# southerners/country folk: how do you swear? (lots of swearing, NSFW) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862 "2007-10-16T01:09:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/21 "2007-10-17T13:02:41Z")
Transplanted Yankee living in the South here. - As has been pointed out upthread, a lot of what makes Southern swearing is not what you say, but how you say it. In much the same way that Paula Deen manages to make _oil_ and _egg_ into three-syllable words, a true Southerner can make _god damn_ last a good five seconds. - Things that are untrue, or just not very good, are “some _bull_shit,” which comes out sounding like “Them pancakes was some **BOOL** -sheeeeeeyiiiit!” - In much the same way that you never come across sodium in its elemental state in nature, you rarely see the f-word by itself in the South. It’s usually compounded into motherfucker or motherfuckin’. And in my observation, Southerners don’t spray that one around quite as liberally as people from other parts of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/22 "2007-10-17T14:10:12Z")
Hey, I really appreciate your input here. You guys are the SHEEEEEEEEEEY-IT! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/23 "2007-10-17T14:12:50Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] Hey, I really appreciate your input here. You guys are the SHEEEEEEEEEEY-IT! 😉 [/QUOTE] Fuck all y’all, I’m from TEXAS. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/24 "2007-10-17T14:28:37Z")
Don’t forget “Bless your heart”. That’s a non-profane way of telling someone they’re dumber than a tick on a dead dog. Also useful is “That’s Nice” instead of “who gives a fuck, bitch?”. Difference between a Northern fairy tale and a Southern fairy tale: A Northern fairy tale starts: “Once upon a time…” A Southern fairy tale starts: “Ya’ll ain’t gonna believe this shit…” Famous Southern last words: “Hey Ya’ll - watch this!” ---
**Author:** ![Flipshod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f19dbf/32.png) [@Flipshod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flipshod)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/25 "2007-10-17T14:34:57Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Fuck all y’all, I’m from TEXAS. [/QUOTE] 'at’s some fu-ucked up sheeyit raht 'ere. Fuck you too, cowboy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/26 "2007-10-17T15:21:01Z")
[QUOTE=Flipshod] 'at’s some fu-ucked up sheeyit raht 'ere. Fuck you too, cowboy. 😃 [/QUOTE] That was actually more of a black Houstonian locution I was offering up - it’s actually the caption of a t-shirt popular around here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Playkcab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Playkcab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Playkcab)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/27 "2007-10-17T15:52:05Z")
Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more stoopid and uncouth. I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and I have yet to pick up any southern accent. It was a conscious effort on my part not to sound like my dad, an Italian guy that grew up in NYC, or like my mom, a country girl from Kentucky. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I DO NOT say bull-sheeeyit. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/28 "2007-10-17T15:55:30Z")
[QUOTE=Playkcab] Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more stoopid and uncouth. [/QUOTE] That certainly isn’t the intention here. Southern profanity is unique, not necessarily more stupid or uncouth (though, if we’re talking about intentionally crude language, wouldn’t more uncouth actually be better?). Actually, I grew up in Maryland myself, and to me there is no more grating sound than a woman from New Jersey cursing out her significant other in public. It sounds like the aluminum being stripped off the outside of a rusty trailer with pliers. In comparison to that, Deep South invective goes down just like syrup over waffles. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/29 "2007-10-17T16:08:57Z")
[QUOTE=Playkcab] Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more stoopid and uncouth. I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and I have yet to pick up any southern accent. It was a conscious effort on my part not to sound like my dad, an Italian guy that grew up in NYC, or like my mom, a country girl from Kentucky. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I DO NOT say bull-sheeeyit. [/QUOTE] My goodness. Aren’t we the uppity little buzzkill? ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/30 "2007-10-17T16:13:41Z")
[QUOTE=Playkcab] Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more stoopid and uncouth. I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and I have yet to pick up any southern accent. It was a conscious effort on my part not to sound like my dad, an Italian guy that grew up in NYC, or like my mom, a country girl from Kentucky. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I DO NOT say bull-sheeeyit. [/QUOTE] And we are so glad you couldn’t possibly be mistaken for a Southerner. Bless your heart. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/31 "2007-10-17T18:29:01Z")
[QUOTE=SnakesCatLady] And we are so glad you couldn’t possibly be mistaken for a Southerner. Bless your heart. [/QUOTE] I reckon that’s the funniest thing I’ll hear all day. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/32 "2007-10-17T19:22:09Z")
[QUOTE= Playkcab] Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more **stoopid** and uncouth. [/QUOTE] (bolding mine) Well, at least you’re doing your part for North-South intellectual parity… …bless your little heart. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/33 "2007-10-17T19:50:02Z")
NOT SAFE FOR WORK I quite often substitute "horse pucky’ or “horse sheeeiiiiitttt” for “bull shit.” “Fuckin’ Hell” gets a lot of use, too, as does “Holy fuckin’ God.” “Bull Fuckin’ Sheeeiiit” gets a lot of use when I think someone’s statement or story is absolutely whacked. I once worked with a guy whose absolutely favorite indictment of a person, place, or thing was “God Damn Mother Fuckin’ Baby Rapin’ Jug Fuckin’ Banjo Eyed Son-of-a-Bitch.” He was big enough and mean enough to get away with it. He was also a good ol’ boy from rural Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/34 "2007-10-17T20:18:47Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] (bolding mine) Well, at least you’re doing your part for North-South intellectual parity… …bless your little heart. [/QUOTE] I’m sure **Playkcab** is a perfectly _nice_ person… 😃 I always thought the genteel Southern curses (not the glistening invective I’ve heard, but ‘that’s nice’ and ‘sweet’ and ‘cute’ and the kiss of death, ‘bless your little heart’ were not serious. But not only did I learn otherwise, I learned just how astonishingly harsh they can really be. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/35 "2007-10-17T20:25:54Z")
[QUOTE=Playkcab] Until now I didn’t think there was a thread that could make the south seem more stoopid and uncouth. I’ve lived in Texas all of my life and I have yet to pick up any southern accent. [/QUOTE] You just keep lying there till the fever passes, son. We’ll bring you a plate home from church. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/36 "2007-10-17T21:03:06Z")
I’m a major devotee of the F word and other “standard” cursing fare as are most of my southern/country born&reared friends, though my sister has a definite Southern streak in her cursing. Her favorite oath, said very fast (remember that there are several distinct southern accents and they are not all slow), is “SHIT GODDAMN MONKEY-PISS N\*GGER HELL’S BELLS MOTHERFUCKER!” (As for the racial slur, before assuming she’s a racist, remember she contains it with her most extreme curse phrases including GD, which she believes is not just a dirty phrase but a sin.) My grandmother, raised in the early 20th century by a well-to-do socially prominent family where ladies didn’t curse, used to preface her invective with words to the effect of “As a sinner with lower breeding and a fouler mouth than I have once said, Fuck that bunch of bullshit”. (In other words, she’d give that preface and then turn the air blue with drunk sailor language.) Also: in my middle class southern family, you did not swear in public- it was the nadir of manners. OTOH, at home, one word was as good as another in conversation- cursing was as casual as Kathy Griffin says it is to her Catholic family. ---
**Author:** ![beanpod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@beanpod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beanpod)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/37 "2007-10-17T21:48:01Z")
From rural Baptist farmers in Kentucky: “Fuck” is the be all and end all unforgivable word around my family–as in, “I’m 35 years old and if I said that word in front of my Mommy, I’d still expect her to slap the livin’ _shit_ outta me.” “Shit” is acceptable from adults under extreme provocation. It is hissed, yet violently, loudly, and disdainfully all at once. For the Christians (who, in that area, are legion) all variations on “goddamn” are strictly frowned upon. I’ve encountered this in people of all ages. Restrictions are looser depending on the crowd. Cursing in “mixed company” is frowned upon–mixed company meaning either mixed ages or genders or other groups. You do \*not \* curse in front of an old lady unless you want to be whacked. Teenagers, in my experience, have no shame or limitations among themselves. I guess the differences would mostly be with regional accents. As for unique turns of phrases, my dad has one that I often remember with joy and nostalgia: “Shit fire and save matches,” pronounced in a crescendo: “Wull sheeit FAHR and _save matches!_” It was often said after burning himself with a soldering iron. If I think of more unique variations, I’ll post them. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862/38 "2007-10-17T22:37:59Z")
[QUOTE=beanpod] For the Christians (who, in that area, are legion) all variations on “goddamn” are strictly frowned upon. I’ve encountered this in people of all ages. [/QUOTE] At the conservative Christian school I went to we weren’t allowed to say “Jesus Christ” as an oath, which made sense/fair enough, but they also banned “Jiminy Cricket”, “Sheez”, “Cheese Grits”[?], and “anything with the initials JC” a all were evidently clear synonyms for Jesus Christ. Since my first two names are Jonathan Carroll, I became the swear word for a while because they could then swear “we were just calling Jon!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southerners-country-folk-how-do-you-swear-lots-of-swearing-nsfw/422862.md?page=1)