Wichita eagle., 1886-09-10
Quaint Sayings in South Carolina.

Some wears ago Richard Grant White
wrote a delightfully."- interesting book
on Amcricanisms He might well have
divided the subject into two parts
Yankeeisms and SoutLerGisms.
Absolute correctness N pronuncia-
ton or in the formation Of sentences Is
a most difficult accomplishment, and
few there be, either North or South,
who have reached such a degree of
perfection that no exceptions can be
taken by carping critics to their ut
terances.
In tie matter of pronunciation the
times are changing, and one can scarcely
keep pace with the innovations being
introduced by the leading orthoepists.
The purpose Of this paper is, how
ever, to present, in a succinct way, o
few of the quaintnesses of pronuncia-
ton and construction held to by the
Southern people as class.
Among these the first that comes to
mind is the custom of emitting the
last two letters OF such words as more, y
"store,'' ''four," - which are pro-
nounced emo" SO sto, "and TO-"
"What o'clock is it p you ask the
Carolinan, and ten to one he tells you
it is ''half-pas' TO, if that happens to
be the hour.
Another common Southernism is the
use of like as if,'' or "like" for the
words 'sas if
"Shc locked like she knew me-" is a
common expression, or, "she looked
like as ii she'd die" This is very COM
mon in Washington, and in all the
States South OF Mason and Dizon's
line
The word 'sfunny" is frequently used
instead of strange, and sometimes with
startling effect.
4 young Southern girl was VISITING
us once, and caller was telling of the
death Of her mother through swallow
ing .ishbone.
"Oh! wasn't it funny?" exclaimed
our visitor, at the close OF the nara
tive.
81 think you mean strange" said
the caller, as soon as she recovered
from the astonishment. Our girl
friend has never used the word "funny'
since.
Hyou happen to hearanybody say 'rye
cheer" you may know it is intended tC
mean fright here" For instance:
A South Carolinian viii say, "Where
was he at last night?" and his fellow
citizea viii say, He staid rye cheer
with me"
Djear-pronounced IN one syllable
is rot . Russian word, as might be sup
posed; it means "Do you hear?" and
is usually addressed to servants in this
form: You jim! Bring in that wood,
djear:"
$40 get to go" is essentially Geor
gia exp ession. They say:
DO don't fail to come tonight.
ana the reply is: I've tried to get to
so three weeks now, so reckon I'll be
there might"
Thu expression "Do don't" is heard
in Gca.gia and South Carolina, but
rarcly l>eTlcre.
One OF the most laughahie things you
ever heard Is the peculiar pronuncia'
ton OF the worl about" it is impos.
sible to express the South Carolinian'
pronunciation Theoretically. 1t sounds
like abaout-pronounced very quickly
in three syllables.
"Quare," for queer" is another
word. The use OF .'rcckor" for pre-
sumo . is said to have been derived
from the Yankees, Us was the express
sion fright smart for the word
"much"
In imitation of the English, perhape.
is the custom Of saying I've get II loI
81 have it," and the general use Of tie
word "got where it is quite unneces-
sary.
Also English is the use Of obliged.
as I'm obliged to 30 L." FOR = l must
do it." :" he is obliged to go" fer " he
must GO"
Ambiguity OF expression IS too prey
alent in Dixie. and too many people
sacrifice sense for sound.
Low-couatry people and the residents
Of middle South Carolina say - gee
arden" for gar4en, = gee-yard fo1
"cuard," with the hard sound Of g.
So. too. with such words IS "card. y
Gear" and "cart, " into which IS INTO
duced the sound OF "lzee. to take the