Quick, what do you call a soft drink? By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. I was reading a post on one of the West Virginia pages that I follow in which a person referenced God willing and the creeks dont rise. in reference to rain and floods. Copyright 2023 KAIT. That argues for a more mundane origin: the old-time difficulties of travelling on dirt roads that forded rivers and streams; a sudden storm could cause water levels to rise without warning and render the route impassable. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." (LogOut/ He was a politician and Indian agent. Something needed to fill in the gap: Yall is one solution associated with the South, with all generally serving to clarify more than one you is being addressed. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . Have you ever seen a wet hen? This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. Youre still going to the grocery store. Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. According to http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins: Generally recognized as the Creek Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins also held the title of General Superintendent of all tribes south of the Ohio River. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. At the time Hawkins was Congressman, he joined other well known Southeastern American leaders in negotiating a major treaty with the Creek and Cherokee at the South Carolina city of Hopewell. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. And Lord have mercy, wait till you meet Birdie with her gamy birds-nest hairdo and top notch fine feathered companion Samuel.and all his buddies. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). Poor little doggy. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. Let me love you again, give me one more try. Baines Creek is a small remote mountain settlement in North Carolina where many can't read, education is unheard of and catastrophic poverty is the norm. The English language is forever changing. The expression "the creek don't rise" is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. It is a paraphrase of a popular biblical saying from James 4:15, and while there are scores of citations to the phrase in the sense of the waters rising, in the US and Europe, there is not one shred of evidence of a reference to the Creek nation. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. But today Ive stumbled across the claim that it refers to an uprising by the Creek (or Cree) Indians. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. Sign up for writing inspiration in your email, , Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!, The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. Signed in November, 1785, A Treaty With the Cherokee (the technical name of the Treaty of Hopewell) created the first rift between theCherokee Nationand the Chickamauga Cherokee that would not end until the Chickamauga went West following the Revolt of the Young Chiefs. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. John Wayne. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. From the present day of the story in 1970 to flashbacks of the past and dreams, these various points of view give us a vivid picture of this place and the people who live there. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. With a colorful cast of characters and a flair for the Southern Gothic, If the Creek Don't Rise is a debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit. Thats a mouthful, but we lumped these all together because they are allsubstitutes for (God) d*mn it. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. In a letter to the Commander in Chief, Hawkins stated that he would return to the nations capital, God willing and the Creek dont rise., Hawkins, college-educated and a well-written man would never have made a grammatical error, so the capitalization of Creek is the only way the phrase could make sense and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. After eating a big, delicious Southern dinner Granny just made, you have to finish up with a slice of sweet potato pie, right? 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. Often said as "Lord willing and the creek don't rise," this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. from The New York Times: If there is a good state of the world in 2021 the Lord willing and the creek don't rise everyone and all Blue Dogs in office needs to recognize . Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. A rising creek could spell trouble, as it can lead to flooding and other issues. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Paperback, 305 pages. Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! If the Creek Don't Rise. It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". It was bad as all get out. Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. Wheres my blasted phone?. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Historically, Southerners in the Appalachian mountains pronounced eternal as tarnal. That pronunciation suggests a clever word-smoosh between tarnal and damnation, so the savvy Appalachians could euphemistically express their anger without wasting an extra breath. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. "You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be there if the creek don't rise?' Well, they've all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. And this is one appearance in a newspaper: We are an American people, born under the flag of independence and if the Lord is willing and the creeks dont rise, the American people who made this country will come pretty near controlling it. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. All of my life there have been local mountain sayings that I've heard and of course repeated, complete with a North Carolina southern drawl as literal fact. Firsts, Mines, Asks. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. 4.5 stars! New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. Well, whether its Creek or creek, it would still have much of the same effectyou wont be going where you thought you would or could. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. Jan 29, 2014 at 19:34 . There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. Therefore if the Lord is willing and the Creek don't rise up and start up another uprising or battle, we will be able complete what ever it is we intend to do. Over yonder down the road. I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. Wow! Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. the creek don't rise. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. Weiss has spun me upside down in this backward county in the Appalachian mountains and made a southerner out of me. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except gritand sometimes loveas their currency. We didnt. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. 25 Southern Grandparents' Sayings That Deserve a Comeback, Forgotten Etiquette Every Child Should Learn, Kimberly Schlapman and Her Family's Tea Cakes, Lauren Alaina Talks 'American Idol', Southern Manners, and Her Grandmother's Famous Recipe, 30 Quotes That Remind Us Why Southern Manners Are So Important. This phrase isn't about physical appearance. Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. Well, that might just push you over the edge, and as you lean back youre bound to say, Im as full as a tick. Itd be plumb crazy not to express yourself (and your full belly) with this fun, old Southern idiom. HARDY, Ark. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. No Bigger Than a Minnow in a Fishing Pond, A Rooster One Day and A Feather Duster the Next, If You Know These Sayings, You Definitely Grew Up in the South, Only Real Southerners Know the Meaning of "Putting On the Dog", Things Only Southern Moms Say To Their Daughters, Things Only Southerners Say When It Snows. Because this is a progressive verb (youll make progress with it for sure), remember You were fixin to patch the hole in the wall. Never say you fixed to do it! At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. The Cree and the Creek lived over a thousand miles apart, (the Cree are from Canada), so we now have people contributing folk etymologies that are nonsense on their face. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. So, if during the time of Benjamin Hawkins life, the Creek Indians were experiencing the longest period of peace, why would he fear that they would rise. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. "Like all great southern writers, Leah Weiss's magic turns the local into the universal." Wiley Cash, New York Times bestselling author, on All The Little Hopes. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. Get help and learn more about the design. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. Anytime it rains as hard as it did last night, it always brings back fears of having to face something like we did in 1984, he said. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. Here is an article that casts rather a lot of doubt on your assertion: 'God willing and the creek don't rise' M Quinion_World Wide Words: Q From Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression 'God willing and the creek don't rise' referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. Weiss has a unique voice. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. This was an extremely enjoyable read! Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. "Like all great southern. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. In alternating first person narratives from a cast of characters that will be hard to forget, Leah Weiss took me to the mountain community called Baines Creek in the Appalachian Mountains in NC. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? This 19th-century phrase was once used to refer to some fierce, imaginary beast, until we went off course and adopted the current meaning of "awry.". To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. Anecdotal evidence from people who have got in touch with me down the years suggests that it has been in regular use throughout the lifetimes of some elderly folk in parts of the US, either in the form you give or as the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise. There is no typical Southern accent. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. Over yonder toward the water tower. Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems.
Prince Charming Dev Married, Ivan Intervention Rapper Name, Void Kitsune Powers, Whitetail Deer Hunting Outfitters, Articles I