False folk etymology. Weiss has a unique voice. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Unarguable Southern criticism. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. 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. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Good Lord's Willin and The Creek Don't Rise, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=1136534691, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 20:39. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". The Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is character driven and one fine gritty and entertaining debut with one fine satisfying ending! Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! Jan 29, 2014 at 19:34 . 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. If The Creek Don't Rise. HARDY, Ark. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. 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). The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. Older than Methuselah. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. So, if during the time of Benjamin Hawkins life, the Creek Indians were experiencing the longest period of peace, why would he fear that they would rise. You may still hear it if you stop into a country store. the creek don't rise " is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. If The Creek Don't Rise is a unique novel whose structure feels light and breezy and veers drastically from the standard formula found in fiction. Take a load off the ole dogs, sit on your front porch, and let your know neighbors know about that sugar honey iced teayou had to deal with today. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. 24 of 30. "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. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. John Wayne. I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. We are an American people, born under the flag of independence and if the Lord is willing and the creeks dont rise, the American people who made this country will come pretty near controlling it. Whatscatawampus? In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. You gonna do nothing?". God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. "Like all great southern. If you refer to itno matter the brand or flavoras Coke, chances are you grew up in the South. (I would not be surprised to discover that the last contributor on your first link is none other than our own samclem.). No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. The grit and darkness don't just belong to Sadie, though. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? Pot callin the kettle black. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. Actually this is not proven. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. And Lord have mercy, wait till you meet Birdie with her gamy birds-nest hairdo and top notch fine feathered companion Samuel.and all his buddies. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. the creek don't rise. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. 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. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. Youre still going to the grocery store. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." "If The Good Lord's Willing and The Creek Don't Rise" is a 1955 American country song by Jerry Reed which was particularly popularized by the 1958 recording of Johnny Cash and has been covered by multiple artists.[1]. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. I have even heard the accents and many of the stories from various artists who escaped the confines of this culture and were successful in attaining fame and fortune for themselves. In a letter to the Commander in Chief, Hawkins stated that he would return to the nations capital, God willing and the Creek dont rise., 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 and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. Dont worry, if youre helping a friend make groceries, youre not expected to create food from scratch. Quick, what do you call a soft drink? In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. 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. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." The English language is forever changing. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. Step into the Deep South and experience the lives and hardships, hopes and dreams, of folk who have nothing except gritand sometimes loveas their currency. Yet here I stand before you a speckled hermit, wrapt in the risen-sun counterpane of my popilarity, an intendin, Providence permittin, and the creek dont rise, to go it blind!. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. "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. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. Positive thinking, Southern style. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. Those who live on Valley Drive along the Spring River in Hardy awoke around 3 Friday morning to first responders urging them to leave their homes due to rising water. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. Its not a recent change. Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . 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. The exact tranlation might be, 'If God is willing, and there isn't a flood that would prevent us from meeting again next week'. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. 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. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. Positive thinking, Southern style. Any of you word experts have solid information? It mentions . Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. 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. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. 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. I see some folks walk easy and carry peace on their shoulders, but I been chained to a iron life." Leah Weiss, If the Creek Don't Rise 3 likes Like It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. Your email address will not be published. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! 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. A true Southern tradition. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. Does a bear shit in the woods? Cookies and privacy Donate via PayPal. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. Since we'd never dare hang up the phone while Mama's chatting away, this may be the only way to end your conversation in a timely manner. It's raining cats and dogs. All rights reserved. Unlike the United States Postal Service, whose motto proclaims "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" will keep them from their routes, sometimes a Southern visit is thwarted by a rising creek or other unexpected bump in the road. It's almost always accompanied by a good-natured, perhaps slightly exasperated, shake of the head. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. Over yonder past the cotton field. 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. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. "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. If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. Well, I found it. Its a one-size-fits-all reply that can both express sympathy and insult someone, depending on the delivery. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). The doin hasnt been done yet. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. For instance if someone invites you to church on Sunday, you would respond "I'll be there with bells on God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise.". Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. 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. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. I will continue to look for references to this phrase origin and would welcome discussion to prove (one way or the other) what the original author intended to mean. (Or maybe the Piggly Wiggly, a Southern market chain that originated in Memphis, Tennessee). 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. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Charles Wilson said the flood waters are something he has to live with to enjoy residing on the river. !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. 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. If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. 1851. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Weiss has spun me upside down in this backward county in the Appalachian mountains and made a southerner out of me. 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). Devil's beating his wife (when it would be sunny and raining). Copyright 2023 KAIT. In the Deep South? Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." Now, she admits to saying this to her children. However, this is clearly one of those evolving language cases. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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 It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. 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. Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. From another source Some historians attribute Benjamin Hawkins as having been the first person to ever say these words and he did so in a letter to the President of the United States. [1][2], Classic versions of its use tend to be along the lines of "The good Lord willing, and the creek doesn't rise"i.e. It was bad as all get out. What in tarnation? It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. By date order (spelling and titling may vary): Not to be confused with the Ray LaMontagne album, If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise, Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine All Music Guide to Country 0879307609 2003 Page 629 Jerry Reed "Here I Am collects his complete recordings for Capitol (30 songs), most of which were originals. He wrote it in response to a request from the President to return to our Nations Capital and the reference is not to a creek, but The Creek Indian Nation. A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. Get help and learn more about the design. There is no typical Southern accent. 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!! It can also be the opening to striking a bargain, sharing a strongly held opinion, or offering a piece of advice you may or may not want to hear. "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."
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