A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. God willing and the creek don't rise - World Wide Words Ireckon is the way many Southerners get to surmising about something or other. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. Your email address will not be published. It presumably evokes occasional and unpredictably extreme rainfall in Appalachia, that has historically isolated one rural neighborhood or another temporarily inaccessible on several or many occasions. Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. Chief Rose is asking drivers to be cautious while out and about. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Gumption is spirit, courage, spunk, boldness, and initiative. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. 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. "If God so wills, and as long as intense rain does not wash away bridges or parts of dirt roads, or cover roads too deeply for safely following them." But I know of just four instances from that century. is a common way to use this next Southern cussemism. It traces to the 1700s and is based on darnation, the mild form of damnation. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. This was an extremely enjoyable read! 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. If you've ever been caught in a summer storm, you know that you can feel, smell, and see a storm blowin' up across the wide Southern skies. Positive thinking, Southern style. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. In response to a request that he return to Washington D.C., he wrote, "God willing and the Creek don't rise." 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". and the word HOPE. I will be at church on Sunday. Required fields are marked *. in Williams' mouth in his tribute album Hillbilly Heaven. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? Grahams American Monthly Magazine, Jun. Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). All rights reserved. It was bad as all get out. Donate via PayPal. 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. Someone kicked in with we say cricks. I was reading a post on one of the West Virginia pages that I follow in which a person referenced God willing and the creeks dont rise. in reference to rain and floods. Lately, though, I have learned to wince quickly and let it go. IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE - Leah Weiss The creek don't rise - Wikipedia Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. 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. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. Synonyms [ edit] (barring unforeseen circumstances): God willing, Lord willing Translations [ edit] show phrase References [ edit] The first big battles in the Creek War were, indeed, attacks on white settlements, but it was not a matter of an uprising that threatened settlers, rather it was an outbreak of war between two armed groups in which whites and Indians sought each other out. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins, Follow Thoughts and Ponderances on WordPress.com. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com 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. (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.). 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! 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. 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). 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. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. 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. Faire can mean both do and make. This phrase entered the Southern vernacular via Louisiana and is in regular use in the New Orleans area. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote. And even if it did, the initial capital letter would mean nothing, as at the time it was still common practice to capitalise all nouns. The saying has been attributed to Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson among others, on the usual principle that attaching a famous name to a story validates it. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. 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. The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. A sister who is afraid of losing her brother and Sadie's grandmother and aunt, all tell their stories adding to Sadie's own. Don't worry, though, everyone hears this every now and again. By extension, maybe the Southern US expression was the way for an affronted or shocked listener to say none of that crazy untoward talk or behavior shall have power over me.. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com This phrase isn't about physical appearance. History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise If the Creek rose, Hawkins would have to be present to quell the rebellion. writes one commentator.. According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: " Quite certainly not. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. But we declareif your only knowledge of Southern sayings comes fromGone With the Wind, youre missing out on a lot of Southern expressions. Baines Creek is a small remote mountain settlement in North Carolina where many can't read, education is unheard of and catastrophic poverty is the norm. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Older than Methuselah. 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. 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. Ain't got no dog in that race. Does a bear shit in the woods? 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. 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. 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. I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. It can be deployed sincerely, but if you're hearing "bless your heart" in the South, it probably has an edge to it. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Tensions between settlers and both tribes had been rising following the Treaty of Augusta and the land cessions of 1782-1783. 24 of 30. January 2021: Hat tip to Maria whonotes that the collection of Benjamin Hawkinss letters has now been digitized and can be read at this link. Another publication, Proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Jurisdiction, Volumes 88-89, coins the phrase: if the Lord is willing and the creek dont fire, we will so do. You gonna do nothing?". This article about the English language is a stub. "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" 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. I was surprised as all get out. A true Southern tradition. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. You may still hear it if you stop into a country store. Anything to the degree of "all get out" is something to talk about. God willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. 'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help : NPR They had a conversation in which the phrase was discussed and noted as being about the Creek Indians. The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange 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. The Problem with Saying, "Lord 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. I grew up with that saying and Ive said it more times than I can count. If The Creek Don't Rise. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? Affixes dictionary. (LogOut/ The approximately 20,000 Creek Indians that still exist reside in Oklahoma. There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. "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. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. Thats exactly who I was hoping would reply to my question. 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. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. Maybe not all dogs were made for hunting some prefer the warmth of a fireplace and the comfort of your lap. Where did this contraction, popular in both African American English and Southern American English, come from? Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." Southerners tell it like it isno matter what it isso think of this as a learning moment. 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. God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise - Southern Love Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." Creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder According to World Wide Words, when asked if it meant Creek Indians, their expert responded with: Quite certainly not. You gonna let him break your spirit, too? As was the case with Dr Mattox, the remark is routinely attributed to first being said by Benjamin Hawkins. If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. In his experience, it doesnt take much for local creeks and streams to cause trouble. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. 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. 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. 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!. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. An exclamationof surprise, anger, happiness, really any emotionthat is appropriate in nearly every Southern scenario. Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. The General replied to Stonewall Jackson that he would send troops "the Good Lord is willing and the Creeks don't rise (in rebellion). No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. 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. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes by Leah Weiss - Goodreads Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. 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. DeSantis's year-long quest to strip Disney of its self-rule came after the entertainment giant, and Florida's . World Wide Words is copyright Michael Quinion, 1996. "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise.". The nabbit, gonnit, gummit, blasted, and burnit match the rhythm of damn it, but they can easily be modified for use as an adjective or adverb: That dagnab idiot didnt look to the dadgum left and, dadburnit, he crossed over in my dadblasted lane and dadburn near hit me. When used as a stand-alone oath, hold out on the first syllable and accentuate the second: DaaadGUMMit! Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. A true Southern tradition. Poor little doggy. There's two or three creeks," he said. (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." I was just hoping for something more concrete about the real origin. 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. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. And I mean took me there! While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. 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 . The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. 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. "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]. 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. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. Signed in November, 1785, A Treaty With the Cherokee (the technical name of the Treaty of Hopewell) created the first rift between theCherokee Nationand the Chickamauga Cherokee that would not end until the Chickamauga went West following the Revolt of the Young Chiefs. Well, at least we thought we did.but maybe not. 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. Farmers know that if you do something 'til the cows come home, it's going to take all day. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. Positive thinking, Southern style. Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? According to http://www.aboutnorthgeorgia.com/ang/Benjamin_Hawkins: Generally recognized as the Creek Indian agent, Benjamin Hawkins also held the title of General Superintendent of all tribes south of the Ohio River. But in following verses the rhyme changes through "creeks don't rise", "creek stay low", back to "creeks don't rise".
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