply ingrained in me now that I almost forgot to mention it -- I just think of it as "normal", not idiomatic!

The (a sudden rise in the 'crick' in Texas can be really bad news) Curtmudgeon

I was born in East Texas, and grew up in West Texas...most of my family stayed in East Texas.
Not exactly idioms were the names we had for family members. My dad's parents were known as "Big Daddy." and "Ease." (my grandmother's name was Louise.).
I had an uncle actually nicknamed "Bubba," and at work he was known as "Booger." And yes, it was for the obvious reason.

[NeilUnreal]

I like it when people in Kentucky say "leanin up agin it." As in: "That there shovel's leanin up agin the little house. Whar? Over yonder, right up agin it!"

Another one that's common in the central hills of Kentucky (my family homeland) is saying "pite nigh" for pretty near. As in: "It's pite nigh time for supper."

Also, people say "driver's licenses" instead of "driver's license" even when speaking in the singular.

And now I'm going to have to stop, because I'm getting homesick.

-Neil

[Dave G]

That kid's one heck of an ath-a-lete.
lol

[NeilUnreal]

"Louisville" is a shibboleth for Kentuckians. Only Kentuckians can pronounce "Louisville" properly. It should be said so that it sounds something like "Looavull." When people try to fake a Kentucky accent by saying "Loo-ee-vill," it sounds especially grating. Television during Derby Week is a particularly trying time for Kentucky ears.

-Neil

[Em7add11]

In Kansas we would pronounce Arkansas as ar-can-sass instead of the more traditional (and wrong ) ar-can-saw.

It really confuses the non-locals when you refer to the Arkansas River that way. But anybody that's lived in Kansas wouldn't even bat an eye at it. It's a pretty effective test of whether someone is a Kansas native.

[NeilUnreal]

In Kansas we would pronounce Arkansas as ar-can-sass instead of the more traditional (and wrong ) ar-can-saw.

I've heard people in Colorado use that pronounciation too, but then, Colorado is right next door to Kansas.

-Neil

[Dave G]

I always wondered about the Boston pronunciation for Worcestor. "Wooster."

[Lazarus]

And of course, most folks from Louisiana know the largest city in the State as "Nawlins" and not New Orleeens.

[gharfish]

I like it when people in Kentucky say "leanin up agin it." As in: "That there shovel's leanin up agin the little house. Whar? Over yonder, right up agin it!"

Another one that's common in the central hills of Kentucky (my family homeland) is saying "pite nigh" for pretty near. As in: "It's pite nigh time for supper."

Also, people say "driver's licenses" instead of "driver's license" even when speaking in the singular.

And now I'm going to have to stop, because I'm getting homesick.

-Neil

I heard that !

[Dave G]

And of course, most folks from Louisiana know the largest city in the State as "Nawlins" and not New Orleeens.

I know a New Orleans lady who answers the phone, "Whatchoo talkin' about?"

[Dave G]

Whenever I was acting up or being bad, my family would tell me to "stop being ugly."