When I sit down to write yesterday’s post I was thinking about old sayings that have the word world in them, that just isn’t what my little fingers typed out.
Funny how saying or words common in one area of Appalachia may not be common in other parts. Go Devil comes to mind. I remember when I used it in one of the Appalachian Vocabulary Tests-I was surprised to discover the use of the word was unfamiliar to many of you who usually know all the words.
Back in the day when me and The Deer Hunter were dating, I remember him teasing me for saying ‘every day of the world’-like “He thinks he has to call her every day of the world and make sure she’s o.k.” Apparently the saying was not familiar in The Deer Hunter’s circle of people. One day he said “What does that even mean?” I said “It means every day of the world what do you think it means!”
A few other world sayings:
- Dead to the world: being deeply asleep. “I reckon I was dead to the world I didn’t hear the storm at all.” I say this one too. I sleep dead to the world every night and The Deer Hunter wishes he did.
- What in the world/Why in the world: disbelief, surprise. “Why in the world did you erase my David Grier message?” (I guess you all wish I’d hush about my David Grier message-the people I live with are tired of hearing about it too)
- I wouldn’t take the world for you:Â valuing something/someone. “I wouldn’t take the world and it’s riches for my Daddy.”
- If the world ends/the world may end: why do something or why not do something when life might be over soon. “I’m tired of worrying about how Gerlene’s going to fix this mess before next week. You never know the world may end tomorrow and it won’t matter no how.”
- Worldly women/men/things: used in a derogatory way. “Why children today worry too much about worldly goods instead of worrying about their neighbor in need.”
- The World is my oyster: all the good opportunities of the world are yours for the taking. “After I got my first job with Ritter I felt like the world was my oyster.”
- Carrying the weight of the world: being worried. “With his sick wife and then loosing his job he looked like he was a carrying the weight of the world.”
- He’s in his own little world: “Oh he’s sitting in there in his chair reading a book. Once he starts reading he’s in his own little world. You’ll have to tell him you’re here before he notices you.”
Eventually The Deer Hunter quit teasing me for saying every day of the world and I actually believe I’ve heard it come out of his mouth once or twice since our courting days.
Tipper
Tipper I have used all of these all my life. the one i say the most is “what in the world to you think your are doing!!” i say it to hubby, dogs, and when the kids were little they heard it many, many times a day and the second most used is dead to the world. i say that a lot, about the dogs and hubby falls asleep as soon as his head touches the pillow and is dead to the world all night. I am the light sleeper. someone could come in and kidnap me out of the bed and he woud never know.
“What in the WORLD are you doing?” —-me to George!!!!!!
“How in the WORLD do you do that?”
I’m sittin’ on top of the WORLD!!!!!
Cute post, Tipper.
Hugs,
Betsy
I believe I’ve heard a world of these sayings — except for ‘every day of the world’ — that’s new to me.
Around here folks say “Well, if that wasn’t a sight on earth” for something unusual or outstanding.
My husband teases me because I say, “come here once” when summoning someone.
Actually, I’ve researched this phrase and it’s a German thing, a direct German to English translation of “come here” with “once” added to soften the statement.
It was, at one time, a common expression in my little part of Texas.
As I tend to think positive, my most favourite world saying is : “the world is your oyster”
Your blog does me a world of good.
something to look forward to every day. How in the world do you come up with all this information..
Thanks for the blog! I think the world of you!
Why in the world won’t this post my comment? I’ve been trying and trying. Will give it one more shot.
What I’ve been trying to say is that yes, I’ve heard and use all of these except for “every day of the world”. That is a new one.
I have heard all these, use some of them. I’m in my own little world most of the time. And I wonder what in the world people are thinking when they do something they shouldnt’ and how in the world do they think they’ll get away with it.
Love the picture of you and the Deer Hunter.
Blessings
Patty H.
I’ve heard and used them all except the first one you said. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one.
I have heard them all, and have certainly been accused of “being in her own world”.
And, there’s not a thing in the world more cheerful than a spell with The Blind Pig!
“The people from WV talk funny…hehe”
I’m watching you Becky , always watching…..
Seriously though , I told my son’s basketball coach that five year olds playing ball was like herding cats and no one understood me?
Tipper,
I like Rachel’s comment and right
now I’m wondering “What in the
World” is on O’Reilly tonight.
Nice post…Ken
i have never heard 3: “every day of the world” or “taking the world for you” or “if the day ends”. In spanish they often say “todo el mundo” = “the whole world” but i tend to just say “everyone” ~ everyone knows that! others i have heard or say are: “out of this world” to describe something wonderful; “where in the world” when something lost cannot be located; “acts as if s/he is the only one in the world” to describe someone who is being selfish; “worlds apart” to describe differing opinions or mentalities.
Tipper: used them all, another i have heard most of my life is “for the life of me”or as mom would say i,ll whip you within an inch of your life,which of course she never did. bless her pea picken heart.
Thanks for a new saying! I love it. It will replace “every day of their/my life”. All those other world things, I have indeed heard and used as if they were commonly known.
Love this post. I’ve hard them all and have probably said them all. Maybe it was we said “Every day of this world.” Like “She calls her Mama every day of this world.”
Also “what in the world” “world class” I really like the everyday in the world. Sounds like something I would use.
Every day of the world is new to me, but I’ve heard and used all of the others. Plus King of the world, as in “He thinks he’s King of The Wotld!” I don’t recall first hearing these sayins, seems like they were just always there.
“On top of the world”–When my brother finally found a job he felt on top of the world.
Why in the world did it take you so long to post this post?? 🙂
Oh yeah, we used all these and I still use some of them.
Now what in the world will I fix for supper tonight????
I’ve heard all these and used them- including the one posted by Clint.
It would make a world of difference if …………
What a lovely photo of you and the Deer Hunter, Tipper! You both look so at ease like you had the whole world in your hands. I can just picture your ‘Every Day of the World’ exchange! 😉
I heard most you listed, except “I wouldn’t take the world.” Amazing, one can live a thousand years and still learn something! :))
Hope you and your family had a magical Christmas! xo
Tipper,
I think “every day in the world” just may be a Brasstown Angel special 😉
I never use the world is his/her oyster (but have heard it), but do use all the others.
In addition to what/why in the world, there’s also where and how in the world, such as:
“Now where in the world did I lay down that froe?”
“How in the world did you expect to split that black gum with a go devil? Black gum just ain’t a-going to split, son. I drove a wedge slam through a 3-inch slab one time and just made a hole.”
And then there’s one that dates back a few years….in the world, but not of it.
Tipper, I didn’t know I talked funny until 1961 at my freshman year at UT in Knoxville until I made friends with some young men from Indiana . I often wondered where these words come from that I learned from my parents and grandparents . One particular phrase lately that another friend noticed was ” I am going a hunting” . I study and memorize from the King James . One day I was reading and read that ” Peter and John went A fishing” . Voila, a light came on for me. Since so many of our ancestors were Scotch-Irish my thesis is that many of our colloquialisms come from the Bible they used . Looking in Strong’s concordance for the usage of World and Worldly I estimate no less than 200 times where world is used therein. One particular use of worldly is found in Titus 2-12. We mountain folks obviously learned from our parents and their parents before the days of TV . It is an interesting search. Thanks for your work . Our family enjoys it. Larry Proffitt.
Ha, you pretty well covered it. I’m familiar with them all and can’t add anything to your list.
Tipper–I am surprised the Deer Hunter wasn’t in a world of hurt thanks to revealing such woeful ignorance back in your courting days. He couldn’t have been too worldly, even in a limited Appalachian context,if he hadn’t heard such usage every day of the world.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
All of these are familiar to me. Have heard them all my life and use them regularly.
Yep…use them all.
Isn’t it funny how things tend to rub off on someone when you’ve been with them for so long.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. LOL
I’ve been in SC for so long that I now have a southern accent. And the people from WV…talk funny. tee hee
What in the world? Where in the world? Who in the world?
The world being the biggest thing we can conceive of, but wait, the world is getting smaller.
I was reading a book recently that used the expression, what in the nine hells, in the same way I would say, what in the world. Wonder what in the nine hells that means.
Let’s also not forget the world wide web. How big is that?
I use all of these, Tipper. Especially ‘in my own little world’ which is where I stay most of the time!
Never heard of “every day of the world” but have grown up with all the rest, and still use them.
Never heard ‘every day in the world.’ What about ‘for all the world’, as in a sure thing?
‘It looked for all the world like he would never get here in time…’