How to Speak Southern

From polite pleasantries like “much obliged” to perfectly camouflaged insults like “that dog won’t hunt,” social media sensation, comedian, and author of Bless Your Heart Landon Bryant (@LandonTalks) breaks down more than 200 common and not-so-common words, expressions, and colorful Southern-isms to decode what they mean, where they come from, and how they’re used.

Hey, y’all. Welcome to the South! If you’ve ever been told you’re “too big for your britches,” warned that someone is “all hat and no cattle,” or invited to supper when you were pretty sure you’d already eaten dinner, then this book is for you. How to Speak Southern is your playful passport to the wild, witty, and sometimes confusing world of Southern words and expressions.

Part dictionary, part reference guide, and part storytelling session, this book unpacks what Southerners say and what they actually mean when they say it. Each entry breaks down a word or phrase and explains its roots and a real-life example you might overhear at a church potluck, a high school football game, or family reunion that started at noon and ended three days later. Whether you’re a born-and-raised Southerner or transplant who knows the difference between “acting ugly” and “getting above your raising,” or just a curious outsider still trying to figure out if “carry me to town” involves actual lifting, this book celebrates the humor, hospitality, and razor-sharp subtlety of Southern speech delivering a cultural translation unlike anything you’ve ever heard or seen before. So, pull up a rocking chair, pour something sweet, and let’s learn how to speak Southern.