But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. 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. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. Lyndon Johnsons wife Lady Bird was fond of the phrase, and she wasnt one to cast aspersions on native Americans. On his deathbed he married the Creek woman who had been his common-law wife. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. In the Deep South? The first big battles in the Creek War were, indeed, attacks on white settlements, but it was not a matter of an uprising that threatened settlers, rather it was an outbreak of war between two armed groups in which whites and Indians sought each other out. When the U.S. demanded that the murderers be handed over for punishment, the Creek executed them themselves (for the Ohio murders, not for the River Raisin battle and aftermath). It took a further decade for it to become popular as a supposedly hayseed utterance, sometimes as and the crick dont rise to reflect a regional form. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Most of the ones on paved roads had bridges or culverts by that time, but not all of them and everyone still clearly knew what that saying meant even if the threat wasnt very real anymore. There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. This is our creative way of saying that you shouldn't crow like a rooster about your wealth and belonging today, because it could all disappear tomorrow. Siever, known as Nolichucky Jack to his friends, was as brutal to the Cherokee and Creek as they were to him, but Siever knew to frame his attacks as responses to incursion or wrongs. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. I'm a sucker for the well turned phrase and I was highlighting sentences here, one after another. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. 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. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. 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. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. The History And Traditions That Make Hanukkah Light Up, Examples Of Ableist Language You May Not Realize Youre Using, Winter 2023 New Words: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Fall In Love With 14 Captivating Valentines Day Words, Rizz And 7 Other Slang Trends That Explain The Internet In 2023, Win With Qi And This List Of Our Best Scrabble Words, We Had ChatGPT Coin Nonsense PhrasesAnd Then We Defined Them, Surprise! January 2021: Hat tip to Maria whonotes that the collection of Benjamin Hawkinss letters has now been digitized and can be read at this link. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. It is sometimes thought that the word "Creek" instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely. All rights reserved. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. Jan 29, 2014 at 19:34 . These skies can darken at a moment's notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer heat. Ain't got no dog in that race. Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. If the Creek Don't Rise by Leah Weiss (Author), Tom Stechschulte (Narrator), Kate Forbes (Narrator). John Wayne. Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. The saying "God willing and the Creek don't rise." Came from those traveling west in the OLD DAYS. The English language is forever changing. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. Fans of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will love this intimate insight into a fiercely proud, tenacious community and relish the voices of the forgotten folks of Baines Creek. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. That book was a 1908 publication and leans toward the thought of Creek Indian, even if not capitalized, because of the word fire (as in shooting guns). A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Do You Know These Sizzlin Southern Sayings. The researchers went on to cite two different publications in the 1800s in which the authors did not capitalize the word creek, leading one to believe they did not mean the people proper. Over yonder past the cotton field. 1851. (Recall, also, that the Creek who did go to war against the whites were a smaller group within the Creek nation and that the larger group remained neutral or actively assisted the whites in the warat which point they were betrayed by having the U.S. sieze all their land.). Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. Eventually, you became a singular pronoun, and we lost the plural pronouns. Required fields are marked *. Youve heard that old saying, Ill be there if the creek dont rise? Well, theyve all risen, and a lot of people are staying home because of that.. The expression is incorrectly attributed on modern social media[citation needed] to an Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins, in the late 18th century in a rumored letter not found in any archive to the U.S. President. 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. "If God so wills, and as long as intense rain does not wash away bridges or parts of dirt roads, or cover roads too deeply for safely following them." The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. 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. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. False folk etymology. I doubt it will ever be possible to prove the source of some of these old sayings,but they sure are alot of funThis post set me a thinkin bout some things we grew up saying that we took from our eldersfor example when one is astonished you say Oh my Stars! Or when you havent seen someone in awhile you say I aint seen Hide nor Hair of em since..and there was plenty of times I was toldquit rootin around an causin such a ruckass!usually refering to me being in Granmas gardenand one can never forget the simpleSkeedaddle! Now the devil may knowWhere those sayings come from. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. You'll also find a longer version of my official bio: It's bold, powerful, dark and hard to believe that this is a debut novel. The most interesting often hail from our older generations, such as the WWII era and those raised by them. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Theres probably a connection between eternal damnation and tarnation. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. "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. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. 4.5 stars! Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. World Wide Words tries to record at least a part of this shifting wordscape by featuring new words, word histories, words in the news, and the curiosities of native English speech. Affixes dictionary. "He broke bout every piece of sweet in you. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 This article about the English language is a stub. It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . the creek don't rise " is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. A handful of rivers and streams will be out of their banks by Friday evening and Saturday morning. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. "Druthers" roughly translates to "I would rather," meaning, "If had things my way" The phrase is celebrated in song in the hilarious, Southern-inspired Broadway musical Li'l Abner, in which the title character sings "If I had my druthers, I'd druther have my druthers than anything else I know." It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. Statements of the form "God/Lord willing and (some other condition being met)" are ancient extensions of simple acceptance of God's will in phrases like God willing and Lord willing. "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 But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. 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. Throughout the years, through these floods, weve had several roads that have washed completely out, so you just dont know whats down there.. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. This one originates from the 19th century, when Carter Products marketed "Little Liver Pills" across the country. And I mean took me there! 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. (LogOut/ 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. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. This phrase isn't about physical appearance. I will be at church on Sunday. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. 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. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? 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. 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. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. This one may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. It mentions . And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". Whatscatawampus? QFrom Bob Scala: An item that has been floating around the internet claims that the expression God willing and the creek dont rise referred to the Creek Indians, not a body of water. 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. Youre still going to the grocery store. The doin hasnt been done yet. 133 Copy quote. 15. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Wow! I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? Theres two or three creeks, he said. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. Be it Gods will, or, we go to war, my plans will go according to one of those two choices. Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. If you answered soda, you probably hail from either coast or some patches around St. Louis or Milwaukee.Pop lovers congregate mostly in the Midwest and western states. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. The thing isI read one that I have never stopped thinking about. The lyrics play on the expression Lord willing and the creek don't rise, which is thought to originate from Alabama. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . 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. There is no typical Southern accent. Poor little doggy. Share. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. What in tarnation? Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. 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. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is character driven and one fine gritty and entertaining debut with one fine satisfying ending! 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.". Did you know the saying God willing and the Creek dont rise was in reference to the Creek Indians and not a body of water? You might say cocola. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. Mentioning Benjamin Hawkins is a masterstroke, since he was the General Superintendent for Indian Affairs between 1796 and 1818 and was principal Indian agent to the Creek nation; he became so close to its people that he learned their language, was adopted by them and married a Creek woman. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. Well, hells bells. If you've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can feel, smell, and see a storm blowin' up across the wide Southern skies. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. From the beginning, the first narrative of Sadie Blue, which broke my heart from the first page, it feels like it will be her story. 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. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Faire can mean both do and make. This phrase entered the Southern vernacular via Louisiana and is in regular use in the New Orleans area. 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. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. It can be summarised as if all goes well. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. Unarguable Southern criticism. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. If the creek dont rise was a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. 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. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. 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. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. "We plan to be there," we might say, and then add on a quick, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise." It's another way of saying, "I am dead serious about keeping my word on this, short of a hurricane or earthquake." In other words, I'm doggedly committed to this unless the devil stops me.
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