Odd expressions you've heard now & then

[wcwbf]

I really don't know, but, it used to be used a great deal. Haven't heard it in some time now.

Geez, Louise was WAY before Michael J Fox... like from the 30s, probably.

 

[JBR]

How about the word pernickety? I don't think I've ever heard a person of my generation, or my parents' generation, use it. But one of my grandmothers used to say it, occasionally. It means being too fussy about minor details. Like "she gets too pernickety about things, if you ask me."

Actually, my grandmother used a variant, persnickety (with an s). Either way, is it an expression you're familiar with?

 

[Sunkist]

How about the word pernickety? I don't think I've ever heard a person of my generation, or my parents' generation, use it. But one of my grandmothers used to say it, occasionally. It means being too fussy about minor details. Like "she gets too pernickety about things, if you ask me."

Actually, my grandmother used a variant, persnickety (with an s). Either way, is it an expression you're familiar with?

I never knew anyone who actually used the term 'persnickity,' but am familiar with it.

 

[Sunkist]

Geez, Louise was WAY before Michael J Fox... like from the 30s, probably.

I didn't know that- I thought it started in his "Teen Wolf" movie.

 

[TeePee]

How about the word pernickety? I don't think I've ever heard a person of my generation, or my parents' generation, use it. But one of my grandmothers used to say it, occasionally. It means being too fussy about minor details. Like "she gets too pernickety about things, if you ask me."

Actually, my grandmother used a variant, persnickety (with an s). Either way, is it an expression you're familiar with?

My grandmother used to say " persnickety". I haven't heard that term for ages.

 

[Sunkist]

Another Southernism: "Fixin' to..."

In the process of getting ready to do something..... not necessarily "right now", but definitely more than "thinkin' on" (which is another Southernism).

Don't forget "and them".. never knowing how many people, or which people, 'them' consists of..

Example: "Joe and them are coming over for dinner.."

 

[JBR]

Don't forget "and them".. never knowing how many people, or which people, 'them' consists of..

Example: "Joe and them are coming over for dinner.."

Oh yeah, my first wife's mother used that expression. I always thought it usually meant "and family", maybe less frequently "and her/his close friends".

 

[Sunkist]

Oh yeah, my first wife's mother used that expression. I always thought it usually meant "and family", maybe less frequently "and her/his close friends".

But if you don't know how many people 'them' could be, how would you know how much food to prepare?

 

[jujube]

But if you don't know how many people 'them' could be, how would you know how much food to prepare?

Well, you're always safe preparing enough food to feed an army when Joe and them are coming over. When they're fixin' to sit down to the table, it's like a horde of locusts descending on you, what with them little'uns just a-growing like bean sprouts.

 

[Nathan]

I hate it when someone says "fixin" - - - "We're fixin to go to the store." - - - "We're fixin to come see you.

Lol, I say that all the time. Family's from the South, although I grew up mostly in California.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

Lol, I say that all the time. Family's from the South, although I grew up mostly in California.

Oh well, it must be okay - George W. Bush said it all the time.

 

[JBR]

Well, you're always safe preparing enough food to feed an army when Joe and them are coming over. When they're fixin' to sit down to the table, it's like a horde of locusts descending on you, what with them little'uns just a-growing like bean sprouts.

 

[wcwbf]

worked with a transplant from Texas and she would sometimes use the phrase "might could".

 

[Warrigal]

My mother used the expression "like farting against thunder" to describe working hard but making no progress.

 

[Sunkist]

worked with a transplant from Texas and she would sometimes use the phrase "might could".

There was a kid my kids chatted with online years ago who had the expression "usedta-could." I also heard it from Jeff Foxworthy. I think it means something one did in the past- they "usedta-could" dance, etc.

 

[Sunkist]

Well, you're always safe preparing enough food to feed an army when Joe and them are coming over. When they're fixin' to sit down to the table, it's like a horde of locusts descending on you, what with them little'uns just a-growing like bean sprouts.

When one of my kids was little, he was upset because he thought an elderly lady had insulted him.. she called him a 'young'un,' kid thought 'un' was some kind of insulting term..