Nope. My Midwestern godfather said it frequently, except it was part of the phrase “wound tighter than a ten-cent watch,” implying that something was about to blast into outer space at any moment.
Frequently that was applied to me.
Page two and we haven’t mentioned ‘Momma’s Boy’ yet?
I got THAT one personally…which was funny as the psychotic trust-fund ex-fiancee couldn’t freekin EXIST without special dispensation from her mom.
It really WAS the Pot callin’ the Kettle black.
My wife, who’s a Southerner going back many generations, first heard this one just the other day. It was a new one to me too, of course, since I’m the Yankee in the family. But I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities to put it to good use.
Isn’t that universal?
Well, it’s universal in Texas, and I’d never really heard it in Colorado…I dunno, is it?
I’m stealing this one.
My father says this a lot.
Exactly. Most of the time I hear it used, it is sympathetic. In fact, I hear it as an insult from more transplants than natives.
Duely noted.
Not necessarily. I’ll call small boys “son”, if I don’t know their name. It’s the male counterpart to “hon”. If a little boy falls down, I’ll ask, “Are you all right, son?” That sort of thing.
I do the son thing as well, but not necessarily with small boys; rather, only with males young enough to be my son. Say at least 15 years younger.
Whenever my Grandmother from Louisiana overheard a remark that tended toward being “blue,” she’d give THE look, a tsk to freeze your blood, and say under her breath “That boy’s got a MOUTH on 'im.”
I’m going to ditto this. Despite apparent internet consensus :rolleyes: , I rarely hear “Bless her heart” used as any sort of a veiled insult. It is mostly used as an expression of genuine sympathy. You might say it when you learn someone’s parent has passed away for example. “Oh, bless her heart! She must feel awful! I know how much she loved her Daddy!”
Occasionally it is used as a softener for a cutting remark, and in that context bears the approximate meaning “well the poor thing can’t help it, but”:
“Bless her heart, she never has been good with money.”
“Bless his heart, he just can’t dress himself.”
“Bless her heart, she sings louder than anybody in the congregation but she couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.”
Even in those contexts a note of genuine sympathy is often meant to be expressed.
Hmmm… Usually, it was like this. Southerner, let me introduce you to Dogzilla.
Dogzilla assertively offers her hand and a strong warm handshake (not very ladylike, but effective) and says, “Oh, hello! How nice to meet you!”
And then I’d get :dubious: “You ain’t from around here, are ya?”
I always thought it was just a reaction to my “accent” because people knew that I am obviously not from the south the minute I open my mouth. (Midwestern, Cleveland accent, sorta)
For someone who won’t shut up, “She talks just to hear her head rattle.”
From Mr. Horseshoe’s family, most of whom hail from the Panhandle of Texas:
“The cheese done slid off his cracker.”
He also had a boss who, when talking about something bad - a delay, a hitch in a plan, etc. - would say, “Now, boys, here’s the pube on the cracker…” Don’t know if it’s a Southernism or if it was just something he drawled himself, but I always liked it.