What’s The Good Word

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Weather-wise, it sounds like a wild week ahead for many of us!

Let’s distract ourselves with something trivial! 😉

I’ll put on my Andy Andrea Rooney hat and ask . . .

Did you ever notice . . . there are certain words and sayings that are only used in some areas of the country?

Or maybe your family has expressions that you hardly ever hear others say!

For example:

    “Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb???”
    This is an expression I never heard until a couple of years ago. It can be used as a way of changing the subject during a conversation. There’s even an “answer” to the question: “Not if it’s in cans!”

    “I’m shouting!” When you say this, you mean that you are planning to pay the check at a restaurant. The idea is that the person who truly wants to treat the others in his group would be the most vocal when asking for the bill. Although my grandfather used this expression frequently, I’ve never heard it said by anyone outside my extended family. A quick search on google did show the term, however.

    “Stick-to-itiveness” The nuns I had for teachers *loved* to use the word: “stick-to-itiveness” – both as a way to encourage students to apply themselves, and also to explain failure. “If Johnny only had a little more ‘stick-to-itiveness’, he would have studied until he completely understood the math lesson, and then would have easily passed his exam.” I seldom hear this word used now, nor do I see it in print.

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So, please tell me. Do you use, or have you even heard, any of the examples above? More importantly (and more fun), what would you add to the list?

Hugs,

crystal-1b3-copy-flatfullwidth

Comments

What’s The Good Word — 9 Comments

  1. One time when I was in the south, someone said they would ‘carry’ me to the grocery. What the heck? Carry me? Then I found out that means to take someone somewhere.

    Or when a grocery clerk asks me if I want a sack? I thought a sack was for potatoes.

    I was always really worried when one of my parents said “I’ve got a bone to pick with you” That usually meant we were going to have a conversation about something I did or said that was not to their liking.

  2. As kids we used to say, “you need to put some water in that Mickey Mouse”, whenever someone had the wrong time on their watch or the watch had stopped. No clue where that came from. I’m from IL and when I would say it here in MI, people would just look at me and stare.

    There’s another one too which I can’t think of now. No one knows what I am talking about when I say it. I’ll come back if I remember it. 😀

  4. Don Mae- I had to go see where you live, but you don’t say. I’m near the In/MI State line east of South Bend and they say we could get 18 inches so you must be north east of me.

    I’ve been wracking my brain trying to think of one of these but probably won’t be able to remember one til it rolls out of my mouth!

    Interesting post, Crissie!
    xx, Carol

  5. Hey Sweetie!

    I hope you didn’t fall off your chair when you saw me here, but I’m back from another long stay-away from Blogland, and now for some catching up!

    I’ve never heard of the first two expressions, but we use the term “Stick-to-itiveness” in my family. In fact…I think I’m going to write it in red, and tape it to the top of my computer! What a perfect post for today, Crystal!

    …Have you stopped listening to the weatherman yet???? It’s been a very exciting winter to say the least…and I’m still loving it, even though my back is telling me otherwise!

    Have a fun day sweetie!

    xoxo Paulette 😀

  6. Crystal,
    I have never heard any of those sayings. Clenna, I have heard “carry” used like that, usually by older Southern people. We say lots of things in the South that seem weird to everyone else: two that come to mind are “fixin’ to” (or fittin’ to), as in: I am fixin’ to go to the Piggly Wiggly, you want me to carry you? LOL 🙂 (I had to put in the Piggly Wiggly part, may dad was in the grocery business. There are not too many left in the Memphis area, but they are still around)
    The other is to “stay up in there”, meaning to live somewhere. As in, You’re from Olive Branch? I stay up in there too! This is mostly used by country (rural) people but I have also heard it from urban people as well.

    My husband works downtown at the Juvenile Court and comes into contact with all sorts of people. I’ll have to ask him when he gets home if he has any good ones.

    I’m sure there are a bunch of things that I say every day that others would think are strange but seem quite normal to everyone around here! 🙂
    I’ll let y’all know if I think of any more!

    Great post Crystal, I’ll check back to see everyone’s answers.

  8. My mom would say, “Cakes get done, people get finished” my family changed it to I’m a cake. In my family if you say. “I’m a cake” it means you are finished.
    Waggin in the pokes means to bring in the groceries.
    The people in the south St. Louis city warsh their hands in the Zink. George Warshington was also our first president. Since I don’t use the r’s people think I was not raised here.

    This weeks celebrations include:
    1/31 Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
    2/1 Ground Hog Day
    2/1 Candlemas & Heavenly Hash Day
    2/3 Chinese New Year
    2/4 Thank a Mailman day
    2/4 Bubblegum & Homemade Soup Day

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