It is funny how sayings get started. One of Daddy's sayings was said as one word, Quityourbellyakin". "Quit your belly aching" I guess came from someone groaning and crying in pain. Daddy talked of rat killings and goat ropings when talking about parties. One day I asked what on earth was a rat killing. He explained that the corn cribs in the farmers barnyards would be full of corn for the farm animals. The rats would infest the irresistible food supply. In order to protect the food supply neighbors would gather with their dogs. The sides of the corn cribs would be removed. Rats would run in all directions with dogs in pursuit. The men would move to a different farm and repeat the process. Often the women would gather at one of the farms. There would be food for the workers and the women and children. In rural areas it became almost a sort of party, hence, a rat killing.
Goat roping were similar to the rat killing. Neighbors folks gathering helping to catch goats. Daddy said Uncle Clay brought that expression back from his time in Europe during WWII. Goat ropings were not part of the rural life in North Texas. That may have changed now as goats are seen frequently in uncultivated fields or pastures. I suppose the closest event to these two activities would be the Amish barn-raising gathering. Men and boys work to build a barn. Women and girls work to provide needed food and water.
The where sayings start train of thought came about from an email from a cousin this AM. I had seen the email several times in the past. Many of the sayings harken back to hard times and living conditions. Sayings like peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old. My Sis #2 cringes if we leave food out of proper refrigeration any longer than is required. Sis #2 was the cafeteria manager for a large elementary school. Proper food prep and storage was her profession.
All this talk of sayings leads me to wonder something. Will there be some sort of sayings to come out of the Covid 19 pandemic? Sis #1 calls it pandamnit. It may take a while for the sayings to appear frequently enough to become common usage. Or maybe words will take on different meanings or usage. 40 years ago 'text' were words in print. Now 'text' is a verb. Mail was paper notifications like letters and magazines. Electronic mail became shortened to email. Fewer letters and magazines. I read the newspaper from an email just today.
If you would like to share some sayings from your part of the world that could be fun to read. I need to get the pillows off the patio. Hear tell we are about to get a gully washer.
Ya'll all take care.
Janice
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| L to r, Granny C, 76, Grandma R, 72, Sister #1, 23, Aunt Billie, ? Not sure if this photo from 1959 is a goat roping, rat killing or a barn raising. Could be Sunday dinner. |
Hari OM
ReplyDelete1959? Year of my birth! It is interesting, the concept of sayings for specific events and happenings; this being the wee small hours, am not able to bring forth any offerings from this side... unless you count being 'wabbit' - little more than a bundle of flesh hanging off bones with no power to move it! YAM xx
It is interesting to learn about old sayings. I am unfamiliar with 'wabbit'.
DeleteGoodness me. I have been wondering along similar lines, yet completely different. In the Netherlands, most of our curse words are derived from illnesses. The Pox, the Plague, Cancer, Tuberculosis. I just wonder how long it will take before Corona (as we call it) will enter in our cursing vocabulary. Oh, and before you wonder: the remainder of our curse words are made up of 'unmentionable' body parts.
ReplyDeleteHa! Bodily functions seem to be a favorite source of bad words, also. The Netherlands is certainly more refined than this rough and tumble nation.
DeleteSo interesting...I wonder what they called "rat killing" here in Quebec. I must ask my friend who lived on a farm all her life. Of course that would be in French but still. Being raised by a French Canadian mom who spoke in English, my expressions and syntax are weird. I never realized that until I went to school and teachers would say I had an accent...I did not really but my syntax was all wrong becuase my mom translated word for word from French to English when she taught us how to speak. My dad was not around much...but I do remember some of his English expressions...mostly swearing (chuckles) In French Quebec unfortunately most swear words are religious words...not just taking the name of the Lord in vain but "hosti" for the sacred host, or "tabernaq" for the tabernackle we knelt on to receive Communion and the list goes on; when I lived in Toronto (we call that English Canada haha) people would not uncerstand when I would say "I was in the moon" and lost my train of thought. It a French expression "dans la lune" meaning being on cloud nine. I think many expressons go with your location. Even English speaking people in Quebec have adopted so many French expressions without realizing it. I enjoyed this post, Janice:)
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed and thanks for sharing some of the expressions. BTW there is a breed of terriers that are named rat dogs as the were great rat catchers! One of my uncles bred them!
DeleteI could see "I was in the moon" being a part of my life words as I am always losing my train of though.
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