"She's a caution," said anywhere outside of Arkansas, still common in Arkansas?

[ElizabethB]

So, the stood to his feet thing got me thinking--I have not heard the phrase "she's a caution" used anywhere but Arkansas, and there it was mainly older people who used it to describle interesting friends or relatives. I did not hear it in Texas or Alabama, but we had less civilian friends there. Also, we have not been to Arkansas in over a decade now, is it still common there, and if so, do young people use it too?

 

And yes, I have heard stood to his feet many times, I thought it was common usage.

[8circles]

Never heard it but I like it.

[MeaganS]

Lived in Arkansas for 4 years (moved away 2 years ago) and never heard it. Dh lived there since he was 10 and he said he never heard it either. Then again, that was mostly NWA, and NWA is practically a different state.

[Guest]

What does it even mean? I've never heard it in my life. Difficult or tempting/dangerous woman? Gorgeous? I'm not even sure I get the colloquialism in terms of concept.

[ElizabethB]

Well, if you have an eccentric older aunt or uncle who does crazy things but people still like them, you would say, in a fond tone while discussing her latest escapade, "That Aunt Lilly, she's a caution!" The people who say this are likely to be rural, older, use the word ain't, and/or have a heavy Arkansas accent.

 

If it was a mean relative or friend, you would not use the term, and I never heard it used to describe anyone young.

 

The phrase is also likely to be used rhetorically as in, "Great Aunt Emma Jean shore is a caution, ain't she?" I am not sure I ever heard it used to describe a man, but assume it is gender neutral.

Edited March 24, 2016 by ElizabethB

[Garga]

I don't know what it means either.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing?  Does it mean that you use caution before getting to know her because she's trouble?

 

ETA:  Posting at the same time as the above post.  But I'm still not sure what it means.  Why the word caution?  Caution means to proceed with care.  Have to do some google research on it.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Garga

[Garga]

Hang on.  From this website:  http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/217215/meaning-of-the-phrase-youre-a-caution

 

J. E. Lighter, Random House Historical Dictionary of American English (1994), has this entry forcaution:

caution

 

n.

 a thing or (now 

esp.

) a person that causes astonishment, annoyance, or amusement—also constr. with ref. to assorted animals. Now 

colloq

.

[Guest]

Well, if you have an eccentric older aunt or uncle who does crazy things but people still like them, you would say, in a fond tone while discussing her latest escapade, "That Aunt Lilly, she's a caution!" The people who say this are likely to be rural, older, use the word ain't, and/or have a heavy Arkansas accent.

 

If it was a mean relative or friend, you would not use the term, and I never heard it used to describe anyone young.

 

The phrase is also likely to be used rhetorically as in, "Great Aunt Emma Jean shore is a caution, ain't she?" I am not sure I ever heard it used to describe a man, but assume it is gender neutral.

So it expresses fondness for eccentricities? I'd have never guessed, truthfully.

[ElizabethB]

So it expresses fondness for eccentricities? I'd have never guessed, truthfully.

Yes. But it could also be if they do something you disagree with but are amazed at the craziness of it all, but I only heard it used for people that are overall liked or respected.

[TeenagerMom]

Been in Arkansas for 30 years....never have heard it used and that's with 4 years in the Geriatric field of medicine. :001_smile:

[ElizabethB]

Never heard it but I like it.

I always thought it was a great phrase, but I never had cause to use it when we were in Arkansas and knew that no one would know what I was talking about outside of the state, even if I had someone to use it for. Actaully, my 8th grade Algebra teacher comes to mind, she rode a motorcycle, wore crazy skirts, said whatever she felt like. She was a good math teacher and respected as a teacher, but people did talk about her latest escapade, and if it had been a place where the phrase was used, I am sure people would have used it about her.

[HRAAB]

My dh's grandmother said that about my oldest dd when she was little. She was born in Missouri. I've heard it other times, usually from older people. I'm on the opposite side of the country from Arkansas.

[ElizabethB]

My dh's grandmother said that about my oldest dd when she was little. She was born in Missouri. I've heard it other times, usually from older people. I'm on the opposite side of the country from Arkansas.

I guess when you are young AND old you do crazy things to merit the term!

 

Maybe it is more of an older phrase than a Southern phrase. When I searched more recent works for the term, I found Gilbert Morris, who was born in Arkansas and now lives in Alabama. He was born in 1929, though.

[*Lulu*]

Great grandparents used it frequently- 2 from Ohio, 1 from Texas

 

I used it in my "Ann with an e" phase.

[MelAR05]

I've lived in Arkansas most of my life and have never heard that term. But maybe it's common in a different part of Arkansas. I've lived mostly in northwest Arkansas or the River Valley.

[Scarlett]

I lived in AR for 35 years and never heard that expression.

[Laura Corin]

It's used in the UK but I think it's dying out.  I haven't heard it in years.  It may be holding on in some regions.

[HS Mom in NC]

Never heard it.

[ChocolateReignRemix]

Great grandparents used it frequently- 2 from Ohio, 1 from Texas

 

I used it in my "Ann with an e" phase.

 

I heard it from grandparents in Ohio as well.

 

I think I have read it before as well.  I think it is more of an "old" phrase than a regional one.

[Tsuga]

Never heard it but was raised far from my grandparents. I like it.

[Innisfree]

I've known the phrase for years but can't actually remember hearing it. I think I may have come across it in books? I think of it as older vernacular, but not with a specific regional association, at least that I'm aware of.

[Joyofsixreboot]

My very Hoosier rural grandparents said it. My parents substituted the very " modern" she's a card.😛

[PaulainTx]

I grew up hearing it.  I'm from Kentucky.

[Laura Corin]

Another phrase with a similar meaning that I have heard is 'S/he's a one.'

[DawnM]

I have never heard of it.

[creekland]

My parents substituted the very " modern" she's a card.😛

 

I've never heard "She's a caution," but it's cute and I like it.  I wonder if we can start using it in the Hive?  :lol:

 

I have heard "She's a card," not frequently, but enough to recognize it.

[ktgrok]

I know the phrase, but have no idea why I know it. I'm suspecting I heard it on Steel Magnolias or a similar movie. I love it, and wish I had enough of an accent to use it and not sound fake. It's a great phrase. 

[ktgrok]

Great grandparents used it frequently- 2 from Ohio, 1 from Texas

 

I used it in my "Ann with an e" phase.

 

that's right, isn't it used in Anne of Green Gables?

[Cinder]

I've lived in small town AR just outside Little Rock as well as big town west TX and have never heard this expression. I have heard "he's a card" from my in-laws who are from the northeast US. I've heard "hot mess" but I think I actually heard that here on the forum before anywhere else.

[Ellie]

So, the stood to his feet thing got me thinking--I have not heard the phrase "she's a caution" used anywhere but Arkansas, and there it was mainly older people who used it to describle interesting friends or relatives. I did not hear it in Texas or Alabama, but we had less civilian friends there. Also, we have not been to Arkansas in over a decade now, is it still common there, and if so, do young people use it too?

 

And yes, I have heard stood to his feet many times, I thought it was common usage.

 

Nope, never heard it. Grew up in Virginia, spent lots of time on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, 30 years in California, 12 years in Texas.

 

I have also *read* "stood to his feet," but I haven't heard it very often. It's usually used for emphasis, kwim? Something *big* is coming, an announcement of some kind.

[plansrme]

What a great phrase.  I read it and, though I've never heard it, knew exactly what it meant and can almost hear people saying it.  Those are sure-fire signs of a good idiom.  What a shame that so many of them are dying out.

[Debbi in Texas]

I lived in SE Arkansas for 45 years and never heard it. Haven't heard it hear in Texas either.

[foxbridgeacademy]

I've heard it from my grandma who's always lived in Indiana.  Also from a neighbor in NC who was almost 70 at the time.

[Tammi K]

I'm from Pennsylvania.  I'm familiar with the phrase and knew the meaning but I don't know that I've ever heard it said.  I probably picked it up from reading it somewhere.

[Mom22ns]

The phrase is also likely to be used rhetorically as in, "Great Aunt Emma Jean shore is a caution, ain't she?" I am not sure I ever heard it used to describe a man, but assume it is gender neutral.

 

I have to tell you that ds has a Great Aunt Erma Jean and she shore is a caution! I'm not from AR, but I can't believe you practically used her name and it is a perfect fit!!

 

Edited to fix messed up abbreviation - sorry.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Momto2Ns

[MeaganS]

I have to tell you that ds has a Great Aunt Erma Jean and she shore is a caution! I'm not from AK, but I can't believe you practically used her name and it is a perfect fit!!

AK is Alaska. AR is Arkansas. Mistaking the two is a pet peeve of many an Arkansan. Wouldn't want to horribly offend anyone. 😉

Edited March 24, 2016 by Meagan S

[Mom22ns]

AK is Alaska. AR is Arkansas. Mistaking the two is a pet peeve of many an Arkansan. Wouldn't want to horribly offend anyone. 😉

 

Well that was embarrassing. I do live less than an hour from AR. I really do know better.