Before I moved here I don’t believe I’d ever heard the phrase might could. As in We might could catch a movie on Saturday if you’re up for it. There’s a lot of local colloquialisms that had me shaking my head. Took a few years, really, before I stopped cocking my head sideways while I translated in my head.
We’re fixin’ to head out…
Pass me that there broom…
Saw you at the church yard sale, bless your heart…
Nah, I say we just get ready. I may go meet my friends, I may not, but let’s leave the fixin’ to and might coulds out of it.
Linda hosts Stream of Consciousness Saturday. This week’s prompt is “may.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Riddle from the Middle 
I remember being thrown off by the word, “ugly” meaning rude, as in “Now, don’t be ugly.”
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Good one!
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Here, it’s “We finta head out”…
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John, you just blew my mind. I’ve spotted finta recently (well, if you consider “recently” to be the last year or so) but had no idea it’s had a longer run…who knew.
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I learned might could from a southern friend. He also introduced me to one of my favorites – usta could, as in “we usta could fly without wearing a mask.”
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Yep, usta could used to (bwahahaha!) make an appearance at extended family gatherings when the older folks waxed poetic about the good old days.
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I am a New Englander. I think we are entirely too uptight about a lot of things. Our inclination to feel insulted easily probably goes back to those darn Puritans. (I know you aren’t insult just bewildered but I wanted to make this point too.)
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I spent my senior year of high school just south of Boston and never could get a handle on people up there. Everyone just seemed so…on edge all the time. Too stressful for me!
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Y’all better take care of y’alls business. (Texas)
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Y’all is one of my favorites. Spent a few years in Jersey growing up and y’all is much more pleasant to the ears than youse.
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Hahaha. I’ll bet. Thanks, Laura.
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I even struggle with Yorkshire so I would have no chance.
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I think you’ve got your hands full there!
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So very awesome and true. Originally from Georgia myself, I have brought them with me to the midwest and they look at me sideways while they translate. LOL
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Okay now, not to say your Georgia sayings don’t deserve the side eye but I spent a stint in St. Louis and those midwesterners have some quirky habits themselves.
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Fully agree…lol
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Bein’ a Yankee and all, I hesitate to say a word. I do have one mystifyin’ point though that might could be cleared up by your fine self. Isn’t “bless your heart” a subtle way of saying “eff you?” But politer? Please do hep’ a Yankee Gal out and enlighten me.
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I’ve learned that all Yankees (I’m one) use ‘Bless your heart.’ sarcastically but in the South it’s used only half the time as an insult. Lots of Southerners really mean it. Keeps ya guessin’.
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I agree with Susan, it’s probably 50/50 here. Though I have to admit my personal usage leans heavily toward the eff you side… 😆
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hee hee – That’s exactly how we always talk! 🙂
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It is a whole dialect to learn when you move here!
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Haha! Those colloquialisms come natural to me. When you don’t know any different, it’s all ya know. lol.
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So true! People used to look at me so funny when I’d be confused… 🙂
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From some southern friends, I learned about “hugging your neck” and that “ma’am” was a sign of respect rather than designating someone as old. With the latter, let’s just say that I’d rather people call me Mary. 😉
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oh my gosh, ME TOO. I struggle big time with “ma’am.” My daughter grew up here and has picked up the yes, sir/ma’am habit (which goes over well with the teachers) but I have to say in a text it always feels a bit sassy. 😆
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Sassy is okay! At least I’ve learned not to react or give a disapproving response when ma’am is spoken. I just node and smile politely and go on my way. 🙂
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Smart!
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Might could!
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😆
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😀 I’d definitely need a translator!
Where are you living? Where do people speak this kind of slang?
Happy 1st of May!
Claudia 🙂
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I’m in rural North Carolina. These are just the everyday ones, too, some of their sayings are something special!
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Hmmm…. a bit tricky to figure out if you’re not raised listening to them.
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Oh my, yes. Add in the fact that there are families that have been here for generations and their accents are THICK.
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Must bo a wee bit tough to decipher the lingo.
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