Its not a recent change. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. 132 Copy quote. Wow! 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. Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. 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.". He was a politician and Indian agent. The underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. Historians and etymologists may cringe, but the modern usage of Lord willin and the creek (or crick) dont rise is about the stream, not the Creek tribe. Back when I was in the fourth grade we had an English teacher who dumped a box of books out one day and told us to read them and do book reports. Hang onto both and 'tough it out'. 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. Copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. 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. The doin hasnt been done yet. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Youll thank us later! History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes However, with the west in flames, both whites and Indians began organizing fighters. When you're exhausted in an I'm-so-beat-I-can't-go-on kind of way, you're definitely worn slap out. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. He would tell the audience that we would meet again, "If the good Lord's willin', and the creek don't rise". When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. If the creek don't risewas a whimsical way of saying that the speaker would carry out some task provided that no figurative obstacle were put in his path. Over yonder past the cotton field. "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." 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. 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. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. There is a lot of controversy about this fairly common folk saying. It completely nailed the "mountain living" that I remembered my grandmother talking about. While there, we happened upon a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. 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. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. Learn how your comment data is processed. (LogOut/ A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. Feller-citizens Im not customed to public speakin before sich highfalutin audiences. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. In his response, he was said to write, God willing and the Creek dont rise. Because he capitalized the word Creek it is deduced that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. 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. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com 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. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. All rights reserved. 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. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. This book reminds me of that. 30 Phrases Only Southerners Use At the same time there is some evidence that the creation of Fort Deposit (Fort Deposite) in Georgia was a cause of concern in that munitions and arms were stockpiled. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. I was going to ask him why, but I had to shoot him. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. 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. Is this derivation correct? Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. 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). We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). The swear-word equivalent would be something along the lines of No sh*t!I declare may have come from an English oath (the sworn proclamation kind) declaring that no foreign parties have power to subvert the Crown. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" is a sort of backwoods phrase that has the same meaning, but is more folksy and less devoted. Over yonder down the road. 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. The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise - Southern Love Change). (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. "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." I see said the blind man to his deaf wife. Affixes dictionary. This article about the English language is a stub. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation, Lawsuit filed against Summit Utilities over price gouging, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: EPC boys fall to Marshall in Quarterfinals, 2023 2A State Basketball Tournament: Bay boys fall to Bigelow in Quarterfinals, Arkansas State womens basketball falls to Southern Miss in SBC Quarterfinals, Arkansas women's basketball falls to #1 South Carolina in SEC Tournament, Fast Break Friday Night (3/3/23): Jonesboro boys advance to 6A state semifinals. The states involved sent Hawkins,Andrew Pickens(South Carolina), Joseph Martin (Georgia) andLachlan McIntosh(Continental representative, Georgia) to negotiate a treaty to end the fighting. The Problem with Saying, "Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. 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. 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. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". Threats not only from abroad, but internally as well, forced the fledgling nation to negotiate treaties with the tribes on the western frontier. My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. I'm fixin' to tell you that this phrase is as Southern as sweet tea. I will be at church on Sunday. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. Lord Willing and the creek don't rise - English for Students And yes, they roll their eyes, too. Unarguable Southern criticism. 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. It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. There's two or three creeks," he said. 'Creek don't rise' is a phrase with possibly more than one meaning And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. Poor little doggy. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. Or, depending on where you live, it could be Sewanee, the small college town in 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. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? A rising creek could spell trouble, as it can lead to flooding and other issues. And that is the highest praise from me. The catchphrase itself was associated with Hank Williams. (Or maybe the Piggly Wiggly, a Southern market chain that originated in Memphis, Tennessee). Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. 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. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. It is 1970, and we follow the story of a young Appalachian girl, Sadie Blue age 17, pregnant and newly married to an evil young man who is abusive. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Two years after the signing of the treaty, Benjamin Hawkins died at the site known as Old Agency. A true Southern tradition. But, in the South, if your boss says that dog wont hunt in a meeting, it probably means your suggestion or idea needs improvement. Let me love you again, give me one more try. But I know of just four instances from that century. 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.. Over yonder toward the water tower.