A Northerner's Guide to Southern Lingo

It seems as Americans we're always enamored by the exotic characteristics of foreigners, especially Europeans. The thing that gets us most? Their accent. Don't even pretend like you haven't met a Brit and fallen in love with their accent. The way they say "the lou" and the various terms they have for our everyday words always gives us great delight. We're amused so easily by the lingual differences.

Well boy, do I have great news for you. No longer do you have to wait for someone to travel over from Europe to bask and enjoy in the differences of speech.  Oh, no!  While they may not be quite as "exotic," our southern counterparts sure do have a language of their own. I have spent a lot of time in the south over the past few months and always joked with my friends that I was going to have to start a dictionary of southern terms and phrases. Below you will find a few phrases that may bring extreme confusion when heard for the first time.

1. Britches: An informal type of trouser
   Example: "Claytus, pull up those damn britches of yours."
   Northern Synonym: Pants, jeans

2. Whale: In a good or satisfactory way; in good health
   Example: " Whale, butter my butt and call me a biscuit."
   Northern Synonym: Well

3. Tin: The number that comes after nine
   Example: "Eight, Nine, Tin. Ready or not here I come!"
   Northern Synonym: Ten

4. Buggy: A vehicle with four wheels, typically used to carry your groceries around the store
   Example: "Gary Lee, when we get to Walmart, grab us a buggy!"
   Northern Synonym: Shopping cart, cart

5. Lawd: The big man up in Heaven
   Example: "Oh my lawwwwwd."
   Northern Synonym: Lord

6. Tater: The part of your body that rests atop your neck
   Example:  "This hat won't fit on top my tater!"

The hat on Gary's head would be
considered a "toboggan".

   Northern Synonym: Head

7. Toboggan:  A winter hat, especially one that resembles a Russian winter hat
   Example: "I found the warmest toboggan today at Walmart!"
   Northern Synonym: Winter hat


8. Fixin': To direct one's efforts; concentrate; to prepare
   Example: "I'm fixin' to bushhawg the field."
   Northern Synonym: "Getting ready to"

9. Jaeatyet: A phrase questioning whether one has eaten a meal
   Example: "Jaeatyet?"
   Northern Synonym: "Did you eat yet?"

10. "Bless his heart": A phrase that cancels out anything negative you say about someone
   Example: "Bless her heart, but she the ugliest broad I ever saw."
   Northern Synonym: None

11. "Whale ain't that nice": A sarcastic phrase essentially meaning "Who gives a shit?"
   Northern Synonym: Cool story, bro

**Special thanks to all my friends from the south who made me feel at home this past summer and made me want to keep coming back! I have learned so much from you (more than just linguistically) and look forward to continuous visits.**