In much of the United States, the phrase I’ll be there directly means “I’m on my way right now.” But particularly in parts of the South, I’ll be there directly simply means “I’ll be there after a while.” As a Marquette, Michigan, listener points out, this discrepancy can cause lots of confusion! This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Be There Directly”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hello, this is Eric Autumn calling from Marquette in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Welcome, Eric. What can we do for you?
Well, my question today is about the phrase, I’ll get there or I’ll be there directly.
So I’m not originally from the UP here in Michigan. I’m from eastern Tennessee.
But my wife and I were first together. She asked me, you know, when are you coming home? And I’d say, I’ll be there directly. When I wasn’t there, you know, in the next hour or so, she would be wondering where I was. And to me, I’ll be there directly. But I will get there. When I get there, to her admit exactly what it sounded like, I will get there directly. That’s the sense I grew up with.
Yeah, we have these two overlapping senses of directly, one meaning immediately and the other meaning as soon as possible. And they’re in conflict and they occur in the same parts of the country. Mostly in the upper American South, let’s say Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, those sorts of places. And the only way you can tell is by asking for clarification or just by context alone. And your wife has probably never encountered it before because she’s not from Tennessee. So she would not have that alternate meaning of that meaning as soon as I can. Also, most people probably would be looking for a preposition after directly. So directly after, for example, I’ll be there directly after I go to the store or directly after I drop off the kids, something like that.
So I just wonder, it’s so understood down south that when you say that phrase, and as I think about it, I think my grandmother used it more often than my parents did. It was just understood that it would be a long while before you actually got there. And I just wonder how you take something that means directly that the understanding is just the opposite.
Well, the best guess that I have is that it means I’m going to be – I am there directly, but I’m directly after a series of events that have to happen first.
Exactly. Right?
Exactly. So there’s plenty of things in my mind, in my itinerary that must occur before I arrive at your door.
Yeah, but I’m going to get there. I am direct, but it’s direct through these other points on the map.
Exactly. So we all understood that as being in parentheses, and the parentheses aren’t up here in Michigan, I guess.
Exactly. They have a parenthesis shortage there in Michigan, but we have them all there in the South. An abundance of parentheses.
Yeah, and it sounds like music to me. That word is just so musical to me. I have family in East Tennessee, and I think it’s just gorgeous. My grandmother from southeast Missouri said it, too. I’ll be there directly, Grand Andy.
Mm—
Grand Andy?
That’s what she called me.
Grant Andy?
Yeah.
She was the only one. She was the only one.
Oh, my gosh. Grant Andy. I’ll be there directly. Grant Andy and Martha Ann. But directly means, kind of to a kid at least, it always meant hold your horses. Like just, you know, rein yourself in. I’ve got a life that, you know, things to do. Directly means in all due time I will get to it.
Oh, a parent talking to a kid?
Yeah, yeah. My grandmother in particular.
Oh, I see. I see.
So that’s what we know, Eric. How about that, Eric?
Well, thanks so much. And I’ve adjusted my speech patterns to make my wife happy. Merit of bliss requires all kinds of compromises. I give her definite times now.
Well, keep a stash of those parentheses somewhere because I love the phrase, the expression. It will do.
Take care now. Bye-bye.
Bye.
Thanks, guys.
Email words@waywordradio.org.
