If you’re [US] southern, you know the drill: somebody not from the south casts aspersions on your turn of phrase, but you get confirmation from another southerner that we hold that phrase in good standing.
I’m here to report a variant: a phrase I think of as being as much of a southernism as “I’m fixing to”, was questioned by another person who grew up in the south, and then defended as normal usage by a native of Minnesota!
What do you say: is “used to could” an authentic southern expression, or did I pick it up from somewhere else?
Usage: “You used to could get out onto Lewisville Expressway by heading out on Bobby Brown Bldv to where it peters out into Thrush Street and keep on for a ways to the junction. But even since the Overton Mall cut Thrush Street half in two with that parking lot they done put in, you have to go left a piece on Thomas Ave to come out to the same place.”
I think I heard my children use that term whilst still preschoolers and I corrected them ;), and I am from Michigan. Dont think you could get away with it for long without being corrected where I came from, so maybe it is a southern thang :).
Down here in the South we have a severe syllable shortage. Your version uses 6 precious syllables where “us’ta could” only uses 3. I can say my version twice and still use the same portion of my daily syllable ration as you use every time. Wasteful Yankees.
My Dad says “useta’ could.” He also says “useta’ couldn’t” and (my personal favorite) “useta’ didn’t”. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say “useta’ did,” thankfully.
He was raised in Iowa and Southern New Mexico.
I like useing “You want for I should” in place of “would you like me to”, but just for fun.
I only ever heard “used to could” when I was in the south (North Carolina).
Oh and, if syllable conservation is so big, then explain “Do what” to to me. For anyone unfamiliar, “Do what” is a common way of saying “What?” as in “Can you say that again?” in the South.
Me: Look, there’s an armadillo.
Them: Do what?
What does “Do” have to do with it? I didn’t say anything about “doing”. What’s wrong with just saying “What?”. Hell, I’d even take “Huh?” over “Do what?”
Aries28, my humblest apologies to you. The sweet tea is my treat, should we e’re chance to meet.
A common misconception for those not familar with the nuances of Southernese. If a southerner responds to you with “What?” or “Huh?” it generally means “I did not hear you, please repeat yourself”. If the response is “Do what?” it generally means “I heard you just fine, but, bless your little pea-pickin’ heart, you ain’t makin’ no sense. Please reconsider and restate your point!” There is a big difference and a huge syllable savings. You just have to parse it correctly.
