How do I phrase this?

What phrase do you use?

Each of us has our little sayings and phrases we use regularly. Some are adopted in childhood, some are fresh, some are old standards and some make little or no sense. You hear them on TV, read them in books and hear them in songs. Some of us even write them into books. Many are regional or local and mean one thing in one place and something completely different in another.

Working as a cop in Florida, I have a unique perspective that I try to put in my books as well. Unlike the northeast or much of the south, Florida has a mix of cops working here. I often run across former N.Y.P.D. cops who have a unique way of phrasing things. I run into a lot of Florida-born rednecks who have their own way of looking at things and expressing them. This is one of the few places in the country where southerners and northerners live together in such vast numbers. I try to incorporate much of this into my novels.

For instance if someone were going to threaten another person with a beating you could tell by the phrasing where someone is probably from. If one says, “I’m gonna kick your ass.” He or she could be from just about anywhere. But if it’s phrased, “I’m gonna whip your ass.” That person is from the south.

The phrase “on the job,” which many people use to say they’re a cop is from the New York Police Department. It’s been adopted by many areas but it’s a northern phrase. A more recent, urban phrase is “Five-O” to denote the police, however I’ve only heard one guy actually say it and he was an idiot. In Paul’s day they used to say “Fuzz”. I prefer to go with the bland but accurate, “Police.”

Even the words for “redneck” are different. I’ve heard “hick”, “hilljack”, “bumpkin” and a number of more offensive terms. I don’t mind being called them unless it is not in fun and not by someone who could be considered a redneck themselves. I often point out that some of the biggest rednecks I know are from New Jersey.

Certain writers use the same phrases frequently. Science fiction bestseller Harry Turtledove uses, “The next time would be the first time” or variations to describe something that has never happened before. He uses the phrase in most of his numerous series.

The venerable Robert B. Parker uses “We’d be fools if we didn’t” or something like that, in all the Spenser novels.

I’m currently trying to read the classic Atlas Shrugged and one of the phrases used by characters in the book is “Who is John Galt?” I’m still not sure who the hell he is and not entirely certain I’ll understand the book when I’m done. The projected date of completion, by the way, is sometime in the summer of 2009.

We each have our favorite phrases. One of mine used to be “Holy Shit” which I converted to “Holy Moses” when I started raising kids. I know it’s a little corny and tired but now I can’t help but say it when I’m
surprised. It really looks cool for a tubby cop to look down at a gun shot victim and say “Holy Moses that’s a lot of blood.” What are you gonna do? That’s real life.

What are your favorite phrases? Ones you say, ones you hear, ones your write. I’d really like to know.