Special offer

More Southern Sayings, Their Translations, & How to Use Them :)

By
Real Estate Agent with Leo Parker Real Estate & Auction

Don't we just love the southern expressions! I was born in Michigan but was raised in Tennessee. I have heard all of these and just love them! For those of you who are not native to the south- here you go, translations, examples of usage and all! Will make you smile!

 

Like a chicken with your head cut off
Translation: Confusion
Usage: That boy was running around like a chicken with his head cut off!

Butter my biscuit
Translation: Isn't that something!
Usage: Well butter my biscuit!

Speckled pup in a red wagon
Translation: Reference to being cute or precious.
Usage: That baby's cuter than a speckled pup in a red wagon.

Snowball's chance in hell.
Translation: Not a very likely occurrence.
Usage: You ain't got a snow ball's chance in hell of gittin' that girl.

Southern Saying: Argue with a fence post.
Translation: Stubborness
Usage: That boy would argue with a fence post

Skint
Translation: Very versatile term meaning to remove hide, drunk, or to beat up.
Usage: I skint his hair back.

Above your raisin'
Translation: Acting as a snob acts.
Usage: Little Miss Priss is shore above her raisin'.

Ruffled her feathers.
Translation: Upsetting
Usage: I really ruffled her feathers.

Chewin' the fat
Translation: Talking up a storm or talking about nothing in particular.
Usage: We was just a chewin' the fat.

Like a stuck hog.
Translation: Screaming or squealing in pain.
Usage: Bo hit is finger with that mall and hollered like a stuck hog.

I declare.
Translation: I did not know that or that is surprising or it can merely be used when there is really nothing else to say.
Usage: Well, I declare!

There you go! Try some of these out if you're not already using them.  

Jimmy Breazeale
Sherlock Home Inspections - Coldwater, MS

Ain't Suthurn langidge jus' thuh purtiest thang?  I tel y'all whut, thuh rest o' thuh cuntry jes' don' know how tu' use metterfours in ther' talkin'!  Why, it's downrite confusin' tuh most Yankee folks tuh make cunnekshuns in ther mines 'bout whut we's sayin'!  Thet thar's why us Suthurners is such gud riters.  We know how tuh tel a gud tale, and we'uns is got us a instink 'bout how tuh make use uf then thar metterfours.  Here's a few more o' them sayins:

Metterfour:  "Lower than a snake in a wagon rut."

Translation:  A real low down, sorry, stankin', gallin' ackshun or individual.

USAGE:  Boy, whut you dun done tuh thet woman was lower than a snake in a wagon rut!

Metterfour: "Like buzzards on a gut wagon."  (ok, so this is a simile---sue me!)

Translation:  Going at somethin' real hard, with lots of enthusiasm.

USAGE:  "Man, that boy was on that watermelon like a bunch o' buzzards on a gut wagon!"

Aug 18, 2007 10:00 AM
Melissa Wagner
Leo Parker Real Estate & Auction - Woodbury, TN
Jimmy-Love it! Makes me think of words my grandparents use to say... winders, taters, maters, yungins. I remember my son's first week in kindergarten... he had a teacher with quite the country accent.. came home countin... one, two, three, fower... My northern relatives love it! :)
Aug 19, 2007 01:22 PM
Ed Vogt
Midwest Properties of Michigan - Grandville, MI
Grandville, MI Midwest Properties
My favorite that I still use a lot (here in Michigan:)) is "Bigger 'n Dallas" - meaning HUGE!!
Aug 30, 2007 04:14 AM