25 words and phrases you'll only hear in the South

Shelby Slauer,Frank OlitoJun 21, 2020, 22:26 IST

There are plenty of names for crawfish, but Southerners prefer crawdad.AP/Doug Parker

The South is well-known for having a way with words.
"Bless your heart" and "Take your sweet time" might seem like sympathetic phrases — but they're not always.
From "What in the Sam Hill" to "Heavens to Betsy," you probably won't hear these 25 words and expressions anywhere but the South.

The South is a special place with its own quirks and traditions, but it's especially well-known for having a way with words.

For instance, down south, "madder than a wet hen" means being angry, "over yonder" is a more poetic way of saying "over there," and "bless your heart" can be both an insult and a way to show empathy.

Keep scrolling to see 25 Southern words and expressions you probably won't hear anywhere else.

A Southerner will say "hold your horses" if things are going too fast.

It's a command, telling someone to wait. urbancow/Getty Images

"Till the cows come home" is another way to say "forever" in the South.

It means "forever." Michael Probst/AP

Southerners address a group with "y'all."

Y'all is super common. Walt Disney Pictures

"It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans" means that something isn't worth much.

Beans. iStock

"Bless your heart" shows sympathy ... for the most part.

"Bless your heart" has many meanings. TriStar Pictures

Southerners are never just getting ready to do something, they're "fixin' to" do it.

Another variation of "fixin' to" is "finna." Metro-Goldwyn Mayer

If something's far away from you, it's "over yonder."

Think of it as a form of Southern directions. Lionsgate

"Pretty as a peach" is a great compliment.

Peaches. Shutterstock

A mild exclamation of surprise used in the South is "Heavens to Betsy!"

Nobody knows where this phrase came from. Jason Merritt/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

If someone is VERY mad, they're "madder than a wet hen."

A chicken. Willrow Hood/Shutterstock

"Cattywampus" means something's askew.

If something is cattywampus, it's messy or out of whack. Bill Kasman/Pixabay

"She's as happy as a dead pig in the sunshine" is positive, despite the sad connotation.

A pig. Shutterstock

"I'm finer than frog hair split four ways" means you're good.

Frogs. Kurit afshen/Shutterstock

Southerners call crawfish "crawdads."

Festival goers eat crawfish at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman

You have a "hankerin'" when you're really in the mood for something.

"Hankerin'" can also mean having a craving. gpointstudio / Shutterstock

"Might could" is the Southern way of saying "might."

"Might could" isn't exactly proper English, but it's popular in the South. Paramount Pictures

"He could eat corn through a picket fence," refers to an unfortunate set of buck teeth.

Buck teeth. Russell Knight/Getty Images

"Take your own sweet time" means you're taking too long.

Waiting. nd3000 / Shutterstock

"What in the Sam Hill" is another exclamatory phrase.

It's basically a Southern version of "what the hell." Columbia Pictures

"Well, I'll be" expresses surprise.

This can be said as either "well, I'll be" or "well, I'll be damned." FX

"Thingamajigger" is the word for something you've forgotten the name for.

It has been used in "The Little Mermaid," Disney

"Coke" refers to all soda.

All soda is "coke." AP

"Hush up" is the Southern way of saying "shut up."

"Shush" is another one. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

If you look like a "ragamuffin," you don't look good enough to leave the house.

"Ragamuffin" basically means disheveled. Touchstone Pictures

"Goodness gracious" is a classic Southern exclamation, though it has caught on across the country.

It's another Southern euphemism. Disney

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