The language of the 1800s

[Bozz10mm]

That's the bee's knees.

The cat's meow.

It's a Doozy. (Deusenburg)

If that don't take the cake!

Just a hoot'n a holler away.

 

[Bozz10mm]

Does anyone use "two bits", "four bits", etc anymore?

Cheer leaders?

 

[Tex1001]

In the south, the expression "Bless his heart" is used in place of "He's a complete idiot".
For example: "Cousin Ruthie failed ninth grade twice, bless her heart."
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

 

[DeadAye]

She's cuter than a speckled pup

That boy's head is like a bag of anvils

Get a rope!

Knock knock - Who's there? - Telegram for you sir

 

[30-30remchester]

I read many old books, magazines, and newspapers whenever available, and yes there was some interesting usage of common words that aren't used in the same context today. An example was an 1890's newspaper account from Salida, Colo. telling of a man ticketed for ejaculating in public! Seems in the 1890's ejaculating meant swearing loudly in public. In a Leadville, Colo. newspaper of the same era, 3 men were fined for "guying" a fellow man. Guying was the act of teasing, harassing, belittling ,ect. I do try to use old phrases whenever possible just to keep a conversation interesting. I still use and carry a 4 bit piece wherever I go to give to someone who has never seen one. My favorite saying of fractured English is "A person should went home with the one what done brung you to the dance".

 

[ralph7]

Festus was one of my favorites. His expressions said volumes. He did have a way with words, didn't he? Another favorite of mine was Walter Brennan. Classic.

No brag, just fact.

 

[LedFowl]

My mother used to say she loved us kids "a bushel and a peck."

 

[Krell1]

From Blazing Saddles:

No sidewindin, bushwhackin, hornswogglin, cracker croaker is gonna ruin my biscuit cutter.

I have no idea what they were saying!

 

[red14]

''I'll be home about dark-thirty.''

''Mess with me and I'll dot yore eyes.''

''He ain't no bigger than a minute.''

''The only thing worse than a Yankee is a yanker.''

''That went faster than a 'New York' minute.''

 

[30-30remchester]

I don't know how far back it goes (I'd bet quite a long way), but my father had a saying, "like a duck that's been hit on the head", signifying someone's incoherent, daft speech or behavior.

I think of it pretty much every time Joe Biden opens his mouth...

It goes back at least to Lincoln's time as he said the same thing about one of his generals.

 

[the ringo kid]

Hes Short on Sense and Long on Mouth.

 

[the ringo kid]

Does anyone use "two bits", "four bits", etc anymore?

"A shave and a haircut--Two bits." Translated from: Da da da da da----da da." If youve seen any Three Stooges episodes? you will know exactly what im sayin.

I actually do use that when I go for a haircut--always makes the ladies giggle.

Im not sure of the meaning of this sayin but--I heard it date back to the 20s or so. I went into an old house a saw this scrawled on a wall: "Vo de oh do."

 

[the ringo kid]

Look at him run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Eat everything on your plate--think of all the starving kids in China.

Somethings rotten in Denmark.

 

[pineappleshooter]

''I'll be home about dark-thirty.''

.''

Can also be used for early morning, as in "We've been up since Oh Dark Thirty"

 

[THE PILGRIM]

We is leaving early!
How early?
Before the rooster crows or the bugle blows.

 

[the ringo kid]

Hes dead as a doornail.

She is slower than frozen Molasses in Winter.

Dumb as a stick in mud.

Crazy like a Fox.

He needed killin.

 

[Iggy]

The only time I ever saw my Dad come plumb unwound was a day when one of our bulls got through a fence into a neighboring farmers pasture. We had a!ready got the bull out, fixed the fence, and were riding our horses back to where we had unloaded, when the farmer drove up, climbed over the fence onto our side.

He had never fixed fence in his life, but started cussing us out. My Dad put up with him for bit, but he finally had enough. He shook out a loop, spurred his horse, and started after the guy. He yelled "You wrinkle bellied sod bustin' sumbitch!!"

You shoulda seen that plow jockey run. I'll bet he cleared that bobwire fence by three foot.

I had never heard my Dad even raise his voice against another man, and I had never heard that phrase before or since.

I will say this, I think ol Pappy kinda enjoyed letting himself go for a change. He run around with his neck bowed for about 3 days.

 

[rwsmith]

Ken Burn's Civil War

A lot of people were impressed by the beautiful letter home that the soldier sent that said something like, "If you feel a breeze against your cheek, you will know that I am there." People said, "Why don't people talk like that anymore"? I'll tell you why. Because people think it's 'sentimental' and I've been told many time that sentimentality is B.S. plain and simple. You can't convince some people that it may have value in the right place.

Here, this says it better than I can:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNfBdzpG6L4

 

[Cdog]

In the south, the expression "Bless his heart" is used in place of "He's a complete idiot".
For example: "Cousin Ruthie failed ninth grade twice, bless her heart."
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

My Cousin uses the "Bless Your Heart" all the time. After I told her the meaning for most of us, she swears she's sincere, but I ain't so sure...

 

[george minze]

Val Kilmers statement "I'm your Huckleberry" I had to look it up. I had never heard it until the Movie..Tombstone....."I'm the Man you are looking for".....Other meanings also.....According to history Doc Holiday was known to use the term...That is according to Mozilla Firefox.....