![]() ![]() ![]() Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. ![]() This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder." The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant direction-any direction. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. ![]() I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. It happens often during a Southern summer when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way…" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? Full As A Tick Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Have you ever seen a wet hen? If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. It can express empathy or judgment, or it can be said in place of a person's true feelings. It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. (On a good night, you can use all three.) Take these words back to the pub with you, but make sure you use them wisely: There’s a fine line between looking like a gormless wazzock or becoming a proper ledge.It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. When you’ll done, you’ll have lots of new ways to call people drunk, stupid, or attractive. If you don’t know the difference between “being pissed” and “taking the piss,” can’t tell what separates being "miffed" from being "chuffed," or have never had occasion to shout “scrummy!” after a meal, sit down for a chin wag with us and we’ll sort it all out for you. (Do you think Meaghan Markle had a steep learning curve for British slang when she first hopped the pond?) While the USA has "bae" and "lit," the UK uses "bloke" and "legless." In fact, the slang words between the two countries can be so divergent that it’s been quipped that England and America are two nations separated by a common language. Whether you’re keeping up with all the drama surrounding the royal family or binging shows like Fleabag and Peaky Blinders, you’ve undoubtedly run across the weird and wacky words that make up British slang. ![]()
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