# What does "I swan" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411 "2007-05-02T02:59:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/1 "2007-05-02T02:59:55Z")
And where does it come from. I’ve heard a few people (southerners) use the term, but I don’t know exactly where they were from. A friend of the family when I was a kid said it a lot. She was from Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama as I remember. She used to tell me stories in her beautiful drawl. She was, I think, the first woman I ever lusted after in my nine-year-old-boy way. If I did something silly (or stupid) she’s say “Well I swan, George” and "Whatever are you thinking of. 🙂 Anyway, what’s up with that? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/2 "2007-05-02T03:16:27Z")
[http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html#swannee](http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html#swannee) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/3 "2007-05-02T03:25:32Z")
I most often heard it as “I swan to goodness!” – a euphemism for “I swear to God!” Another opinion on the origin, from [YourDictionary.com](http://YourDictionary.com): Regional Note: New Englanders sometimes express surprise by saying, “Well, I vum!” This odd-sounding word is in fact an alteration of the verb vow that goes back to the days of the American Revolution. It is also heard simply as “Vum!” or as a sort of past participle: “I’ll be vummed!” A Southern equivalent is swan or swanny, also meaning “swear”: “Now, I swanny!” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word swanny derives from the dialect of the north of England: I s’ wan ye, “I shall warrant ye.” ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/4 "2007-05-02T03:32:42Z")
And I swan, I swan so far away … ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/5 "2007-05-02T11:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] And I swan, I swan so far away … [/QUOTE] Elmer Fudd sings Flock of Seagulls? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/6 "2007-05-02T12:29:43Z")
I saw this in a 1950s Walt Disney comic. Grandma Duck was using it, and it seemed like a euphemism for “I Swear”. Given that it was Grandma Duck, I think that indicates that it’s a “country” euphemism that sounds like the word it’s replacing , like the similarly euphemistic “Fudge!”. I’ve never heard anypone actually use it, though. Who says comics ain’t educational? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/7 "2007-05-02T23:55:16Z")
[Another site which expands on the possible origins](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990312) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/8 "2007-05-03T00:18:07Z")
[QUOTE=samclem] [Another site which expands on the possible origins](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990312) [/QUOTE] That’s a good one. The author mentions the “Suwanee” river, which is how I thought it was pronounced. I think it’s an american indian name. I love the american language. All these wonderful words, and we still lack a single word alternative for “he/she”. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![loveable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@loveable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loveable)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/9 "2010-09-29T19:20:56Z")
A quick keyword list of swan meaning: Love Grace Union Purity Beauty Dreams Balance Elegance Partnership Transformation The swan may also bear messages of love and relationships. They pair for years, sometimes male-female unions are sustained for a lifetime. When the swan glides upon the waters of our awareness, it might be a symbol of love, and a reminder of the blessings found in our relationships ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/10 "2010-09-29T19:39:49Z")
I seem to recall seeing this usage in Stephen King’s short story _Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut_, which is set in rural Maine. Seeing as King is a native of the area, I assume he has heard the phrase used by the locals. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/11 "2010-09-29T23:14:07Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > [QUOTE=samclem] > [Another site which expands on the possible origins](http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19990312) That’s a good one. The author mentions the “Suwanee” river, which is how I thought it was pronounced. I think it’s an american indian name. I love the american language. All these wonderful words, and we still lack a single word alternative for “he/she”. :smack: [/QUOTE] Singular ‘they’ is accepted by everyone except the most priggish of illiterate pedants. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/12 "2010-09-30T00:10:40Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > > [@mangeorge](#): > > > > That’s a good one. The author mentions the “Suwanee” river, which is how I thought it was pronounced. I think it’s an american indian name. > > I love the american language. All these wonderful words, and we still lack a single word alternative for “he/she”. :smack: > > Singular ‘they’ is accepted by everyone except the most priggish of illiterate pedants. This most priggish illiterate pedant has a small but important problem with using the plural to refer to a single. So, whenever I think of it, I’ll use "it’. Just as I do for a baby. Or a dog. So, unless i learn (for sure) **Derlith’s** gender, I shall class it with babies and dogs. Nyah! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/13 "2010-09-30T01:39:46Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > [ > I love the american language. All these wonderful words, and we still lack a single word alternative for “he/she”. :smack: The masculine includes the feminine, and the singular includes the plural. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/14 "2010-09-30T01:51:05Z")
_The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show_ (radio) was sponsored by Swan Soap and at the end of every show, the announcer Bill Goodwin would close out the show by saying, “…Until next week I swan how about you?” I never knew it was a phrase, I thought it had something to do with the soap 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/15 "2010-09-30T01:56:02Z")
My dad and grandmother used “Well. I swan!”…used in the same way a Southerner would exclaim “I declare”. Sometimes used in place of swear in the sense of declare. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/16 "2010-09-30T01:56:54Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > > [@mangeorge](#): > > > > [ > > I love the american language. All these wonderful words, and we still lack a single word alternative for “he/she”. :smack: > > The masculine includes the feminine, and the singular includes the plural. Somebody please explain that to me. Unless, of course, ol’ CA’s having me on. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/17 "2010-09-30T02:00:22Z")
> [@sunstone](#): > > My dad and grandmother used “Well. I swan!”…used in the same way a Southerner would exclaim “I declare”. Sometimes used in place of swear in the sense of declare. Exactly like that. It sounds kinda cute, actually. Where were they raised? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/18 "2010-09-30T02:30:43Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > _The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show_ (radio) was sponsored by Swan Soap and at the end of every show, the announcer Bill Goodwin would close out the show by saying, “…Until next week I swan how about you?” > > I never knew it was a phrase, I thought it had something to do with the soap 🙂 Tell me you used to listen to this in the last 30 years, not on radio at the time. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/19 "2010-09-30T03:00:26Z")
> [@freckafree](#): > > Regional Note: New Englanders sometimes express surprise by saying, “Well, I vum!” We _what_?? Maybe a couple hundred years ago, but no one says that now. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411/20 "2010-09-30T03:44:02Z")
Two of my grandmother’s most common expressions–“I swanny” and “dadgumit”. I miss hearing those. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-i-swan-mean/402411.md?page=2)