Bless Their Heart... And Other Southern Sayings

[mississippifarmboy]

I just read another post where someone had made a comment like this in another thread, just wondered who else noticed these odd Southern sayings. Please don't be offended, not making fun of anybody, just curious.

My wife, who is from Missouri, had spent a couple weeks here in Mississippi with me & my family right after we started dating. She brought something to my attention that although I was raised here, I'd never noticed. After a day of hanging out listening to the locals talk she told me "I've figured you southern people out. You can say anything you want to about anybody as long as you follow it with.. Bless Their Heart".
The more I thought about it, the funnier it got, because she was right.

That there is a big ole girl.. Bless her heart

He's dumb as a box of rocks, but I love him.. Bless his heart

That three legged dog shore looks pitiful.. Bless it's heart

That was the worst meal I ever ate, but she tried.. Bless her heart

Did you see that snaggle-toothed kid with the warts?.. Bless his heart.

She still points out things like this that I've never noticed every now and then. Of course she doesn't have a "Shut-up gene" either.. Bless her heart

 

[Whispering Winds]

LOVE them, and its true. My DH is Georgian and that is exactly the way they talk too. I have heard them say more than once, "well, her cornbread was a taint hard, but bless her heart, she tried" or "her sweet tea was more like syrup, but she sure tried, bless her heart."

 

[BWKatz]

Did she also notice tat u can't say anything really mean or malicious?Bless her heart...

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Thank you kindly.

Now you chillins go play outside.

I mean ALL y'all.

Born in Charleston, SC.
Birthed all my babies in Portsmouth, VA.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:
Yes, but some of the things I've heard would have sounded mean and hateful if it hadn't been followed by Bless her heart. It's like that makes it sound like you pity them or something.

 

[Beekissed]

This isn't exactly a saying but I was very embarassed today by a little faux pas of my own. Now, I have a southern accent and all but some folks here are way worse. Today a nurse asked me about one of my diabetic patients having a yearly Agzam.

I've been nursing for 17 years and hadn't heard of that acronym or any procedure of that name in the medical field. I had to ask her twice to repeat it and then told her I hadn't ever heard of that term and was not familiar with it.

She looked at me like I had a third eye and repeated slowly...."An Ah-xzam??? You've never heard of an Ah-xzam?"

It slowly came to me that she was saying "eye exam".....

And they say ah' cain't talk proper!

 

[featherbaby]

I am from the South and was told that the translation for "Bless his heart" was "Oh, Ain't he stupid?"

For example, "Did you see that guy run over the parking meter while waving at those girls? Bless his heart!"

 

[SallyF]

I had a co-worker in SC who was from Tennessee, as I am. She told me once that she was in college before she realized that "car tire" was two words. She thought it was "cahrtahr". (my spelling to approximate pronunciation) Bless her heart!

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Hmmm, is an Agzam something specific to Aggies?

sorry, couldn't resist

 

[debilorrah]

Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit.