if the creek don't rise saying if the creek don't rise saying

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. A true Southern tradition. 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. 15. 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. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. Required fields are marked *. Whether you're talking about volume or value, a hill of beans isn't worth much. 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. Well, I found it. "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. 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). Its not a recent change. But if the supposed letter was ever written, it doesnt now exist in any archive that any researcher has so far found (his letters have been published, if anybody would like to check). Copyright 2023 KAIT. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. the creek don't rise " is an American slang expression implying strong intentions subject to complete frustration by uncommon but not unforeseeable events. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. 25 Southern Grandparents' Sayings That Deserve a Comeback, Forgotten Etiquette Every Child Should Learn, Kimberly Schlapman and Her Family's Tea Cakes, Lauren Alaina Talks 'American Idol', Southern Manners, and Her Grandmother's Famous Recipe, 30 Quotes That Remind Us Why Southern Manners Are So Important. !, Reckon has ancestry tracing all the way back to the 1000s (and maybe older still), and originally means to count, calculate.. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Poor little doggy. Dylan LeBlanc - If The Creek Don't Rise Lyrics | Genius Lyrics It was bad as all get out. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise". Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. He was a politician and Indian agent. 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. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. on, This page was last edited on 22 January 2022, at 17:42. Older than Methuselah. 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. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? If you think you can't, you won't be able to accomplish something, but if you think you can, you'll succeed. Then theres a long gap in the record before it began to appear again in the 1950s. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Over yonder down the road. 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. When you're in the South, "over yonder" is a distant directionany direction. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. "The Good Lord willing and the 'creek' don't rise" is just one of them. The expression ". A friend of mine told me to shoot first and ask questions later. Affixes dictionary. All rights reserved.This page URL: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-god1.htmLast modified: 25 February 2012. 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. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. If youre not using this phrase what are you waiting for? Your first citation is much stronger than your second. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. [2] In the Reed song and Cash cover the verses vary the rhyme, so the opening line commences: If the good Lord's willing and the creek stays down I'll be in your arms time the moon come around. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. Get help and learn more about the design. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. I will be at church on Sunday. 1851. 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. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. Because this is a progressive verb (youll make progress with it for sure), remember You were fixin to patch the hole in the wall. Never say you fixed to do it! 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. PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. Which means if nothing crazy happens or anything out my control such as a natural disaster. 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. Theres probably a connection between eternal damnation and tarnation. It's true, we do have a mouthful of sayings that only Southerners understand. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. The thing isI read one that I have never stopped thinking about. "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." 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. In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. 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. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." 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. 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. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. The Creek so-called civil war of 1812 involving the Red Stick faction, and their combat North and South, appears to have been an impetus for that forts creation. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. Pot callin the kettle black. History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise 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. Im told it was a sign-off tag line of the 1930s US radio broadcaster Bradley Kincaid. It completely nailed the "mountain living" that I remembered my grandmother talking about. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. Share. Does a bear shit in the woods? A preacher who hires a very different kind of woman than is usually found in these parts. 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. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. If The Creek Don't Rise. 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. But did he really say the words quoted or was a phrase morphed to include him as the author? 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Someone reminded me not to be reminded of you. (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.). This is a high compliment in the South, since Southern states are known for their peaches. by Leah Weiss. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. (LogOut/ Quick, what do you call a soft drink? 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! 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. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. HARDY, Ark. The underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. 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. 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. Unarguable Southern criticism. This phrase can be intensified by the addition of the word "way," as in "way over yonder.". It can be summarised as "if all goes well". 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. 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. A true Southern tradition. In his response, he was said to write, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." John Wayne. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. This was an extremely enjoyable read! Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. 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!. 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. Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. 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. Firsts, Mines, Asks. 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 Speaking ofI declare, this now old-fashioned phrase acts as flustered response to an insult or an unbelievable story about someone who sadly made it into the rumor mill. If you hear this one, it's best to slow down. The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. A different style for the story telling in this as we hear from many of the people in this town and Sadie Blues own story is woven through the fabric of theirs. It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. My favorite variant is the phrase Hank Williams Sr. sometimes used to end his shows: "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you before long." - MT_Head. from The New York Times: If there is a good state of the world in 2021 the Lord willing and the creek don't rise everyone and all Blue Dogs in office needs to recognize . Any of you word experts have solid information? 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. 15 Kentucky Sayings Other People Wouldn't Understand - OnlyInYourState God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. 4.5 stars! This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? 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. God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise - Southern Love A multipurpose Southernism. Disney lost control of its Florida kingdom for opposing the "Don't Say But I know of just four instances from that century. They were both corrected by a good soul who told them that Creek, for the purposes of this phrases origin, meant Creek Indian. and the word HOPE. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. 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. I was going to ask him why, but I had to shoot him. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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.".