Fixin’ To
Fixin’ to is one of my favorite Southernisms. I distinctly remember a girl pointing out my frequent use of the phrase when I was a teenager and it was the first time I remember feeling self-conscious about my accent or really even noticing my Southern slang. I grew up in Tennessee, but we moved to Georgia when I was in high school and my Tennessee twang frequently invited comments from others. Sierra (not her real name) and I attended different local high schools, but for six months or so we ran the customer service desk at the front of a retail store in our hometown. It never occurred to me to ask her where she hailed from and why she didn’t use fixin’ to, common in Southern vernacular, to indicate she was preparing herself to undertake a task.
Why on earth do we use fixin’ to?
Several centuries ago, to "fix" meant "to set one's eye or mind to do something." The Oxford English Dictionary cited this 1716 example: "He fixes for another expedition." I think it sounds downright elegant when put this way.
The Yale Grammatical Diversity Project analyzes various usages of fixin’ to and explains the phrase places an event in the near future. They further explain the use of fixin’ to can be paraphrased as going to, about to, and planning to. In their exploration of the concept of fixin’ to, the project’s discussion of this aspect of language includes finna to, often heard in African American dialects in the South and, on occasion, other parts of the country as well. Their article includes a link to maps created by Jack Grieve who appears to be researching various aspects of language and their presentations throughout the United States.
https://ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/fixin-to
One particularly harsh definition in The Urban Dictionary indicates the person defining fixin’ to likely experienced a love connection gone awry.
A moronic, poorly used English phrase, meaning: I'm getting ready to do (whatever the task may be), or I am preparing for something. Normally used by common hicks from the south, often those who have betrayed their fiances…
I'm fixin' to go to the bank to cash the check you gave me, since I have no money of my own and can't support my own sorry self…
#hick #south #loser #vernacular #poor grammer
Additionally, he stepped smackdab into the common trap of believing Southerners to be dumb simply because we speak colloquaially. (A word this common hick spelled correctly without looking it up or using spell check!) And, he lost some of the weight of his argument by not capitalizing South and then misspelling grammar in his hashtag array. Bless his little pea-pickin’ heart, I sincerely hope he eventually overcame his bitterness and found true love.
Bob Dylan and Bukka White
When I did a Google Search for “fixin’ to” while researching for this blog post, a link popped up to the song Fixin’ to Die on the Bob Dylan page: www.bobdylan.com.This confused me momentarily since I did not remember the famous, gruff-voiced singer hailing from the South. So, of course my curiosity compelled me to click on the page; I learned Bob Dylan, born and raised in Minnesota, covered Fixin’ to Die in 1961, but Bukka White, an African American man born in Mississippi, wrote and recorded the song in 1940. According to the song’s page on Wikipedia, White wrote the song after watching a friend die and speculating how a man would feel facing his own mortality. Covered a number of times over the years by various artists, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012. I encourage you to give it a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=szGRsuK8MbM
And Now a Bar?
Again, while using the Google, as my Great Aunt Fredna would say, the search for fixin’ to lead me to an establishment in Portland, Oregon. Founded by Bart and Marli Blasengame and infused with Southern extract from Bart’s upbringing in Arkansas, The Fixin’ To bar and restaurant features live music in an intimate 100 person capacity venue. The menu pays homage to down-home cooking with its ham hock sandwich, frito pie, mac and cheese, and meatloaf. The Fixin’ To’s brunch menu riffs on names of country singers with biscuit sandwiches called Conway Tweety and Hammy Wynette. This unique venue goes on my bucket list for travel spots. Like many Southerners, I love a good hole-in-the-wall local joint when traveling anywhere.
Southern Language
Roy Blount, Jr.
Exploring this particular Southern phrase, which I continue to sprinkle in my conversations, ignites an appreciation for the colorfulness of our culture when it comes to language. I feel grateful for the lack of judgment and disdain from researchers striving to explore our vernacular and understand the various dialects present in different areas of the Southern states. Sometimes I fear we risk losing some of the interesting aspects of our culture as the world becomes a smaller place through internet access or through traditions not being passed down. Mind you, certain traditions need to stay firmly rooted in our past, but our fondness for wacky, descriptive phrases isn’t one of them. Well, I’m fixin’ to finish up my coffee and mosey down to my kitchen. I’d love to hear some of your favorite phrases from your neck of the woods, whether you’re Southern or hail from other parts.