Postby Alelou » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:47 am
I'm only 48% Dixie, which I find a little annoyin' seeing as how I grew up down they-uh. A lot of my stuff came up New England. Apparently I've acclimated. Then again, central Florida doesn't really count as the South. However, I did find this a gem of important knowledge for anyone from the north who goes down into the Deep South because this is SO TRUE:
"I have to correct y’all about your definition of “bless your heart” [in your Glossary of Quaint Southernisms]. This is not [only] a compliment, nor is it an expression of encouragement or approval. Quite the contrary, this delightful and right useful expression is frequently called upon because properly bred Southerners (particularly Southern ladies like yours truly) would never want to say a harsh word about anyone. Therefore, we soften it with “bless your heart” or “bless his heart” or “bless her heart”, etc.
Example: “Bless his heart, if you put his brain on the head of a pin it would roll around like a bowlin’ ball on a six-lane highway.” Or “That child has a face only her mother could love, bless her little heart.”
Or an uncouth man says to southern lady, “Damn, woman… You’re FINE!” Southern Lady responds, “Well, bless your heart” rather than giving the uncouth man the “go to hell” he so richly deserves.