Initiation

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

MysticCat81, I don't know what part of the South you're in, but I was raised right.

I've never heard of a person who was told that they were reared or brought up right - not in the South, at least. Maybe it's a regional thing?

The really Old South. Family in Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia for a long time.

My mother-in-law would actually correct my wife and my sister-in-law if they talked about "raising" kids. "You raise hogs," she would say. It was considered somewhat uncouth to talk about "raising" children as though they were farm animals ("kids" notwithstanding).

I think it's really a generational thing. I hear "raising children" all the time now, but rarely from anyone over 65 or 70.

As for "brought up," I still hear that all the time, as in "His momma brought him up right," or "Where were you brought up?" (Although "Where are you from?" is more common for the latter -- everyone knows that the answer is not where you've lived for the last 30 years, but where you lived for the first 18 years, i.e., where you were brought up.)

[Tom Earp]

OMG, does this bring up memories!

You were reared at so and so, You live at so and so.

Ah, today is so sadly different.

There is no lingo that means anything anymore! Oh, such as getting Your Rear Switched!

[TSteven]

Originally Posted by MysticCat81

The really Old South. Family in Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia for a long time.

My mother-in-law would actually correct my wife and my sister-in-law if they talked about "raising" kids. "You raise hogs," she would say. It was considered somewhat uncouth to talk about "raising" children as though they were farm animals ("kids" notwithstanding).

I think it's really a generational thing. I hear "raising children" all the time now, but rarely from anyone over 65 or 70.

As for "brought up," I still hear that all the time, as in "His momma brought him up right," or "Where were you brought up?" (Although "Where are you from?" is more common for the latter -- everyone knows that the answer is not where you've lived for the last 30 years, but where you lived for the first 18 years, i.e., where you were brought up.)

I too was reared to say "reared" and "brought up". And I still hear the young 'ens use both turn of phrases. I'm sure it is due to how we were brought up and that each generation passes it on down and so forth.

And don't forget the follow up to (or in some cases, substitution for) "Where were you brought up?" Which is "Who are your people?"

While it is usually just a very Southern and genteel way of inquiring as to someone's heritage, "Who are your people?" can also be a loaded question. Depending on who is asking, why they are asking it, and how they say it.

[honeychile]

MysticCat & I took it to PMs - turns out our ancestors probably knew each other! And yes, while children are raised or brought up, when complimenting one's parents, the phrase, "You were raised right" does seem to dominate - at least with those people I know.

So, we did the "who are your people?" thing, too!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by TSteven

While it is usually just a very Southern and genteel way of inquiring as to someone's heritage, "Who are your people?" can also be a loaded question. Depending on who is asking, why they are asking it, and how they say it.

LOL. Very loaded indeed.

[notyouraverage]

Originally Posted by honeychile

MysticCat & I took it to PMs - turns out our ancestors probably knew each other!

of course you two are related - you're probably the two people I admire most on GreekChat!