Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-06
ODD SOrTHERNISMS.
A Few Examples OF Quaint Sayings I'm
South Carolina.

| S. Pardee in pixie"
Some years ago Richard Grant White wrote
/ delightfully."- interesting book on Americanisms.
| He might well have divided the subject into
two parts: Yankeeisms and Southernisms. Abb
| solute correctness in pronunciation or in the
formation of sentences is most difficult accom-
| piishment, and few there be, either North or
South, who have reached such a degree of per-
| fiction that no exceptions can be taken by
| "carping critics. to their utterances. In the
matter of pronunciation the times are chang
ing, and one can scarcely keep pace with the
| innovations being introduced by the leading
| ortheopists.
The purpose Of this paper is, however to pre-
sent. In a succlnct way, few of the quaint
| to by the Southern people as a class Among
| these the first that comes to mind Is the Gus
| tom of emitting the last two letters of such
PRONOUNCED 9 moro, asto and TOY aWh aas
| o'clock is it's you ask the Carolinian and ten
TO one ne tells you 1t is 'half pas fo," if that
| happens to be the hour.
Another common Southernism is the use of
like as it, or "like" for the words "as IT,"
expression, or "she looked like as If she'd die"
| This is very common in Washington, and in
all the states south of Mason and Dixons line.
The word "funny" is frequently used instead
OF strange. and sometimes with startling effects.
| A young Southern girl was visiting us once,
mother through swallowing a fishbone. "Oh!
wasn't 1t funnyf' exclaimed our visitor, at the
| strange" said the caller, as soon as she re-
covered from the establishment. Our girl
| friend has never used the word "funny" since.
II you happen to hear anybody say "yye
cheer you may know it IS intended To mean
| fright here" For instance: South Carolinian
fellow-citizen win say, HE staid rye cheer with
me-" DjeD-pronounced in one syliable-is not
Az Russlan word as might be supposed; it means
wood, djeor,r'
To-
| sion. They say: "Do, don't fail to come to-
night" and the reply is: i've tried TO get to go
.nTee weeks, now, so recEon ~ be there
in Georgia and South Carolina, but rarely else
where. One of the most laughabe things you
word "about." ii is impossible to express the
South Churchman'S pronunciation phonetically.
II sounds like ataoutopronounced very quickly
other word. The use of "reckon" for presume"
| is said TO have been derived from the Yankees,
word "much."
In In imitation Of English, perhaps, is the Gus,
the general use of the word 'gOt' where it is
quite unnecessary. Also English is the use of
"obliged." as Pm Obliged to do it, for II must
do it, 'he is obliged to go' for she must co."
Ambiguity OF expression is too prevalent In
Dixie, and too many people sacrifice sense for
Low-country people and the residents of mid
die South Carolina say "gee-drden" for gar
den,' "gee-yord, for guard with the hard
"card," "car," and "cart," into which is intro
duced the sound of "kee." to take the place of
the first .consonant, thus: "kee-ard' "kee-ar,"
'kee-ort.''
The use OF delightful for delicious in such a
| sentence as: THE ice cream is delightful" is
very common. Pretty is word very often
misused, for instance: "Isn't this pretty day.
and this error is a very genera! one. North Caro-
linians say the scenery is 'pretty'-meaning
picturesque, the day is ''pretty'-meaning fine,
and that persons manners are pretty
| meaning well-bred.
"You all" or, as it should be abbreviated,
"y'a." is one Of the most ridiculous of all the
SOutherniSmS can call to mind. 1t usually
means two or more persons. but Is sometimes
used when only one person is meant. For in
stance, q caller, on taking her departure, says:
"Y'l must come to see u.s. She means the
lady upon whom she is calling and her husband
may call.
The Yankees have quite as many ridiculous
figures OF speech as those have mentioned as
peculiarly Southern, and it will be reserved for
another paper to present the oddities of Yankee
conversation. In the meantime every true
hearted Sontherner who reades these lines will
declare that he never used any of these South
ernisms, and will be just as honest in his belief
as the Charlestonian when he VOWS that he
never says "dis-d-way" for 'this way" and ''idt-
o-way" for "that way"
Victoria Opening Parliament.
London Letter to New York Tribune.
The queen appears. Her majesty moves
slowly through the door with that astonishing
dignity of bearing which nigh 40 years of SOW
ereignty have bestowed upon her short stout
figure. She is clad in deep black trimmed with
ermine at the edges; low neck and long train,
and her gown is better made than when she
last walked through that door, near six years
ago. On her head a diadem of brilliants; on
her neck glOws living light which flashes to
the fartest end of the hall-the priceless Kohl
which he is standing, descends the two steps of
the dais, meets his royal mother, bows low,
kisses her hand, and conducts her 70 TIE
grace and irreproachable humility of de-
meanor. With the queen is the Princess
now to call the Princess Henry, and attending
her majesty is the mistress of the robes
duchess of Buccleuch), and a lady OF the bed
of the household follow-the lord steward, the
master of the horse, the captain of the yeomen
of the guard, the captain of the honorable corps
of gentlemen at arms, but on none of them do
any OF us bestow many glances. We are all
watching the queen as she mounts the two steps
and seats herself on the throne. where the
embroidered in gold, which she ought TO wear,
are hanging. When she has taken her seat the
part OF the attire of the occupant of the gilt
armchair. The procession grouped itself about
her mother on the right, the duchess of Buc-
cleuch behind, and in their company two sons
OF the prince OF Wales, Prince Albert Victor, In
hussar uniform, and Prince George.
The scene was at its height of brilliancy: is
more brilliant think than any other anywhere
now to be witnessed; brilliant with color, with
the beauty of women, with gems, with rank
with great names, with historic associations
Cioaks and wraps had dropped off as the COM
pany rose, and wonderful was the CLEAN of
white shoulders sparkling with youth and with
precious stones when this transform alton was
wrought. Many of these great ladies were in
black, but there were gowns of sky blue and
white and rose color and many another delicate
or splendid tint, and the jewels they wore
would have more than ransOmed all the kings
and queens still on European thrones. A blaze
OF color was everywhere, scarlet for once
blended with crimson, and crimson with ruby
red. the black and gold harmonizing the most
discordant dyes.
There was a long pause, the queen motioned
to her lieges to be seated; then the faithful
commons were summoned and arrived in a
mob with much tumult of voices and slam
ming of DOORS The faithful commons testify
their devotion to her majesty by their extreme
impatience TO arrive in her presence. Quiet
restored, the lord chancellor goes down on his
knees and hands a paper to her majesty who
hands it forthwith back 70 him. This is the
queens speech, which the lord chancellor pro-
ceeds to read We had all hoped the queen
would read IL herself, which they say she does
very well, but the fatigue of the day seems to
bury makes himself easily heard and we listen
in dead silence. Nobody in this august pres
ence of royalty or It's throne dreams OF applaud
ing. And then all is soon over. The queen
rises; all rise with or before her; she descends
having Prince Albert Victor by the hand The
Prince OF Wales steps forward as If to accom-
pany his mother, but after a few words she
passes on alone, the procession which came
with her in stately measure goes out as best 1t
can, and there breaks forth again throughout
the house OF lords the eager sound OF voices