People Who Grew Up With Southern Parents & Old-Fashioned Values Usually Say 11 Confusing Phrases
fotoak | Shutterstock Americans have their fair share of differences, depending on where they live. In the South, it's not uncommon to find fast-casual restaurants like Zaxby's or sodas like Cheerwine, both of which exist only in certain Southern states. Just as food and drink differ, so do the phrases people raised by Southern parents use that confuse everyone else in America.
People who grew up with Southern parents and old-fashioned values usually say a few confusing things:
1. 'Bless your heart'
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Most people have heard this phrase at least once, and they may think it's kind; however, it's actually a polite way to insult someone without coming off too strong. If someone grew up in the South, they already know they're being insulted. Yet people outside the South might just think Southerners are being nice. This isn't that shocking, since many Southerners choose indirect language over directness.
According to a study published in Social Psychology Quarterly, Southerners are less likely to send angry signals as conflict escalates and are less likely than Northerners to perceive others as angry. Southerners also seem more spontaneous because they don't warn you before lashing out. So, while Southern people are charming, don't test them or mistake their kind words for weakness. When push comes to shove, they won't back down.
2. 'Fix your face before I fix it for you'
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If anyone grew up in a Southern home, they have already heard this phrase many times. In a Southern household, a child's bad day doesn't necessarily matter. Reputation matters, and if someone has a long face, their parents reprimand them harshly. And while Southern parents are loving and sweet towards their children, they'll also "bring their child one step closer to God" if they embarrass them in public.
In a book titled Culture of Honor, psychologists Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen explained this difference as Southern people believing more strongly than Northerners that a person's reputation is both important and worth defending at all costs. So, while it might sound over the top, Southern parents instilled in their kids the value of keeping a "good face."
3. 'I ain't studyin' you'
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For people in the North, one phrase Southerners often use that confuses everyone else is "I ain't studyin' you," which means "I literally don't care what you have to say." It does sound a bit mean, but Southerners have a way of making the most insulting words sound sweet by bypassing what they truly mean in favor of sugar-coated words.
4. 'Over yonder'
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The best thing about Southern people is how beautiful and downright hilarious their vocabulary can be. From saying "mash" instead of "push" to "cutting off the flights" instead of "turning off the lights," they have many minor but significant differences in how they speak. "Over yonder" is another example.
If someone's ever asked their parents for directions, they might have been met with a subtle wave followed by an "it's over yonder," another way of saying "over there," which can mean almost anything because it's not very specific. While it might sound strange to those outside the South, the word "yonder" has deep roots, including the 1920s Tin Pan Alley pop song "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans."
5. 'They're too big for their britches'
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If there's one thing Southern people believe in, it's keeping things polite. This phrase is another way of saying someone is acting conceited and needs to stop. And while kids might hate hearing this phrase, there's some old-school wisdom to take from Southern parents, as their concern for their reputation is valid. According to a study published in Social Cognition, it takes weeks longer to fix a bad first impression than to make a good one. While Southern kids might feel annoyed at their parents' fretting, as adults they realize that acting right is the difference between failing and succeeding.
6. 'I'm fixin' to...'
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It's not uncommon to hear people from the South say "fixin' to" all the time. According to Yale University, "Like with fixin' to, finna can most easily be paraphrased in mainstream English with going to/gonna, planning to, and about to." And this phrase really just means "going to" or "about to." For example, "I'm fixin' to make supper soon."
7. 'That looks cattywampus'
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Younger generations may or may not have heard this before. The word "cattywampus" might seem random and completely made up, but according to Northwest Career College, "Originating in the Colonial United States and still used in the Deep South, cattywampus means something that is in disarray, that is askew, or something that isn't directly across from something."
This word is slowly becoming less popular. Still, chances are if someone has lived in the South all their life and has Southern parents and grandparents, they incorporate this phrase into their daily lives.
8. 'Quit piddling'
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There's no greater way to annoy Southern parents than to dilly-dally or stall. "Quit piddling" is really just another way of saying "quit stalling."
9. 'I reckon...'
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Another of the phrases that people who were raised by Southern parents say that confuses everyone else is "I reckon." Many Southern people might be surprised to hear this, but this phrase isn't very common in many states. Instead of saying, "I reckon it'll rain tomorrow," most people would say, "I think it's going to rain tomorrow." The word originates in the 17th century in the South, and despite how long ago that was, many people would "reckon" something rather than think it's going to happen. It's dramatic, but it sounds a lot better and more confident than "I think."
10. 'Beg your pardon'
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"Excuse me, what did you say?" just isn't in the average Southern person's vocabulary. They like to spice up their vocabulary, and "beg your pardon" is one example. Someone could just excuse themselves, but to Southerners, there's no fun in that. Instead, they'd rather raise an eyebrow, tilt their head, and say this phrase to show how confused they are. While people outside the South might find it a bit funny or strange, it still feels polite and well-mannered to say.
11. 'God don't like ugly'
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Christianity is so heavily tied to people in the South that, according to Pew Research Center, about 68% of adults in the Southern United States identify as Christians. Unlike people from up North, it's not uncommon for people in Southern states to bring up God or religious figures to make a point. And in true Southern fashion, those raised by Southern parents often heard this phrase when they or someone they know is acting rude. Instead of saying, "That person is so rude," they simply say, "God don't like ugly," which somehow stings even more.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.
