What is Boy Howdy

[Jaggy]

I searched and came up with 11 pages.. browsed but still couldn't find what Boy Howdy means.. Can someone enlighten this old lady ?? Thanks..

[Taltarzac725]

I searched and came up with 11 pages.. browsed but still couldn't find what Boy Howdy means.. Can someone enlighten this old lady ?? Thanks..

Boy Howdy « The Word Detective (http://www.word-detective.com/2008/07/boy-howdy/)

[senior citizen]

I searched and came up with 11 pages.. browsed but still couldn't find what Boy Howdy means.. Can someone enlighten this old lady ?? Thanks..

I have no clue.......but I assume it means something like WOW.

When we first moved to Vermont in 1970, we heard all types of new phrases which we'd never ever heard before........such as "wicked", "wicked good", etc.

Each region has its own peculiarities in speech.........

(After I typed this and posted it, I recalled the gal from North Carolina who always told me with a smile that her little boys, ages two and four, were "wicked" or "wicked good" so I did hear it prior to moving to Vermont.
But up here it was used quiete often by the locals.........I soon learned that wicked meant good.......I guess????)

[Taltarzac725]

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/villages-florida-general-discussion-73/boy-howdy-defined-65836/

[senior citizen]

Boy Howdy « The Word Detective (http://www.word-detective.com/2008/07/boy-howdy/)

Thanks for the link........very interesting for us "yankees".

I sure hope this guy isn't correct:
""This term is used sarcastically in response to a slow thinker’s revelation of a pretty obvious fact: “Well, Boy Howdy!”""

[graciegirl]

I have no clue.......but I assume it means something like WOW.

When we first moved to Vermont in 1970, we heard all types of new phrases which we'd never ever heard before........such as "wicked", "wicked good", etc.

Each region has its own peculiarities in speech.........


:1rotfl::1rotfl:

My grandmother who was from Illinois said it and I think it means Oh MY.

Or Wow. (you are right Senior) or maybe even Oh sh*t.

But in our section of the country it wasn't a peculiarity.

I forgive you senior for thinkin' that. Because I think your thinkin' is wicked good.

I have a strong belief that sometimes it is best to say Boy Howdy rather than to cut them off at the knees.

Sometimes.

[senior citizen]

:1rotfl::1rotfl:

My grandmother who was from Illinois said it and I think it means Oh MY.

Or Wow. (you are right Senior) or maybe even Oh sh*t.

But in our section of the country it wasn't a peculiarity.

I forgive you senior for thinkin' that. Because I think your thinkin' is wicked good.

I have a strong belief that sometimes it is best to say Boy Howdy rather than to cut them off at the knees.

Sometimes.

I was actually referring to the "wicked good". How can something be good if it is wicked? Coming from New Jersey at the time, it just sounded strange. However, prior to marriage I worked in N.J. with a gal from North Carolina who told me often that her two little boys were "wicked" and then she'd turn around and say they were "wicked good" so I guess it isn't just native Vermonters saying that peculiar phrase.

[graciegirl]

I was actually referring to the "wicked good". How can something be good if it is wicked? Coming from New Jersey at the time, it just sounded strange. However, prior to marriage I worked in N.J. with a gal from North Carolina who told me often that her two little boys were "wicked" and then she'd turn around and say they were "wicked good" so I guess it isn't just native Vermonters saying that peculiar phrase.

boy howdy. ;)

[elevatorman]

I thought it was a "Gracieism".

[senior citizen]

Each region has its own peculiarities in speech.........

(After I typed this and posted , I recalled the gal from North Carolina who always told me with a smile that her little boys, ages two and four, were "wicked" or "wicked good" so I did hear it prior to moving to Vermont.
But up here it was used quiete often by the locals.........I soon learned that wicked meant good.......I guess????)

[skyguy79]

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1158/1036142628_7b46668dd8_m.jpg
"Boy Howdy, what a wicked thread!"

[justjim]

Boy Howdy is definitely a Goreville saying----I had a very best friend from Goreville, Illinois who used the "slang" all the time. My response to him was always another "slang" ---I'll never smile again. Now, figure that one out!

[Uptown Girl]

To me, it is a creative alternative to rolling one's eyes up to heaven. :ohdear:
I like it.
But then, I like all manner of colloquialisms.
In the Midwest, we heard, "Holy Cow!", "Holey Moley", and my personal favorite, "Mother of Bald Heads!" (often used by Chicago Ironworkers) That one was usually accompanied by a slap to your forehead. Spoke volumes that everybody understood!

Quite fun. :clap2:

[skyguy79]

To me, it is a creative alternative to rolling one's eyes up to heaven. :ohdear:
I like it.
But then, I like all manner of colloquialisms.
In the Midwest, we heard, "Holy Cow!", "Holey Moley", and my personal favorite, "Mother of Bald Heads!" (often used by Chicago Ironworkers) That one was usually accompanied by a slap to your forehead. Spoke volumes that everybody understood!

Quite fun. :clap2:You've brought back to memory how Mr. White used to say "Great Cesar's Ghost!" on the Superman's TV series! Other terms that come to mind are "Jeepers Creepers!"; "Holly mackrel!"; "Golly Gee Willikers!"; "Dag-nabbit!"; "Yumpin-yimminy!"; "Ay caramba!"; "Hamana-hamana!" and a lot more I'm sure!

[Taltarzac725]

"Mother of Bald Heads!" Now that is one I have never heard before.

[2BNTV]

"Mother of Bald Heads!" Now that is one I have never heard before.

Me too.

How about, yaba daba doo, aka, The Flintstones.

An old friend who love to watch cartoons with his young daughter used to say that all time.

[KayakerNC]

Here in eastern NC, they like to say Bless your heart, to soften the blow for speaking ill of someone.
"He's as bald as a cue-ball, bless his heart."
southern humor - What Bless Your Heart Really Means (http://www.ignitepoint.com/?articleid=286411)

[graciegirl]

Blondie, who still lives here, still is beautiful and still is sweet and still is mega smart..And the only psychologist I knew who was absolutely a show stopper and rode a Harley used to say....

Holy Hat!

I loved that.

[2BNTV]

We used to say in New York, "Well, excuse me for breathing", as a scarcastic respone for someone bing critical.

[OldDave]

OK, as long as we're branching into other interesting sayings I've got one.

Holy crap on a cracker!

I love the show Big Bang Theory. The female lead loves to say that. Anyone ever heard that in real life?

[wendyquat]

I thought it was a "Gracieism".

Nope, although Gracie does come up with some very original and entertaining "isms", I grew up in Georgia with "boy howdy"!:MOJE_whot:

[redwitch]

My uncle from Kentucky used to say, "Boy, howdy!" to us kids. We knew we had done something so dumb that he was struck speechless. At the same time, we didn't feel stupid since he hadn't called us dumb, we'd just done or said something done. Worked for us. I've always taken Gracie's, "Boy, howdy!" the same way -- something that left her speechless but still where something needed to be said.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

"Good Night Shirt"!!

Bill :wave:

[2BNTV]

OK, as long as we're branching into other interesting sayings I've got one.

Holy crap on a cracker!

I love the show Big Bang Theory. The female lead loves to say that. Anyone ever heard that in real life?

No but my mother once said. "go take a good sh*t in your hat".

[Suzi]

Not to be political or anything, but I have recently been saying alot "to hell in a handbasket".

[CFrance]

No but my mother once said. "go take a good sh*t in your hat".

Ha-ha! And then do what with it?????

(We could start an entirely different kind of poop thread!)

[senior citizen]

No but my mother once said. "go take a good sh*t in your hat".

Brings back memories. My Polish mother in law used to say that.

[skyguy79]

No but my mother once said. "go take a good sh*t in your hat".Kind of like the expression... "Go fa*t up a rain pipe!" http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/chrism/Expressions/stinky.gif

[2BNTV]

Ha-ha! And then do what with it?????

(We could start an entirely different kind of poop thread!)

"And put it on your head". ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!

I know, you don't need a pictoral. :(

[CFrance]

"And put it on your head". ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!

I know, you don't need a pictoral. :(

Thank you for not digging up clip art on that one!

[OldDave]

OK, since we've gone to potty humor, I'm reminded of something. We had some friends many, many years ago when I was a young teen. We ran around with their family a lot. They had a little boy about 4. He was forever needing to stop and pee. It was kind of a family joke. I don't know maybe the kid had a weak bladder. Any way when he would say "daddy I got to pee" his dads' answer was always "pee in your boot". These were cowboy kind of folks.

Well this went on for a bit, and one time on a trip the boy keep saying he had to stop and dad keep giving the same response. It got quiet for a bit and the little boy handed up his boot from the back seat, which was full and said, "OK daddy what do I do with it.

This is a true story, and the moral is never say anything you don't want your kids to take seriously....unless or course you want them to take something seriously, and they never do,

[rosemaryrn1]

I've lived in the South all my life and can tell you what I knowIt's used in a number of ways....
If a man says this to you upon introduction, it is because you are pleasing to his eyes. It's like a 'Oh my goodness, look what we have here!'. It's delight.
If from the greeter at Walmart or similar situation, it means Hello.
Sometimes it is a response if the speaker is under pressure to complete the work day, and 'Boy' is just a way to say "I've got a million things on my mind, but have manners enough to say hi."
If it is a private circle of people who use it as their pivate code, like some kids make up their own language, then I don't know what it means to them.
Sometimes it means "Oh my gosh", or "I can't believe what I just heard", (or saw, etc) Hope this helped.

[TrudyM]

He was from upstate NY. but lived all over as an adult so I don't know where he picked them up from.

.... is going to hell in a handbasket--- usually preceded by this country, the government, the management of this company etc .

---You'll never see it from a trotting horse (updated to on a run) used any time he made a goof painting or fixing something.

---No use being dumb unless you show it ---used any time anyone did something stupid or unkind.

----Can't never could do anything--Used any time anyone said they couldn't do something.

----I have also heard wicked (meaning very )wicked smart, and wicked good looking, wicked stupid etc., used alot but only by those from south Boston. Watch Good Will Hunting and you will see what I mean. I thought it was just southies that used it.

So says Lolohead (which is my hawaii nickname that means stupid crazy)

[jblum315]

----I have also heard wicked (meaning very )wicked smart, and wicked good looking, wicked stupid etc., used alot but only by those from south Boston. Watch Good Will Hunting and you will see what I mean. I thought it was just southies that used it.

So says Lolohead (which is my hawaii nickname that means stupid crazy)

I've heard this a lot in Maine

[senior citizen]

He was from upstate NY. but lived all over as an adult so I don't know where he picked them up from.

.... is going to hell in a handbasket--- usually preceded by this country, the government, the management of this company etc .

---You'll never see it from a trotting horse (updated to on a run) used any time he made a goof painting or fixing something.

---No use being dumb unless you show it ---used any time anyone did something stupid or unkind.

----Can't never could do anything--Used any time anyone said they couldn't do something.

----I have also heard wicked (meaning very )wicked smart, and wicked good looking, wicked stupid etc., used alot but only by those from south Boston. Watch Good Will Hunting and you will see what I mean. I thought it was just southies that used it.

So says Lolohead (which is my hawaii nickname that means stupid crazy)

Your dad sounds like he came from our neck of the woods.

I've only heard "wicked good", etc. or "wicked" up here in Vermont or that one gal from North Carolina, back in the '60s. As far as South Boston, maybe it's a New England thing...........I think So. Boston is Irish and Italian predominately (or was back in the day when the immigrants came over)..........

Ah.......so it means "very" very good, very smart. Thanks.

[paulandjean]

Think Its "Hillbilly slang" for Wow....................

[graciegirl]

Think Its "Hillbilly slang" for Wow....................

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hill+billy?s=t

sigh.

Girls. Gather at my house this A.M. Bring your squirt guns.

Boy Howdy.

[senior citizen]

I've heard this a lot in Maine

Maniacs and New Hampsherites speak a lot like native Vermonters.