"If the creek don't rise" is a slang phrase predominantly used in the Southeastern United States and can translate to "if all goes well." It's a more conditional action statement than the famous phrase "come hell or high water." Southern Slang: If The Creek Don't Rise | What does it mean? | Ask A Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. Anecdotal evidence from people who have got in touch with me down the years suggests that it has been in regular use throughout the lifetimes of some elderly folk in parts of the US, either in the form you give or as the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise Southerners tell it like it isno matter what it isso think of this as a learning moment. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin Wow! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Let me love you again, give me one more try. I was surprised as all get out. 15 Kentucky Sayings Other People Wouldn't Understand - OnlyInYourState Accents vary by regionand sometimes even city to city. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. God willing and the creek don't rise - World Wide Words Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have that new barn finished in time for the harvest. If you've read the book summary, you already know Sadie Blue lives with a devil of a man, but she's not the only one who has lived with a wife beater of a husband. If the Creek Don't Rise: Tales From the South Kindle Edition Hawkins, college-educated and a well-written man would never have made a grammatical error, so the capitalization of Creek is the only way the phrase could make sense. Does a bear shit in the woods? Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. Jan 29, 2014 at 19:34 . As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. It is sometimes thought that the word "Creek" instead refers to the Creek Indians, but this is unlikely. It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." 50 of the Best Southern Sayings | Serving Up Southern I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. Paperback, 305 pages. There's two or three creeks," he said. If the Creek Don't Rise: A Novel - Leah Weiss - Google Books I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. If someone tells you that you've got gumption, you should thank them, and then walk a little taller, because you've received a lovely Southern compliment. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Hawkins served under George Washington as General Superintendent for Indian Affairs (17961818) and had responsibility for the Native American tribes south of the Ohio River, and was principal Indian agent to the Creek Indians. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. A Quite certainly not. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). from The New York Times: And, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 70 years old. However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. 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. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? 1851. Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe. The story of Benjamin Hawkins relationship with the Creek,Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians goes back to 1786, when America was working on solidifying its hold on the new nation. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" A handful of rivers and streams will be out of their banks by Friday evening and Saturday morning. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. Well, that might just push you over the edge, and as you lean back youre bound to say, Im as full as a tick. Itd be plumb crazy not to express yourself (and your full belly) with this fun, old Southern idiom. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Turn around, and please dont drive through it. Theres no better zinger than a bless your heart delivered in a condescending tone of voice that implies, as the Southern Decoder puts it, youre dumb, homely, or otherwise impaired, but you cant help it.Go ahead and practice it in the mirror a few times. He was a politician and Indian agent. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. The proper phrase is Lord willing and the Creek don't rise. The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. Because he capitalized Creek its asserted that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. The grit and darkness don't just belong to Sadie, though. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. Theres nothing more Southern than a lively Hey, yall! And dont you dare think of spelling it yallSouthern Living has decreed this contraction of you all is spelled one way, and one way only. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. Although he admits when the rain starts to fall, it makes him a little nervous. I reckon she skipped town on account of her mama being madder than a wet hen. Alongside fixin to, this is a quintessential term to strike a match under your vocab and hear it holler Yeehaw!! When you arrive on the banks of the fishing pond on Saturday mornings, you're hoping for a good catchenough big catfish and bream to fry up for the family on Saturday night. The New Madrid earthquake (reputedly the largest in recorded history in North America) created the division between traditionalist Creek (Red Sticks) and those more willing to seek accommodation with the majority of the tribe. The expression ". Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. 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. Translated, this means: "We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us." The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. Can't Never Could. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. 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.. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . 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. 132 Copy quote. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. 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. 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. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise" - Factual Questions 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. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. During the early days of the War of 1812, one party of Creek marched north and joined the Indians fighting in Ohio and Michigan, participating in the River Raisin Massacre. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes 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. HARDY, Ark. But despite its gentle execution, this story delivers some of the heaviest of punches and invites the reader to step outside of the book for a spell "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. (LogOut/ 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. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? Talk:Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary 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! Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" was later covered by Johnny Cash during his tenure at Sun, and a few of the other tracks here ", If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise, "If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise", Learn how and when to remove this template message, "World Wide Words: God willing and the creek don't rise", "William Clark Green: 'Ringling Road' Album Review", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_the_Good_Lord%27s_Willing_and_the_Creek_Don%27t_Rise&oldid=1067282742, "If The Lord's Willing And The Creeks Don't Rise", song by, "If The Good Lord's Willing And The Creek Don't Rise", Lattie Moore, Jerry Reed 1961, "If The Good Lord's Willing", Ray Godfrey, arranged Jerry Reed, Tollie Records 1964, "(Be The Good Lord Willing) The Creek Don't Rise", Jivin' Gene, arranged Smith, Hall-Way Records 1964, "God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise", with the lyric "God willin' an the creek don't rise, I'll be home again before this time next year." document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Share. Youll thank us later! The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. The Cree and the Creek lived over a thousand miles apart, (the Cree are from Canada), so we now have people contributing folk etymologies that are nonsense on their face.



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