An International’s Guide to Southern Sayings
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I have only ever lived in Memphis while residing in the United States. It wasn’t until a few months in that I realized there are certain differences between the Northern and Southern United States. The South is known for its “Southern Hospitality,” and with it come some specific English sayings/customs that you might not be familiar with, which I have laid out for you in this post.
While navigating English as a second language is already hard enough on its own, the Southernness of Memphis makes it extra tough sometimes. Believe me, I still struggle with this, even after 12 years of living here. These are the top 10 sayings I most often hear, but if you want to know more, just Google “Southern Hospitality Sayings,” and you’ll find plenty. Or maybe you didn’t even realize some of these things were said until you saw this post. Ha!
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Southern Sayings:
How ya doin’? – Basically a friendly way of saying hello. Y’all – It means “you all” but is used in all sorts of different contexts when talking about a group of people.
Bless your heart or bless you – expresses empathy to a person.
Fixin’ to – You’re going to do something.
Yes, Ma’am – Always the polite way of saying yes to a female in the South, and the same as “yes sir” to a man in the South. Southerners like to use two words like that when saying yes or no because they are always trying to be polite.
Hush – Be quiet.
It’s not my first rodeo – That’s not the first time for something.
Can I get you a coke? – Meaning “Can I get you something to drink?” rather than specifically asking if you want a coke.
Supper’s ready – Southerners' way of saying the dinner/evening meal is ready to be eaten.
Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched – Don’t depend on something hoped for until you know for sure that it will happen.
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I hope these help you figure out what American Southerners are trying to say to you. Southerners are very friendly, and one of my older Southern friends recently told me that sometimes they are trying to be so polite that they even choose to talk politely to their dogs/animals. And by now, I may have personally adopted saying y'all more frequently than you think.
VIVIAN BRANDHOFF DANIS • THE NETHERLANDS
Vivian moved to Memphis from the Netherlands in 2011 to be a full-time student-athlete. She completed both her undergraduate degree in Sport & Leisure Management and her Master’s degree in Communication while throwing shot put and discus for the University of Memphis. VISA was the first organization that gave her many international friends, with most of whom she still enjoys hanging out with today. After meeting her American husband here, Vivian stayed in Memphis and now works part-time, while also being a full-time mom to her daughter Nora.
