As a southern girl, born and bred, I am no stranger to an idiom. It’s taken some embarrassing encounters with northerners to figure out that my familiar phrases aren’t so popular worldwide. Southern culture is so rich, wide and hard to explain. The more I grow into my southern dialect, I’ve realized that I’m kind of just saying a bunch of gibberish; I don’t really know what I’m saying or why I’m saying it. I took it upon myself to research this gibberish to make sure I don’t say something that’ll get me in trouble with my Nana. Here’s a rated list of the nostalgic idioms that most southerners grew up with!

• Bless your heart – 10/10
  • “Bless your heart” is the south’s most popular double-edged sword. The phrase became popular in the 19th century, when Christianity was woven into daily practices in the south, as a gentle plea for God’s grace. However, there is nothing that a southern woman minds more than her manners, and there’s a fine line between empathy and pity. Soon, this idiom became a sly and demure way to call someone incompetent or pathetic. I’m no professional rater and this high rating is purely because it’s iconic and nostalgic. No mistake that I made as a kid wasn’t met with a “bless your heart.” Every single late-night gossip session with my Grandma Kathy was sweetened up with this little idiom, as if it wiped away every insult that came before it. I also love the duality of blessing one’s heart; it truly can be said out of earnest, so it really keeps you on your toes. No matter what state I end up in, “bless your heart” will follow me!
• Slow as molasses in January – 5/10
  • This little idiom comes with a history lesson: In January of 1919, Boston experienced a Molasses Massacre, where a tank filled with 2.5 million gallons of molasses tipped and covered the city, taking lives and forever to clean up. This is an example of classic north vs. south rivalry. We didn’t experience this tragedy, so why not create a common and comical phrase out of it? Kind of grim, I know. Despite that darkness, I can appreciate the silliness. I still docked a couple of points in honor of those impacted in Boston. Additionally, I didn’t hear this one much growing up, and I assume it lost some popularity when commotion about Boston died down. I also docked some points because it’s just too many syllables; it’s kind of ironic to take so long to tell someone to hurry up. Despite this, the phrase still has that sweet (wink) southern charm, especially when said in a southern accent. Five is a pretty mid rating for a pretty mid idiom, I’d say it’s fitting. 
• What in the Sam Hill – 7/10
  • “What in the Sam Hill” is commonly used as a polite euphemism for “what the…heck.” This phrase also originated in the 1800s and comes with a history lesson! Samuel W. Hill was an American engineer and mining developer in the 19th century. His vocabulary was so colorful that friends and fans began to use his name in place of curse words. How creative! However, some believe that the phrase caught on via an 1825 opera; in the opera “Der Freischütz,” the Devil is named Samiel, which is why some think it was shortened to “Sam” and is used in place of a curse word. None of my grandparents were very mild mannered, so, again, I didn’t really hear this one much, except at church. Despite that, I really love this phrase. It is so creative and fun to say! Additionally, even if you didn’t hear it much growing up, it’s easy enough to assume what it means, especially in the right context. 
• Full as a tick – 8/10
  • “Full as a tick” is a colorful way to hyperbolize how much you’ve eaten. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard this, I’d be able to afford college. Obviously, this is a simile that compares one’s stomach to that of a tick, the blood-sucking parasite that becomes heavily swollen and engorged after feasting on its host. I like this idiom because it is uniquely southern; ticks are *mainly* native and abundant in the south. Additionally, even if someone wasn’t from the south or wasn’t familiar with this phrase, it’s simple and visually descriptive enough to assume its meaning. It’s fun to say, charming and nostalgic, but it’s not quite creative enough to get a perfect rating.
• Finer than frog’s hair – 4/10
  • “Finer than frog’s hair” is an ironic and comical way to say that something is either better than perfect or very thin. The phrase first gained popularity after appearing in C. Davis’s “Diary of 1865,” being used to describe a “flow of spirits.” I have a love/hate relationship with this idiom; it really stops to make you think, which is cool and creative, but I don’t want to think that much most of the time. Additionally, it has two meanings, which makes it harder to understand. I know, I praised “bless your heart” for the same thing, but the former is just so iconic that it’s entitled to as many meanings as it wants. Adding off of that, “finer than frog’s hair” just isn’t that well known; maybe I simply wasn’t thin enough to hear it that often, but, truly, I didn’t even hear it after asking how someone was. I can appreciate the creativity and whimsy-ness of this idiom, but that won’t cut it, especially in comparison to the other phrases in this list. 

My favorite thing about southern idioms is that they all mirror the south to a tee; the mannered manners, the wildlife and the loaded phrases all remind me of home. After researching, I know to not say Sam Hill around my sweet Nana. Compared to my other rated list of idioms, (go read if you haven’t,) I like these a lot more, and I’m probably biased simply because of how nostalgic these are. I’m definitely bringing “finer than frog’s hair” back, so prepare to be sick of me!