Charles Wilson said the flood waters are something he has to live with to enjoy residing on the river. God willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? Often said as Lord willing and the creek dont rise, this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. Eli is the backbone of the community; all he wants is a better life for the people of Baines Creek evidenced by the succession of teachers he has procured.and been scared off, and his scheming troublemaking spinster of a sister Prudence who "don't like nobody" doesn't help matters any, but when the giant 6' 2" Kate Shaw arrives, wellthat's another story. 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. This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. I was going to ask him why, but I had to shoot him. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. Youre still going to the grocery store. 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. To understand Hawkins, I read a little further into his history. 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. 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. 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. When the road looks rough ahead, remember the 'Man upstairs'. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. (LogOut/ 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . 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. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! Is It Called Presidents Day Or Washingtons Birthday? Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. It mentions . 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. 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. 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!. The tale is widely reproduced and believed nevertheless. It was so enjoyable and fun reading and discussing the book with them. Some say it originated with the Scottish-Irish term ye aw. We've had a lot of delays, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. Apparently Carter had a great many pills, because the phrase found its way into the Southern vocabulary. 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). Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! I first heard of the notion of creek meaning Creek on a camping trip a couple of years ago at Barkcamp State Park in the area of Wheeling, WV. The Lafayette gazette(Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. It is a breathtaking and gritty portrayal of hillbilly life from the year 1970 which is set in the Appalachian Mountains. 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 underscore of that sentiment would be that he married his common-law wife on his deathbed and she was of the Creek Indians. Pot callin the kettle black. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not rise at all. 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. 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. From the start there's been a film of dingy on my days.. Affixes dictionary. 40 OLD PHRASES AND SAYINGS - Grammy's Grid 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.". When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. This Southern saying, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Change). History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise The 1800s and 1900s were much simpler times, as people didn't have the luxuries afforded in modern times. It took a further decade for it to become popular as a supposedly hayseed utterance, sometimes as and the crick dont rise to reflect a regional form. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. "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." 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). It can be summarised as "if all goes well". In fact, virtually all the examples that Ive found in books and newspaper archives down to the present day are in lower-case. Can't Never Could. 24 of 30. Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. Over yonder down the road. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. Neither provides any documentation: http://pub122.ezboard.com/fwordoriginsorgfrm2.showMessage?topicID=191.topic, http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/HaveOriginsData.htm#LordWillingAndTheCreek. Let me love you again, give me one more try. Origin debaters point to Col. Benjamin Hawkins of North Carolina, a Continental Congress senator. "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. 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. What better way to sweeten the sour than with a classic Southern libation? PS A belated congratulations on your appointment as moderator, Tom. The "creek don't rise" phrase is now sometimes credited to this time of unrest and displacement. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. Phrase [ edit] Lord willing and the creek don't rise ( idiomatic, US, informal) Barring unforeseen circumstances. Doh! Paperback, 305 pages. It's often said in a reassuring way, to calm people down and encourage them to keep on trying. God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. False folk etymology. It must surely be the creation of a fertile modern mind desiring to put the flesh of evidence on the dry bones of outright invention. 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. 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. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. All rights reserved. We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. You may still hear it if you stop into a country store. If the Good Lord's Willing and the Creek Don't Rise - Wikipedia Johnny Cash had a hit with the song If The Good Lords Willing, and Hank Williams Jr. titled his song If the Good Lords Willin (And The Creeks Dont Rise).. Creek don't rise - phrase meaning and origin - Phrasefinder "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." I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. During the course of his 21 years in these positions he would oversee the longest period of peace with theCreek, only to watch his lifetime of work destroyed by a faction of this Indian Nation known as the Red Sticks during the War of 1812. The expression make groceries is a translation of the French faire son march (to do ones market shopping). Firsts, Mines, Asks. 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. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. If The Creek Don't Rise. We do our best to keep our promises, but sometimes unforeseen circumstances come up. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. Do You Know These Sizzlin' Southern Sayings? - Dictionary.com I've never forgotten it and it's drove me nuts because I would love a copy of it. 15 Kentucky Sayings Other People Wouldn't Understand - OnlyInYourState You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. 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. 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. 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.. A Quite certainly not. 1851. There, we listened to amazing stories told by Dr. John Mattox. The Lafayette gazette (Louisiana), 3 Nov. 1894. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. 50 of the Best Southern Sayings | Serving Up Southern If the Creek Don't Rise Quotes by Leah Weiss - Goodreads It turns out that the phrase was written by Benjamin Hawkins in the late 18th century. But, what we do know is English once used you and ye strictly to address a group of people. As I was in a museum, I felt confident in repeating the knowledge to others as fact. In the 1900s, the word evolved, taking on a Southern spin as well as new meanings such as "courage" and "get-up-and-go.". 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. However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. You'll most often hear it coming out of Mama's mouth when the kids are running amok. Turn around, and please dont drive through it. Following that treaty John Siever formed the state of Franklin from land previously claimed by North Carolina but never ceded by the Indian tribes. I am usually among those who bristle at change in usage. She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. To cover your bases you might say, "I'll see you then if the creek don't rise." Cows aren't known for their speed, and they are usually out and about, wandering until feeding time. However, the first President to move to Washington was John Adams on 1 November 1800. No, we don't mean you need to go fix your hair. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. Talk:Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary If you just heard your mama come home and you haven't finished your chores, she will definitely be "madder than a wet hen." The creek don't rise - Wikipedia Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. If the Creek Don't Rise: Tales From the South Kindle Edition I am feeling culture shock from reading this book. 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. 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. A: "Do you reckon we'll have enough from this harvest to make ends meet?" 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. You Cant Use These English Words In The UK, Understanding Black History: 10 Terms That Illuminate The Black Experience In The US. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Cookies and privacy Select your currency from the list and click Donate. Is this derivation correct? In fact, Georgia and South Carolina produce more peaches than any other states in the South. 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! 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. I always took it as a reference to the level of water in a creek. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You gonna let him break your spirit, too? Kicked in the gut and sucker punched with one of the best books I have ever read. Oh, if the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise. The word you use for a fizzy, carbonated drink reveals a lot more about you than you know. When you've met the girl of your dreams, chances are she is "pretty as a peach." I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. But I know of just four instances from that century. 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. This article about the English language is a stub. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. Just wait till you see what Granny Gladys does..with a bit of help from Mother Nature..hehehe. https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_willing_and_the_creek_don%27t_rise&oldid=70955250. 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. HARDY, Ark. In the South, a hill of beans is its own measuring stick. And, when the doins been done, the feller done did it. The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange The distinct English dialect of the American South, which has a close relationship with Black English (African American Vernacular English), is fascinatingand plenty lively. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. 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 good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise rural If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review. This was the phrase that he always used, at the end of each performance. 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. 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.. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Youll thank us later! If we relied on written sources it would be hard to believe in such continued use. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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 "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. Im not going to wrestle with historians and their Creek uprising story. 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. 'Creek don't rise' is a phrase with possibly more than one meaning It was set in the Ozark mountains featuring what some people called a witch. Stop right there! Maya Rodale is a best-selling romance author. 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. 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. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. My officers and fire department, we went along the river houses and notified everybody and recommended evacuation, said Hardy Police Chief Scott Rose. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. Other words sites If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. John Wayne. 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. Now, she admits to saying this to her children. 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. If the Good Lord is Willing and the Creek don't rise This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. Whatscatawampus? Throughout the years, through these floods, weve had several roads that have washed completely out, so you just dont know whats down there.. "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. If the Creek Don't Rise: A Novel - Leah Weiss - Google Books "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 that." 04 Mar 2023 03:30:05 Region 8 News on Twitter: ""You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be 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. At the time Hawkins was Congressman, he joined other well known Southeastern American leaders in negotiating a major treaty with the Creek and Cherokee at the South Carolina city of Hopewell. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. 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. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise". Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. A very young, newly married pregnant woman, she vows her no good moonshining husband has beaten her for the last time. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running.
Photo Booth Westfield Stratford, Famous Protestant Celebrities, Articles I