Taking Sides: Colorful, confusing language just part of growing up in South

Clint Cooper: When I was young, my mother would remind me to “warsh” good when I was in the bathtub. When she referred to the U.S. capital, it was in “Warshington, D.C.” When I got to school and used the words “warsh” or “Warshington, D.C.,” my friends made fun of me. Eventually, I reverted to the correct pronunciations of the words. But no matter what part of the country we come from, and no matter how we are raised, we have expressions that we learn from our families.

Lisa Denton: “Warsh” reminds me of “Arsh,” as in “Arsh” potatoes. I was a teenager before I realized my grandmother was referring to Irish potatoes. Since my grandparents grew them, I thought they were just another variety you could plant. You know, Russet potatoes, Irish potatoes, Arsh potatoes. I remember asking my mother, “She’s saying ‘Irish?!’ ” I felt a little foolish that I hadn’t made that connection, but my cousin Kim said she was under the same impression. It was just the country way of speaking.

Clint: When I met my wife, her lexicon included the phrases “pouring the rain,” as in “It’s pouring the rain today,” and “up under,” as in “Can you crawl up under the bed and reach the remote?” She grew up as an Air Force brat, but she had parents who were raised in upper east Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Perhaps, those are common expressions there.

Lisa: I think you’re right about that. For all the stereotyping people do about the South, there are a lot of differences even by region. I know people from Alabama who use the word “carry” for “take.” As in, “I’ll carry dinner to her this weekend.” That sounds strange to my ear. And my friend Cindy uses “What the cat hair” to express amazement, as in “What the cat hair were you thinking?” She grew up on Mowbray Mountain, which is not far from Sale Creek, where I grew up. But I had never heard that phrase until I met Cindy. Come to think of it, I’ve not heard it from anybody but Cindy.

Clint: Speaking of animals, my mother used the expression “mad as a wet hen” and “skin the cat.” Being more of a city boy, I have never seen a wet hen nor a mad, wet one. I have seen — and have the scars to prove I have experienced — a wet cat, though. She used “skin the cat” when she wanted one of her children to raise our hands for her to help us remove our shirts.

Lisa: That’s what I like about Southern expressions and pronunciations. Still, it can be intimidating to work in a place of mass communication and remember to use correct English. I know good grammar, but taking liberties with language makes life more interesting. One of our co-workers — not to name names, but it’s Barry — always teases me for a way I say I’ve completed something. So Barry, if you’re reading, don’t worry about me finishing this column. I done done it.