Does How You Say Something Reveal More About You Than What You Say?

Have you ever thought that the way you say something might say more about you than the words themselves? As an amateur linguist, after five years of studying at the University of Tennessee, I’ve gathered some interesting findings that shed light on this topic. Here are a few insights I’ve come across:

Southern Euphemisms

• North: We say “my mom” or “my dad.”
  South: No one prefixes Mom or Dad with “my.” Everyone shares their parents.
• North: When we want to answer with a no but are too lazy to use our lips, we say “Uh Uh.”
  South: “Huh uh” (everything has an ‘H’ in front of it). There’s also an overuse of the letter for words like “White” or “What,” and sometimes they’ll add “Do” in front of “what” for emphasis, like: “Do what?”
• North: You guys (Although it’s more PC now to say “Everyone” instead).
  South: Y’all.
• North: Pen – an instrument to write with.
  South: Pin – an instrument to write with.
• North: Getting ready to.
  South: Fixing to.
• North: Over there.
  South: O’ Yonder.
• North: Smell this.
  South: Smell of it.
• North: Turn on the TV (emphasis on the V).
  South: Turn on the TV (emphasis on the T).
• North: I don’t care for that (meaning you don’t like it).
  South: I don’t care to (meaning you don’t mind doing it). I found this extremely confusing.
• North: Fuck you.
  South: Bless your heart.
• North: I don’t think so.
  South: I don’t guess.
• North: Goose bumps.
  South: Chill bumps or chill pimples.
• North: Berry bugs.
  South: Chiggers.
• North: Beer bong (verb: beer bonging).
  South: Beer funnel (verb: funneling).
• North: Regular four-letter curse words.
  South: Dag nabit, Hellfire, Damnation.
• North: WTF?
  South: What in tarnation?
• North: Whatcha-call-it.
  South: Doohickey.
• North: Jesus Christ.
  South: Cheese & Rice.
• North: That was funny.
  South: Tickled me pink.
• North: Fresh out of ___.
  South: Plum out of ___.
• North: I’m stuffed.
  South: I’m full as a tick.
• North: I told you so.
  South: I done told you so.
• North: I’m about to lose my mind.
  South: I’m about to come apart.
• North: She’s hot.
  South: She’s as fine as frog hair.
• North: Soda, or the name of a type of soda.
  South: Coke (encompasses all sodas, and then you have to specify the kind).