Southernisms
By Jenny Margotta, High Desert Branch
I recently had lunch at the Olive Garden with Bob and Judy Isbill and at one point asked Bob to pass the breadsticks. Now, most of you know—or can tell from my accent, which tends to come out whether I want it to or not—that I grew up in the South. (Yes, despite having been a Union state in the Civil War, West Virginians consider themselves to be
Southerners.) At any rate, I said to Bob, “Can you reach me the breadsticks, please.”
Bob, of course, handed them to me and then commented on what was a distinctly Southern phrase.
Since then, I have been thinking about other Southern expressions I often use or love to apply to characters in my stories.
One of my favorite examples of “Southern speak” is one I grew up hearing on an almost daily basis. “I’m fixin’ to do” something. It’s most often used to get someone off your back who’s nagging you.
“Honey, you promised to mow the yard.”
“I’m fixin’ to get it done. Don’t nag.”
Notice there’s no definite timeframe, just a commitment that you’ll get around to it eventually. People in my hometown also shopped at “the tea store,” which was the local grocery store, the A&P. Its official name was the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company; hence, “the tea store.” I remember how excited my mom was when they came out with “store bought” pies.
And many would say they carried things home in “pokes.” A “poke” was a paper bag (or “sack” as it was more commonly called).
Another Southernism is “pop,” what is known on the West Coast as soda. If you order a soda in the town I grew up in, it would consist of fizzy water, ice cream (most often vanilla) and chocolate syrup.
Here are a few other common “Southernisms.”
“Y’all.” This can apply to one or several people, but if you’re speaking to a larger group, it’s “all y’all.” “Over yonder,” as in “I think I saw it over yonder.” It’s kind of a “Goldilocks” statement, meaning it’s not too far away, but not too close either.
“Feelin’ ornery.” It’s meaning is the same across the country—mean or cantankerous—but the pronunciation differs in various regions. Southerners say “AWN-ry” or “ORN-ry,” while the rest of the country says “OR-ner-y.” Hey, why waste time saying three syllables when two will do just fine!
“Reckon,” as in “I don’t reckon she’s gonna be too happy about that.” It is a true Southern staple and essentially means “I think” or “I believe.” “Bless your heart.” Watch out if you’re in the South and you hear a lady exclaim, “Bless your heart!” It is not a blessing, but rather the Southern politeness version of “What the heck are you thinking?” And if you hear “Why bless your sweet little heart,” then she’s really doesn’t like you.
There are many others, like “pride of place,” or “got me an itch to (do something).” And single words like ‘mater (tomato), “ramps” (any kind of onion), “mess” (a unit of measurement, as in “a whole mess of green beans), “red up” (clean, as in “red up your room”), “spell” (a unit of time, as in “sit a spell and talk”).
Whether you use Southernisms, Texas-speak (which is different from Southern), New England expressions, or “Valley speak” here in California, such regional terms are a great way to add a layer to your characters. Just don’t overdo it. As with anything, a little bit is generally better than too much.
“Southernisms” first ran in the March 2022
edition of The Inkslinger, newsletter of the High Dessert Branch.