tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post5255189214629663751..comments2024-03-27T11:17:29.115-05:00Comments on Bates Family Blog: Bates Updates and Pictures | Gil and Kelly | 19 Kids | Bringing Up Bates | UP TV: Bates Interpret 'Bless Their Heart'Lily and Elliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00941253435533935093noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-52397419656442489152017-01-23T09:29:43.172-06:002017-01-23T09:29:43.172-06:00I've always heard & said "Bless your ...I've always heard & said "Bless your heart" as something endearing, what a sweet person, etc. It's when you say "bless your LITTLE heart" that is condescending. Born & raised a proud Southern girl.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-45040368766870264262017-01-20T21:43:04.109-06:002017-01-20T21:43:04.109-06:00It is the tone of voice. It is the tone of voice. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-12522026614792613032017-01-19T13:13:58.274-06:002017-01-19T13:13:58.274-06:00I've definitely heard it used as a compassiona...I've definitely heard it used as a compassionate, sympathetic expression as well. I don't think it's always sarcastic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-59955823457428986782017-01-17T10:15:24.065-06:002017-01-17T10:15:24.065-06:00I was thinking about the whole "Bless your he...I was thinking about the whole "Bless your heart" phrase last night and I have decided that it really is a nice phrase if when you day it, you mean it. <br />I remember a lady saying that to me a few years ago. We had brought a meal to her because she just out of the hospital and we had little ones at home. She was extremely grateful and said "Bless your heart" and gave me a hug. She appreciated that we went out of our way to bring dinner even though we had to make dinner for our own family with our babies to care for too.I didn't think anything about the phrase.<br /><br />Now I have heard it used in a mean way too. So now after reading the replies including my own, I will only say it in a nice way. I have to disagree with those who think Southern women are not very nice. There are plenty of sweet Southern ladies. There are also mean ones. But there are mean people from all over the USA as well as well as kind ones.<br /><br /><br />Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188723188448901080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-66851308162235141512017-01-16T20:11:23.483-06:002017-01-16T20:11:23.483-06:00LOL 5:27!! LOL 5:27!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-40874433214421077712017-01-16T19:27:04.853-06:002017-01-16T19:27:04.853-06:00I am a born and raised Southerner, and "bless...I am a born and raised Southerner, and "bless your heart" is used not in a negative way.Anonymous 75https://www.blogger.com/profile/01748721246642966157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-86357543702715997022017-01-16T17:27:52.966-06:002017-01-16T17:27:52.966-06:00My eyes got stuck rolling. My eyes got stuck rolling. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-35234400480000322272017-01-16T15:55:34.275-06:002017-01-16T15:55:34.275-06:00I'm born and bred in Los Angeles, California. ...I'm born and bred in Los Angeles, California. People love to put down us Californians -- I've recently heard us called "the armpit of America." <br /><br />But when we say "Bless your heart," it means we truly hope that God will bless that person. Turns out we're not so rotten after all, are we? Glad I'm not a Southerner if that's how people are. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-79070775019117534002017-01-16T15:10:12.246-06:002017-01-16T15:10:12.246-06:00I've heard Erin use this phrase when talking a...I've heard Erin use this phrase when talking about her mother. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-35868180862585970652017-01-16T15:05:40.852-06:002017-01-16T15:05:40.852-06:00Why are they all in a car while answering this que...Why are they all in a car while answering this question? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-79802864412868952392017-01-16T14:51:00.711-06:002017-01-16T14:51:00.711-06:00My parents were from the South and my mother would...My parents were from the South and my mother would say " bless her heart" or "bless his heart" when that person was going through time. For her it met sympathy for the person.Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188723188448901080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-41704547318210173242017-01-16T13:00:41.584-06:002017-01-16T13:00:41.584-06:00I live in the north but I agree.I live in the north but I agree.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-11557791532346960602017-01-16T11:22:55.809-06:002017-01-16T11:22:55.809-06:00I see it both ways, but my sweet grandma says it i...I see it both ways, but my sweet grandma says it in a very kind complimenting way; such as when I do her dishes or something she'll say, "Bless your heart, I really appreciate that."Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06125234534674524080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-82520808407403268642017-01-16T10:23:57.813-06:002017-01-16T10:23:57.813-06:00I am from the North too, but moved South due to jo...I am from the North too, but moved South due to job obligations. I was always told how "sweet" and hospitable Southern women are. Not True!! They smile "sweetly", invite you to Bible study, "bless your heart" all while stabbing you in the back. They have perfected the art of deception. Just because it looks pretty doesn't mean it is pretty. So no---it's not <br />sweet, polite, being raised with manners etc. It is, however, as the Bates said a Southerner's way of literally saying anything they want and letting themselves feel good about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-60128992224010620742017-01-16T10:22:03.957-06:002017-01-16T10:22:03.957-06:00How sad! I just took it face value. My former coll...How sad! I just took it face value. My former colleague use to say that when I would bring her a gift. Now I guess it means she did not like it but it was the thought that counted. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-3157901788114372892017-01-16T10:09:58.531-06:002017-01-16T10:09:58.531-06:00Well now Proud Southern Belle...that certainly was...Well now Proud Southern Belle...that certainly was a prideful, judgmental and condescending statement. Bless Your Heart...<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-55656691948258838402017-01-16T08:49:58.610-06:002017-01-16T08:49:58.610-06:00I've lived in the south all my life, and it...I've lived in the south all my life, and it's not always meant in a condescending/sarcastic way. It's true that it is at times, and all the "books" say it's condescending but I hear it used as a sympathetic phrase far more often than in a sarcastic way. I think "bless your pea head" is used more like previous commenters have said, having a more condescending taste. I would love to know whether the Bates use other phrases such as "knee high to a bullfrog" "mess" "it doesn't amount to a hill of beans" "If I had my druthers" "fine as a frog's hair split four ways" etc. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-18068555941585075502017-01-16T08:13:27.323-06:002017-01-16T08:13:27.323-06:00I take it as talking down to or about someone.I take it as talking down to or about someone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-91146710183393533892017-01-16T06:13:30.658-06:002017-01-16T06:13:30.658-06:00I know exactly what you mean@ 10:00. I'm from ...I know exactly what you mean@ 10:00. I'm from the North too, but through marriage and military assignments am a Southern transplant It's a Southern Christian woman's way of giving "the bird", but they let themselves off the hook as you said by "being sweet". When I moved South I was always accused of being to blunt, and actually called a Yankee on more than one occasion. Thought that ended with Gone With the Wind! Anyway, Southern women are just as cutting they are just much sneakier about it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-29187469903614934722017-01-15T21:18:15.634-06:002017-01-15T21:18:15.634-06:00Born and raised in the South and proud of it. Bles...Born and raised in the South and proud of it. Bless your heart if you cannot understand the empathy of my knowing you weren't taught the same manners and graces. It's not a judgement or condescending. Proud Southern Bellenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-2083576918260751302017-01-14T21:07:11.637-06:002017-01-14T21:07:11.637-06:00I'm not sure. I suppose if someone said someth...I'm not sure. I suppose if someone said something mean you can just smile sweetly and say "Bless your heart" to keep yourself from responding back in a mean way. I'm wondering what the other readers think.Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06188723188448901080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-65996137186472524002017-01-14T11:01:54.457-06:002017-01-14T11:01:54.457-06:00I always thought that it was a sarcastic/condescen...I always thought that it was a sarcastic/condescending thing to say. I'm a Northerner, by the way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-57233887681181704002017-01-14T10:00:14.287-06:002017-01-14T10:00:14.287-06:00I am from the North, but through marriage became a...I am from the North, but through marriage became a "Southener". Took me a few years to realize when someone says "bless their/your heart" it's ALWAYS derogatory. Southern women's way of "being sweet" while actually being cutting. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5387778566526841808.post-43948472427590829882017-01-14T09:19:11.197-06:002017-01-14T09:19:11.197-06:00You have to be careful with that one because it is...You have to be careful with that one because it is often used in a patronizing or passive-aggressive way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com