Expressions from the South... got any good ones?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hi Dopers! I remember seeing a thread here once a while ago that listed a bunch of interesting and colorful expressions, some of which originated from the South. I can’t seem to find it… anybody a clue what I’m talking about, or better yet, a link?

See, I have this friend who is moving to North Carolina and wanted to compile some of the best ones. I’d much appreciate any contributions, if y’all know any.

Here’s some I remember:

“He’s slicker than snot on a doorknob.”

“You can’t ride two horses with the same a s s.”

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

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That dog don’t hunt. (Your logic is fundamentally flawed, my good man.)

If that don’t work, we’ll always think it shoulda. (I think that one’s pretty recent, but it’s always delivered with a Southern drawl.)

So dry the trees are bribin’ the dogs.

The classic, whole bucket o’ ugly.

Splittin’ mud. (Running fast.)

… you’d think after six years in Texas I would know more of these, but most of the other ones coming to mind (“Lower than a snake’s belly”) strike me as cliche. Ah well.

3

First of all, welcome to the Straight Dope!

“Yeah, and if frogs had wings, they wouldn’t bump their butts on the ground.”

“He needed killin’.”

Important North Carolina fact:
It’s spelled ‘Krzyzewski’, but pronounced ‘shuh-shef-ski’. Likewise, it’s spelled ‘Duke’ but pronounced ‘the-university-of-new-jersey-at-durham’. At least, in Chapel Hill, it is.

And maybe a helpful moderator could shuffle this off to IMHO.

4

i’m partial to
‘sweatin’ like a whore in church’
‘colder than a witch’s tit’
‘colder than a brass monkey’s balls’
‘hotter’n 700 hunderd dollars’
‘he needs kil’t’
‘a big ol’ (anything)’
‘bless her heart’ (usually just after a horrible insult: i.e. she is the filthiest whore in this town…bless her heart)
just a few of my favs.

-stonebow, transplanted Yankee living in Arkansas

5

Oops, sorry for the faux-pas… thought I had carefully chosen where my question should go… my bad! :smack:

6

I have only lived in the south for about 2 years, but here are some of my favorites:

Fixin’ to get your picture made (getting your picture taken)
Pourin’ down the rain
Hey! (this is the greeting instead of Hello)
No dogs my way (no cars coming on this side)

Margo

7

Ain’t yet but I’m fixin’ to.

How’s yer mama 'n 'em?

[Anything] as hell. (Note that “Cold as hell” is just as effective as “Hot as hell.”)

8

Here was one such thread.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=112080&highlight=TEXAS+CRUDE

Be sure to check out the “Texas Crude” link I posted in that thread.

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**Slippery as greased owl shit. ** Used to denote something that is somewhat slick. :slight_smile:

10

“Well, I’ll be shit and shot for stinkin’”

“I’m fixin’ to get ready”

“You ain’t from around here, are ya?”

“He sure do got a purty mouth, don’t he” :smiley:

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Just what I was looking for Fibonacci, a thousand thanks!

12

…so ugly s/he’d scare a buzzard off a gut wagon.

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…so ugly s/he’d scare a buzzard off a gut wagon.

I’m fixinta warsh (the truck, clothes, etc)

…get aholt of (something)

get shed of (something, usually a man)

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We’ll just take this on over to IMHO – Good Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.

DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator

15

Well poke my eyes out, because know I’ve seen everything.

16

Hey, ya’ll been to that Super Wal Mart yet?

Hey, she is one of them lee sisters,
Ugly
Lonely
Homely
Sickly

17

Is this strictly a southern thing? I never associated it with any particular region.

18

“More fun than stomping on kittens.”

An Air Force Lieutenant Colonel from Georgia taught me that one… I only use it rarely :wink:

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“Useless as tits on a boar-hog”

“Fine as frog hairs” (in response to “How you doin?”)

“Might could” for maybe (“I might could do that.”)

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Sleeping like a drunk cowboy.
Sleeping like a BIG dog. (Morphed into EVERYTHING like a big dog…Partying like a BIG dog, I am liking this steak like a BIG dog, Did you have a good vacation? Oh yeah like a BIG dog!)
Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit.

How about that list of phrases you won’t hear in the South?
“Does my hair look too big?”
“I’ll take Shakespeare for a thousand, Alex.”