Lying down south

Posted by ESC on March 08, 2008 at 14:54:

In Reply to: Lying down south posted by ESC on March 08, 2008 at 13:50:

: : : I'm looking for Southern phrases (think Tennessee) about lying, fibbing, etc. Can anyone help?

: : I'll have a look in my reference books. Here is one that's kind of about lying.

: : So crooked he'd steal the eyeballs out of your head and swear he paid $500 for them. "Oddball Sayings, Witty Expressions & Down Home Folklore: A collection of Clever Sayings." Miriam C. Larsen (R&E Publishers, Can Jose, Ca., 1995). Page 15.

: Liar: Him and the truth ain't related. His story don't track with the facts. He got his facts tangled. Lie: Ain't square with the facts. As shy of the truth as a pig (or turtle) is feathers. This Dog'll Really Hunt: An Entertaining Texas Dictionary by Wallace O. Chariton (Wordware Publishing, Plano, Texas, 1989, 1990). Page 136-137.

: Overheard telephone conversation in Kentucky: It's your lie. Tell it the way you want to.

Tale = idle or malicious report. Also, lie-tale. Just a tall tale = a windy. "He's telling a windy." Southern Mountain Speech by Cratis D. Williams (Berea College Press, Ky., 1992). Page 112 and 119.