"Calla Lilies" Mixed Media on Board. Copyright 2011 Totsymae
I learned a good deal last year, some of which I shared with you. As the generous person I am, this year, I aim to increase my (ahem) understanding of vocabulary and to (maybe) stop making up words. I was taught better, by the way. Being from the south don’t (doesn’t, for you proper folk), mean we don’t get good learning. We do. Some of us just lazy and got our own version of the English language. Words and phrases like yonder, make aise (haste), be back d’rectly and chullun (children) are all southern vocabularies. When others catch a holt (hold) to them, like folk from the north or any other place really, it don’t quite land right on the ear. It’s like hearing fingernails scraping on a chalkboard.
To give you my little backstory, I, my good folk, grew up in a little household where my sister and I were constantly being corrected. Grammar was BIG in my world and I tell you the truth from the neck up, it got on my nerves! I would be seething on the inside and think, ‘If you don’t let me finish my damn sentence, you -!…Goddamit, I done forgot what I was about to say now!” I’m serious.
That woman, who was my mother, was my first English teacher, with that constant correcting and telling us to enunciate. Not only did she correct my sister and me (yes, I’m rebelling by not saying “I”), she corrected the whole damn family! I’ve got one aunt who’d, and still does, say shit like, “She are.” How the poot nanny she keep getting that wrong?!! Wasn’t much a teacher could do for me in elementary school but teach me some new words and do math. Oh, I could add fine but I couldn’t subtract wortha damn, ya’ll. I was getting more on the end of words and reading at home, then I took to drawing and making my own little paper dolls. I wasn’t stuttin’ (studying) no numbers. I did crosswords, played Scrabble, Word Searches, AND read encyclopedias and dictionaries. Talk about somebody destined for a “no life” life, here I am, folks!
Now, what I won’t do, as you can see already, is hold back on the expletives the FCC likes to block on radio and TV. It’s not like I walk around cussing and going on. Folk tend to think one has a limited vocabulary when cuss words are used but when you look at it, you’re only gonna have regular use for so many words in your lifetime anyway. All depending on the kinda company you keep. Some folk reach their peak sooner than others, for whatever reason and if that’s the case, it ain’t necessarily a thing to judge folk on. Hell, they may be far better at something in another area that you ain’t. That’s usually how it goes.
And would you really wanna keep company with me if I said shit like, “That supercilious twit” or “I only go for unctuous type guys.” Words are a beautiful thing but must be mixed in the right company. Not that I think you wouldn’t get it but shit, I may not! Plus, in conversation, and writing too, it doesn’t sound natural, especially if you have a real show-off trying to throw a lotta words at you. It’s pompous. I know ’cause I’ve caught the bitch bug on sparing occasions. I’ve used certain vocabulary in writing to tell folk off or in one-on-one contact, when the need arose. It’s not something I’m proud of though, ’cause I don’t like getting outta sorts. Throwing big words around and all. Folk are beautiful people when they ain’t acting ugly and all (I guess it gets no simpler than that).
Anyhow. I’m even gonna try to expand on using the words I, and you, already know. That’ll be the main focus ’cause it’s not so much about learning new words as it is understanding (ahem, ahem) ALL of what a word means. And I say I’m generous and all ’cause I’m gonna share what I’ve learned with you good folks. So, I’m soon gonna put the first word out there. If I don’t get tangled up in life, I’ll put other words on this here blog as they come to me and try to get a pretty little picture up for you visual learners. Not only will we increase our depth of prior learning, you will be armed with “Southern” to add on your resume in the foreign language category by the end of the year. In the meantime, if you’re ever down here in my parts and need a translator, ring me up for the hook up. I don’t do backroads though. Those folk got thick tongues and say shit like, “Fetch water for the far (fire) and “Get bike (back) over yonder if you specta (expect to) set chere (sit here).”
So, my good folk, until tomorra…
I'm an artist who's writing,mothering, blogging and doing a few other things under the sun. I buy toilet paper 99.9% of every trip I make to the grocery store. I'm a people watcher, so I know you're here but drop me a line anyway.
I love the post and can’t wait to read more. I probably should do the same, but for some odd reason my southern accent goes out at times and it betrays me. God Bless
I reckon you to be from some other place and not from down in the yonders.
hi totsymae,
## Not only did she correct my sister and me (yes, I’m rebelling by not saying “I”) ##
Hahaha – we were always taught “me” is correct. (Try the same sentence with just you and not your sista)
I’m stopping by here because you liked something on mad hatters. i have been posting as allesklar there. This is my first comment anywhere as ‘bylyns’ (signed up for wordpress yesterday). May yet get a different name.
Anyhow I like what I’ve read here so far.
If you find something comment-worthy on mad hatters, please do so in an extreme southern dialect, then we can watch the fun as nobblysan and duncanr come back with their own incomprehensibilities!
best wishes…
I think the ‘I’ would be the “king’s” way of speaking. You must have some roots down this way, saying me and such.
Now I have a pet peeve on English dialect issue too. I watch MSNBC all day and they got these foureeners speakin foureen English like they do in England and India and such. It makes me gag just like seein yankees eatin scrambled eggs without no cashup on them. It is insulting as that Annie Parker insistin her peach cobbler be the best in all Three Rivers County. Why do they think I want to here foureeners analyzin and assayin our polyticks? And ittin a notice they even got Englanders doin commercials. I am so infurious over this, later in today I’m headin tover to the telygraph office by Rob’s Barber
Shop to let the telervision people know jus how I feel on it.
Your accent is thick as molasses there, Carl. What parts you from?
I grew up being corrected on my proper english and grammar as well, but I have to admit – I’m a word snob. If there is a big word around, I’m gonna use it and if there idn’t I’m gonna make one up! lol I love my Southern roots and dialect but I’m havin’ a hell of time with the Cajun dialect. If I hear “I says” one more freakin’ time – well, my head might explode – or theirs!
I had a friend studying for her PhD and she would use words she thought were big, I guess, and I would think, “Is that a big word for her?” because they were simple. Once, she referenced her vocabulary after using a word, I suppose, she thought was new to me and it was like, “Hmmmm…are your serious?”
The best short story I ever wrote uses southern dialect. It’s the only story I like to read aloud and the kids love it too. AND…It wasn’t forced or researched, it just was.
It’s always better when used naturally. I have to admit that it’s not easy reading some dialects, like I struggle through Mark Twain but I still read his work and love it.
Something comforting and friendly about the southern dialect though. Of course, as you stated……there are different degrees of it.
I am afraid you are right, Totsy; not that I wish to enter a mudpie slinging contest with your mother over grammar.
It’s: “My mother corrected my sister and me” not “my sister and I.” Your mother being the principal character (subject) in her attempt to better her daugthers makes you, Totsy, into a objective case pronoun, ie ‘me”. After all, you wouldn’t say: “I bit she?” Or would you? On the other hand, and this is the good news: “After the dog bit me, I bit it back.”
Looking forward to your word games. Truth be told and I nearly waxed on it lyrically on my blog the other day: When I read a post of yours, the more Southern, the more steeped, the better. Takes me twice as long to read it – who cares. I love it. I can actually hear you. Yes, HEAR you, voice loud, in my head. Not to be sniffed at. Most people you read without ever having laid ear to their voice you just don’t know what they sound like. You might be in for a shock. Or maybe I have listened to too much of the Blues. Or should have given “Gone with the Wind” a miss. Who knows where we get our romantic ideas from.
U
So, here goes the mudpie…
I do wonder about the people abroad in reading this stuff but then I thought back to the guy who encouraged it and it was from London, as well as had a PhD in Linguistics. So, I say, “Oh, well…”
First off, I got to tell you that when my son was in the US Navy, he brought a couple of “friends” home with him on leave. These were two darling young black guys from Alabama. They stayed with us for about a week. During that time, I never understood one word out of those boys’ mouths. My son laughed and said that nobody understood them, but they were so nice and friendly that everybody loved them.
They were polite, well brought up, charming and sweet as yam pie, but I just couldn’t pick up there speech patterns. And I’m good with accents. I have no problem understanding English spoken by Chinese or Indians. We had a friend from Scotland and he would call me over saying “Linda! Translate!” when people couldn’t figure out what the tar hell he was saying.
You Miss Totsy, have a classical English education and you can’t fool me none. When you go all Southern and sweet as pecans, I still understand every word that comes out of that purty mouth (or off those purty fingers, in this case). My Aunt in Oklahoma calls “yellow” “yalla”, and “insurance” “innnnnnsurance”, but I think she does it to be cute.
I have read some fine books done completely in “Southern” dialect, and after the first couple of pages, it was amazingly easy to understand.
I still wonder if those young sailors from Alabama were actually from the Caribbean or someplace and were just putting one over on the US Navy. I’ve never been to Alabama, so I’m not sure.
I have to admit that my former in-laws are from Alabama. I understood them well. It was the pace I had to keep up with ’cause you know southerners are known for speaking at a slower rate than other places. It was a sister-in-law who’d married into the family that I had a problem with comprehending. Initially, I just couldn’t get it. I did the more we conversed, so consider me a southerner with a couple of dialects under her belt (snapping the suspenders against my shoulders
)
Love this, Totsy! Of course you are bilingual…you got the whole package!
Why, thank you, Annie. I have an auntie named Ann and like us southerners are famous for doing, we changed it to Annie Mae.
Since you’ve given me the go ahead, I feel safe to add Southern to my resume and I’ll tar a chicken for anybody disputing my skills.
Tots, one of these days, you are going to receive a bill from me for tummy medicine. Do you know why, dear sistah? You make me laugh such deep belly laughs that I ache for hours afterwards! Supercilious twit? Hey, I love that phrase and you are quite welcome to come west across the state line and label some of my fellow shoppers in Walmart anytime your little pea-pickin’ heart should wish! And you HAD to be talking about my first husband with that “unctuous-type guy” stuff. Your mother sounds like all my retired school teacher great-auntees rolled into one!
I recently read a blog post that made me laugh til I was crying. I know that your being a southerner yourself, you know ALL of what I mean. We can be a force to be reckoned with in conversation.
I love your style of writing, the Southern Belle and expletives included.
I especially love this, “Being from the south don’t (doesn’t, for you proper folk), mean we don’t get good learning. We do. Some of us just lazy and got our own version of the English language.”
I tell people all the time, “Yes. I am a Lit major. Of course, you’d never know it by the way I speak.” and add a laugh… But if you look at some very famous authors, like Mark Twain, the natural dialect he used not only adds to character, but also tells the reader much about the culture, times, and personality of not only the individual, but also their surroundings. I think it’s great. Always a pleasurable read!
Thank you, Adrianna.
The language adds all of what you stated and in that, with writing, there’s less explaining. I do hope the actual stories I write convey that.
I really do love the tone of your writing, And I would say, yes, indeed, they do convey that. You don’t have to be a lit major to pick on it either, that’s what’s great about it. It tells its own story within the story.
I’m southern too – Totsy. I know a thing or two about leaving off last letters – or entire syllables. Funny how I just mentioned this on Ursula’s post about dropping things. Oh well!
The whole point of language isn’t to ridicule others who have different ways of speaking, but for one purpose only – to communicate. And I think you are doing that just fine – (fine – said with the front of the mouth only and a really flat ‘i’).
I knew it! And I know just how “fine” would sound to hear you say it. Power to the Southern Folk!
I do believe that is what makes a writer enjoyable, their uniqueness, yes? You and I couldn’t be more different in voice, but I like to read what you write and hope the same, but this isn’t always the case. I had to get over that when I started blogging. I don’t worry about it any more, now I write for me and if my words connect with a reader and they enjoy, then woot! As for growing up with your mom the English teacher.. that’s a story. I can’t imagine, but I did have a father who read the classics to me all the time. I think you’re gifted in any language.
Yes, I enjoy all manner of literature. How you think it would go with me writing erotica with this southern twang mine? Hmmm…
Yes, I was VERY hesitant initially on how I should represent here on the blog. And then I just said to heck with it., which is a necessary thing writers must do.
—Don’t Change One Single Thing.
Tots, this makes you “YOU,” And you are Fabbbb.
I love ya just the way ya R.
XX Kissss
Thank you so much, Chick. You are even more fabbbb, with a touch of spice. Love it!
Kisses and Hugs!
Love this post! I’m a word-nerd and try to use the best word to capture the essence of my thoughts without sounding erudite (oops, I just did it!).
When in the South, I was marveling at the way the accent stretched or abbreviated words almost beyond recognition (to me, at least, being a Yankee and all). I had a funny idea of what a spelling bee would be like in the South:
“Spell water.” Yes, Ma’am. Wawder. W.A.W.D.E.R. Wawder.”
Erudite? Gotcha. On my way to dictionary.com d’rectly.
Oh, no. We spell very well. It’s the oral language skills that we get really creative. There are good schools here but we get bullied for speaking something other than Southern. I was a great speller, matter of fact but I butchered English like all my friends so I could keep them.
I love living in the south. Nouns are made into adverbs at random and it makes the whole story better Mark Twain-style on steroids-like. The word that always makes me giggle is a Missouri accent when they say fark instead of fork. Sounds like fart and I sit in the snicker-seat section and so generally have to turn away at that point so they don’t think I’m laughin’ at them.
Oh, the south is the place to be, evidently. I hardly meet anyone here who is from the south. Folk from all over the country scrambling to get down here. To learn the language, I guess.
With English not being my first language, learning more about it would be great.
I’ll teach you everything I know.
According to you, I am multilingual, cause I can also speak a little Southern in addition to my English!
I spect we’d have to work on that there accent you got there, being a Russian up int he Midwest and whatnot. You’d've been fully integrated in the language and culture had you not gone from one cold place to another. What’s up with that?
Totsy, I chortled, and I mean, chortled, through this post! I have Southern friends and seeing some of the words you used reminded me of not only of what they say, but what it sounds like! Add to that, the twang I can hear inside my head, and it makes for a comedic moment! I’m looking forward to being schooled by you in the fine art of Southern speaking! When do classes commence?
Of course you’re bilingual. Without a doubt!
I can just imagine your mom, your first English teacher, telling you to enunciate, etc. Your post had me chuckling as I read. You’re too funny