My Maries County ancestors frequently used the phrase, ³Well, I swan.² This was used as you might use, ³Well, I¹ll be darned.² I have even heard my grandma say, ³Well, I¹ll swan to my time.² At least I think that is what she was saying. I was surfing around and ran into the explanation below, which I thought was interesting. Melinda ------------------------------------------------------- From: Rick Housh <rickhoush@csi.com> Subject: [Missouri-L] MISSOURI SLANG "I Swan" Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 01:12:01 -0600 Here's what the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) says about "I Swan" It is American slang, probably derived from a phrase from a Northern England dialect, "Is Wan" which means literally, "I shall warrant," or "I'll be bound." Not quite so literally, "I swear." Interestingly, one example given is from the Missouri Intelligencer of May 20, 1823: "I swan it is!" Probably the most relevant example in this context is the following from 1842: " 'Well! I swan!' said the mamma." While we're on the subject, "Swan song," as a description of someone's last act in life, (or some phase of it) is derived from the once-popular belief that every swan broke into song just before it died. At 00:29 03/01/1999 EST, you wrote: >In a message dated 2/28/99 8:21:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, mecha@matnet.com >writes: > ><< I was born and raised in Texas and we said, "I'll swan" and "I'll be," meaning as you say below, "Well I'll be!" But my folks were from MO! > >> >Hi Everyone, >I have had such a great time reading all these "slang" expressions that I went out a bought a couple of books -- sure enough -- neither of them have "i'll >swan" --- oh well......take care - Emma > >==== Missouri Mailing List ==== >See http://www.rootsweb.com/~mogenweb/mo.htm for all >the available MO county lists.

This was one of Mom's favorite sayings. I always took it to mean, "I never seen or heard anything like that before". Her other was "It's your possum, you wool it". DeVere ----- Original Message ----- From: Melinda K. Elmore <mkelmore@tranquility.net> To: <MOMARIES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2001 8:51 AM Subject: [MOMARIES] Well, I'll Swan > My Maries County ancestors frequently used the phrase, ³Well, I swan.² This > was used as you might use, ³Well, I¹ll be darned.² I have even heard my > grandma say, ³Well, I¹ll swan to my time.² At least I think that is what > she was saying. > > I was surfing around and ran into the explanation below, which I thought was > interesting. > Melinda > > ------------------------------------------------------- > From: Rick Housh <rickhoush@csi.com> > Subject: [Missouri-L] MISSOURI SLANG "I Swan" > Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 01:12:01 -0600 > > Here's what the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) says about "I Swan" > > It is American slang, probably derived from a phrase from a Northern England > dialect, "Is Wan" which means literally, "I shall warrant," or "I'll be > bound." Not quite so literally, "I swear." Interestingly, one example > given is from the Missouri Intelligencer of May 20, 1823: "I swan it is!" > Probably the most relevant example in this context is the > following from 1842: " 'Well! I swan!' said the mamma." > > While we're on the subject, "Swan song," as a description of someone's last > act in life, (or some phase of it) is derived from the once-popular belief > that every swan broke into song just before it died. > > At 00:29 03/01/1999 EST, you wrote: > >In a message dated 2/28/99 8:21:02 PM Pacific Standard Time, mecha@matnet.com > >writes: > > > ><< I was born and raised in Texas and we said, "I'll swan" and "I'll be," > meaning as you say below, "Well I'll be!" But my folks were from MO! > > >> > >Hi Everyone, > >I have had such a great time reading all these "slang" expressions that I went > out a bought a couple of books -- sure enough -- neither of them have "i'll > >swan" --- oh well......take care - Emma > > > >==== Missouri Mailing List ==== > >See http://www.rootsweb.com/~mogenweb/mo.htm for all > >the available MO county lists. > > > > > > ==== MOMARIES Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp > >