Learning The Lingo Before Moving To The South

Living in the south is a fantastic way to enjoy long summers and easy winters, but it might start to feel like you’re in a different country when you arrive.  There are fun phrases, sayings, and interesting terminology that comes up in the south that you won’t hear anywhere else, and it’s important to know how to respond to it!

These are some of the top phrases and how they’re used.

Fixin’ To

Fixin’ to is a very simple phrase that anyone can use when getting ready to do something.  It means you were preparing to do something or that you are currently getting willing to do something. Sometimes this is used when someone tries to boss you around into doing a task you were already starting, but it’s also generally used to say you were about to do something.

Blowin’ Up A Storm

This phrase is generally used about the weather, but it can also refer to a strong fan, or air conditioning that’s out of control. Describing the large and heavy gusts of wind that come with many storms, this phrase refers to the strong air currents and lets you know that they’re overwhelming. 

Hand Me That Cover

Although it doesn’t get cold too often in the South, if you’re in higher-end apartments in Knoxville, TN, and the air conditioner is blowing’ up a storm: someone may ask you to hand them a cover.  This is a southernism that reaches as far up as Virginia and as far west as Texas. This just means that someone wants a blanket. Covers can refer to sheets, blankets, comforters, and any other type of cloth you can wrap around yourself to warm up.

Full As A Tick

Although some of these phrases are quickly dying out, this is a southernism that isn’t going anywhere. “Full as a tick” just means that you’ve eaten so much that you feel stretched to your limits.  Mostly because of how the little bugs can triple or quadruple in size the moment they latch onto your skin and start drinking.  Although nobody really means they’ve quadrupled in size, once you try some legit southern food, you’ll want to eat enough to feel full as a tick too!

As All Get Out

This phrase is best used to make something seem more extreme than just describing it.  So instead of saying that you were tired, which just makes you sound mildly sleepy, you’d say you were tired as all get out, which means you could hardly stand on your feet and your eyes were fluttering shut.  This can be used about almost anything and is a great way to add a little flavor to a sentence.

Too Big For His Britches

This one has made its way into popular media so that it might be less of a surprise for some of you, but too big for his britches simply means that someone is trying to do something that they aren’t equipped for. Similar to the phrase biting off more than you can chew, it shows a little immaturity in the person you’re talking about.

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