Why do some people in the South say "on today or on yesterday"?
By kyodao
@kyodao (36)
United States
October 5, 2008 6:08pm CST
I hear people from the South ALL the time say "on today or on yesterday" and it bugs me. The word "on" is redudant because when you say today or yesterday, it is understood that it was "on" that day and hence no need to add the word. Anyone else notice this?
2 people like this
5 responses
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
6 Oct 08
I have also lived in the South all my life and I have never heard anyone say this. I'll admit down in the farming country of Mississippi they something a little strange but I have never heard that one. However I live in Arkansas and we are more hill billy ridge runners than we are Southern comfort. I have been all through the South though.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
5 Oct 08
It's simply a linguistic regionalism. There are many, but the only one people seem to notice easily is y'all. Our language could use to adopt that throughout the world, as there are too many times when the fact that the singular and plural you are the same causes confusion. 
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
5 Oct 08
I was born, raised and have lived in the South (S.E. Georgia) my entire life and i have NEVER heard ANYONE say that. What part of the south are you talking about? A lot of people are raised else where and move to the South so it may be a speech pattern from some where other than the South. Of course Every Southern state has different speech patterns so it may very well be in a different State or different part of the State that i was raised in. It really is silly to tag it as a speech pattern that is prevalent in every State in the South.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
6 Oct 08
I sure hope you are better at handling those swamp rattlers down there than I was. I spent some time at Fort Stewart GA and those huge rattle snakes were more than I wanted. I was stationed at Columbus, (Fort Benning) and I loved it up there. Made some very good friend there. I love the way they talk in Georgia. It isn't so much what they say but the way they say it. One of the easiest to understand forms of the English language there is. They speak a little slow and very clear.
1 person likes this
@cjgrooms (4456)
• United States
6 Oct 08
Not only do i have the good sense to stay away from Water Moccasins (which are found in the swamp and around water) but i also avoid Rattlers (which is everywhere else) as a matter of fact i could probably win a foot race if one slithered after me (and this includes the garden variety) It gives me chills just thinking about it. I live about 50 miles S.E. of Fort Stewart. Where are you from originally?
@jlcameron513 (22)
• United States
11 Oct 08
I lived in Georgia for 4 years and now I am in PA. Yes those types of things are annoying but its no worse than people around here saying "Youz guys" I hate that!
