A visiting vendor was talking to his office outside my cubicle.
“Do what now?” I heard him say, and it made me smile.
For those not familiar with Southern Colloquialisms, “do what now?” is equivalent to “would you repeat that please?”
It’s one of the phrases I had to adjust to when I moved from New England down here to the Carolinas.
Along with the “y’all” which I was fully familiar with from all the overly-dramatized accents portrayed on TV, I also soon learned such phrases as:
“Mash that light” (flip the light switch)
“Don’t be ugly” (don’t be disagreeable)
“Bless his heart” (recognize that he’s a poor soul that needs pity)
“He’s a mess” (he’s being silly so make sure to bless his heart)
And many others, which I hope you will add.
What regional phrases did you have to get used to when you relocated (and tell where you relocated from and to, if you don’t mind!)