Soda web site devoted to this age-old debate. The phrase "God willing." - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange But today Ive stumbled across the claim that it refers to an uprising by the Creek (or Cree) Indians. Actually this is not proven. No bigger than a minnow in a fishing pond is as tiny as can be. The resulting warfare and predictable civilian losses in the South reportedly gave rise (using the Southern frontier penchant for willin as opposed to the educated willing) to the phrase which was then likely mistakenly attributed to Hawkins due to his Native American connections. Southerners adopted this phrase wholeheartedly from its early usages in 1700s England and Scotland (where it meant "common sense"). 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. 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.. A search for the word rise does not produce this phrase, so it appears that the body of water theory was correct after all. A true Southern tradition. The clipping below from 1892 is a reference to flooding waterways not allowing the postmaster to get to his office. 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. Look up Lord willing and the creek don't rise in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. If you hear this one, you should probably pause a moment. Often said as "Lord willing and the creek don't rise," this expression means, with a little bit of luck and no unexpected problems, things should work out. In other words, Ill make it to Grandmas if the indians dont go on the warpath. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. Oh, how I loved this story - I simply didnt want it to end! And that is the highest praise from me. 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! John Wayne. The "creek don't rise" phrase is now sometimes credited to this time of unrest and displacement. Region 8 News on Twitter: ""You've heard that old saying, 'I'll be (the good) Lord willing and the creek don't rise - TheFreeDictionary.com 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. A strikingly sincere portrait of a town and its buried secrets from an outstanding new voice in southern fiction. The creek don't rise - Wikipedia 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. Over yonder toward the water tower. I've been in a slump of just ok books and was craving one that was special. Grandma might whisper this one over her hymnal if she sees you cutting up in church on Sunday morning. 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. When I was growing up, this was something we said all of the time. Werefixin to tell you more Southernisms, and now were doing just that. That means whatever you're talking about is worth less than very little. The request was to a general that had troops near Horseshoe Bend Alabama, protecting settlers against a Creek Indian uprising. Youre still going to the grocery store. 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. While this phrase may sound made up, it's simply our multisyllabic manner of saying something is askew. And I have used this page's title often-feeling quite sure I knew exactly what it meant. Lord willing and the creek don't rise - Wiktionary If you find only minnows, though, they look even smaller compared to the heavy catch you hoped for. "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." The only requirement is that you declare it loud and proud. Marty Stuart places the words "If the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, we'll see you in the mornin'." 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. 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.". Its especially difficult for people that live south of River Road and some of them that live in Woodland Hills. You might say cocola. Here are a couple of examples of this claim. The doin hasnt been done yet. Instead of "Well, I swear," Southerners have adopted a geographically inspired alternative. It's a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. Cookies and privacy All of my life there have been local mountain sayings that I've heard and of course repeated, complete with a North Carolina southern drawl as literal fact. These skies can darken at a moment's notice, and summer afternoons often see winds churning and heavy rain clouds blowing in to cool that Southern summer heat. Somehow, the word went full circle and is now considered a distinctly Southern invention. Runnin around like a chicken with it's head . 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. (LogOut/ This one may be self-explanatory, but we can imagine it originating back in the days of stagecoaches, when horse-and-buggy pairs filled the streets. History: God Willing And The Creek Dont Rise Some newspaper clippings are harder to determine which meaning they meant. It happens often during a Southern summer, when the heat rises and the temperatures shoot past 100. This United Statesrelated article is a stub. Variants substitute "God" or "Good Lord" (with or without "the") for "Lord", and substitute "crick" or "river" for "creek", or capitalize it as "Creek" or "Creeks" based on confusion with the Creek Indian tribe. 30 Phrases Only Southerners Use However, if you're from the South, you know that sometimes there's just no other way to get your point across. 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. I absolutely loved the southern voice of these characters throughout this book. Its a more conditional statement of intent than come hell or high water. Catawampus(or, cattywampus) may have been popularized by Brits who delighted in parodying Southern vernacular. If you're trying to be nice, but you just can't quite let it go, "bless your heart" is a go-to. 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, good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, come March of next year, I'll be 225 years old. If you've just had a big Southern lunch, complete with cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pie, you're definitely full as a tick. Because that is supposedly how the original author first wrote it. 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's raining cats and dogs. Many thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in return for an unbiased review. He told us about a young man who had been in the museum some weeks previous. I ate that up with a spoon and did my best to read them all. In his reply, he was said to have written, God willing and the Creek dont rise. This was a Traveling Sister Read with Brenda, Sarah, Jennifer and Porshajo. While in the south, Hawkins was requested by the President of the U.S. to return to Washington. 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. No matter where you go in Kentucky, the people often have some colorful expressions. 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. You dont know whats underneath that water, Rose said. She's seventeen, pregnant and two weeks into her marriage to Roy Tupkin, after enduring brutal beatings, Sadie knows she has made a mistake. Wow! Leah Weiss introduces her extraordinary characters as chapters unfold and each one has their own peculiarity. 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. I will be at church on Sunday. 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. Her grandmother Gladys tells us of her awful past ridden with the drunkenness and senseless abuse. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as hold your horses and pretty as a peach nationwide, youll likely only hear the following from a true Southerner. Its typically used to describe a situation thats gone askew, awry, or out of alignment. This is a point of emphasis and exclamation that often ends without any additional telling at all. Yelling out this humorous backronym for sh*tmight just tame the anger a bit. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Settle in, because whatever we're talking about is going to take all day. What Grandma says when you pull in the driveway, pop out of the car, and come running. 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. God willing and the creek don't rise If all goes as it should; if everything goes well. 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. False folk etymology. Who better to write about the risks of the Creek rising in revolt? Yes, I had heard of the Appalachians and how the culture spreads along those mountains over more than a dozen States. 'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help : NPR Therefore if the Lord is willing and the Creek don't rise up and start up another uprising or battle, we will be able complete what ever it is we intend to do. Cant never could is a reminder that if you dont even try, you wont ever accomplish your goal. A young woman goes missing and has the town both fearful and wondering. Eventually, you became a singular pronoun, and we lost the plural pronouns. Your email address will not be published. This article about the English language is a stub. Select your currency from the list and click Donate. Though youre likely to hear Southernisms such as. Its worth looking into because of the way in which it has been elaborated in the version you quote.. 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. If so, you know that being madder than a wet hen is very mad indeed. [3] The capitalization of the word Creek supposedly referred to the Creek Indian tribe rather than a body of water.[4][5]. Only 15 days into her marriage to Roy Tupkin and Sadie Blue is already . Baines Creek, high up in the Appalachian mountain, a poor place filled with impoverished people, a place where moonshine is king. 'Cause everything's fine, God, I wish it were . This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 01:18. 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 . Georgia-born blogger Jennifer Collins says she always rolled her eyes when her mom said this to her. Im a longtime admirer of your calm demeanor and encyclopedic knowledge. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. I agree that the Indian origin sounds unlikely. When a fellers fixin to do something, theyre about to do it. Every researcher who has investigated the expression has dismissed an Indian connection as untrue. 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. What is the origin of the phrase the good Lord willing and the creek dont rise? "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. (Im terrible about reading usernames as I scan threads, and I completely missed who had contributed that comment.). She captures the whole Appalachian scene - the vocabulary, the falling down houses, the likker, the poverty. New words appear; old ones fall out of use or alter their meanings. 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. Andrew Jackson sent a request for reinforcements before the Battle Of New Orleans. "Well I s'wanee" evokes the Southern Suwannee River. Well, hells bells. And yes, I have heard the music of this culture and watched the dancing. 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 Creek were a tribe of Native Americans (indians) who would ambush people who were traveling West. 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.". Is this derivation correct? We admit that we've heard this Southernism more than once. Someone once said that when you visit the South, you need a translator. Like trying to meet a friend for lunch but having the car breakdown on the way. 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. 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. We've had a lot of delays, but God willing and the creek don't rise, we should have the house finished before winter. It is a physical and mental state a few degrees past weary and just this side of dog-tired. If the Creek Dont Rise by Leah Weiss is a 2017 Sourcebooks Landmark publication. If you use this phrase, you could be declaring any number of things: surprise, dissent, happiness. 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. The phrase may be accompanied by a gesture indicating north, south, east, or west. Siever, known as Nolichucky Jack to his friends, was as brutal to the Cherokee and Creek as they were to him, but Siever knew to frame his attacks as responses to incursion or wrongs. And really, wouldn't we all druther have our druthers? IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE is character driven and one fine gritty and entertaining debut with one fine satisfying ending! DeSantis ends Disney's free reign over Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill. And yes, they roll their eyes, too. It mentions Benjamin Hawkins of the late 18th century, who was asked by the US president to go back to Washington. "All get out" finds its way into Southern phrases constantly, and it intensifies any statement. Some say farmers used to dunk their hens when they got broody. Come visit me at LeahWeiss.com where you can subscribe to my CREEKRISE author news. Rather, when this phrase is used, we'd like you to mind your manners and stop acting inappropriately. This book reminds me of that. Ain't got no dog in that race. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. The written record dates the saying from about the middle of the nineteenth century. Stop right there! A rising creek could spell trouble, as it can lead to flooding and other issues. It is a quintessential Southern phrase, said by friends and family on porches and in rocking chairs all across the South. and the word HOPE. Translated, it means, "He sure does think a lot of himself." There is no reason to suppose the Indian variant is true. I doubt it will ever be possible to prove the source of some of these old sayings,but they sure are alot of funThis post set me a thinkin bout some things we grew up saying that we took from our eldersfor example when one is astonished you say Oh my Stars! Or when you havent seen someone in awhile you say I aint seen Hide nor Hair of em since..and there was plenty of times I was toldquit rootin around an causin such a ruckass!usually refering to me being in Granmas gardenand one can never forget the simpleSkeedaddle! Now the devil may knowWhere those sayings come from. If the creek rises, travel will be impossible and Ill never get to Grannys. 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!. Funny Phrases ben stanczyk 10/25/01 40 OLD PHRASES AND SAYINGS - Grammy's Grid The dialect is obscure and living conditions primitive with a feel more like the 1870's than the 1970's..so backward..so uncivilized..the men so brutal and lawless, and for Sadie Blue, life seems grave. As they returned home, some of them also killed some settlers in the Ohio valley. Take a look at some of our favorite Southern sayings that we just couldn't live without. It was bad as all get out. An odd few (6% of Americans) do use soft drink, according to the Pop vs. I reckon "I reckon" can replace any number of phrases, such as: I guess, I suppose, I think, and I imagine. And of course, there's nothing prettier than a warm summer day picking peaches in the sunshine. "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. Change). If the Creek Don't Rise. Given that many small farm streams were crossed without bridges, which worked find most of the time, a swollen stream would cause problems. I was surprised as all get out. What Do Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, And Lent Mean? 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. 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. 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. This string of double negatives is actually meant as encouragement! 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. It can be summarised as "if all goes well". When you're fixin' to do something, it's going to happen, but you also may decide to take your sweet time. origin of phrase - "if the creek don't rise" - Factual Questions It may take the form of real or mock dialect, in variations like " Lor' willin' an' th' crick don' rise.". I was going to ask him why, but I had to shoot him. Copyright 2023 KAIT. What's The Difference Between Y'all And Ya'll? If the Creek Don't Rise|Paperback - Barnes & Noble 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. Note that the Creek Nation(s) did not "rise" at all. 15. 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. Dylan LeBlanc - If The Creek Don't Rise Lyrics | Genius Lyrics We didnt. Because he capitalized Creek its asserted that he was referring to the Creek Indian tribe and not a body of water. If the good Lord's willin and the creek don't rise. Historically, Southerners in the Appalachian mountains pronounced eternal as tarnal. That pronunciation suggests a clever word-smoosh between tarnal and damnation, so the savvy Appalachians could euphemistically express their anger without wasting an extra breath. Theres nothing more Southern than a lively Hey, yall! And dont you dare think of spelling it yallSouthern Living has decreed this contraction of you all is spelled one way, and one way only. Take a look here Michael: http://www.genealogynation.com/creek/. Pot callin the kettle black. In Gone With the Wind, Scarlett OHara says: I do declare, Frank Kennedy, if you dont look dashing with that new set of whiskers!. 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. 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. For instance, I might promise to show up for Christmas at Grandmas if the good Lords willing and the creek dont rise. Doh! Not one shred of evidence is a clear invitation to fault the writer. A Quite certainly not. It seems this saying is a favorite expression of country singers. Hardy citizens awoken by first responders urging evacuation "He broke bout every piece of sweet in 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.). 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. TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN WAYNE (of 133) | A-Z Quotes Anytime it rains as hard as it did last night, it always brings back fears of having to face something like we did in 1984, he said. 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. Get help and learn more about the design. "Come Hell or high water" vs "Lord willing and the creek don't rise" by Leah Weiss. 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). It's a vivid phrase, and it's an accurate one too. "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." 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. Curiously, this word might have roots in offbeat British humor from the 1840s. (Yes, it is terrible grammar, but that is how it is said. 'Creek don't rise' is a phrase with possibly more than one meaning Page created 25 Feb. 2012, Problems viewing this page? "If the Creek Don't Rise" We'll be there unless something out of our control stops us. "Creek" originated as a reference to creeks flooding and preventing travel, but is sometimes re-interpreted as a reference to the Creek tribe. 1851. It was a big old chunk of a book, so only a couple of the kids including myself read it. 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.