A Hooter Hub
66This Hub is not about the restaurant, and in fact has nothing to do with breasts nor owls. In this Hub, a hooter, as my sister explained, is more like a "whatca-ma-call-it". My brother-in-law from South Carolina uses "hooter" to refer to...well....everything.
Sometimes it's a noun, as in "hand me that hooter."
Sometimes it's a verb, as in "let's hooter it up" (translation, let's get the fire started.)
Everyone always understands exactly what Bobby is talking about when he says "hooter." I've noticed my sister "hooters" a little bit now, too. I only get to see Bobby a few times a year, so "hooter" is not a natural part of my vocabulary. I haven't grasped the nuances, apparently.
Hooters Cookbook
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We were all together recently for Preddyfest, an annual Bluegrass festival in North Carolina. After discussing the fact that hooter could mean anything, and after Bobby pointed out that everyone always knows what hooter means, I decided to try it. I asked Bobby to "pass me that hooter." I don't remember what I wanted now. Bug spray? A beer? I just remember Bobby didn't know what I was talking about.
I will probably have to leave the hootering to my sister and Bobby.
I've spent (wasted?) quite a bit of time researching "hooter" while writing this hub. I found the following line
- To say thet I didn't abate not a hooter
in the middle of quite a long poem that I haven't had the time or energy to figure out. The poem is from The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell.
I found a drink called a Purple Hooter. I like purple, so I think next time I see Bobby I might try to make some of these.
Hooter Hiders
No Amazon products found
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HOOTER INSPECTOR T-SHIRT FUNNY RETRO HUMOR TEE BLACK XL
Current Bid: $5.95
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â¥Nursing Cover Breastfeeding Hooter Hider Covers Black
Current Bid: $15.19
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I was trying to avoid breast references in this hub, but the funniest discovery of my morning are the Hooter Hider Nursing Covers for "Chic Mothers". The website claims "These Award-Winning Nursing Covers are sought out by nursing mothers everywhere." How did I survive breastfeeding without them?
 | Amazon Price: $9.48 List Price: $11.98 |
 | Amazon Price: Too low to display List Price: $50.00 |
At youtube in a comment for The Hooters - And We Danced,bsoo76 says, "Remember the mouth organ/harmonica that was played in the beginning and end of the song? Well, it's called a melodica, but it's also nicknamed a Hooter." Wikipedia confirms that The Hooters take their name from the instrument.
The melodica is a reed instrument also known as pocket piano, blow accordion, melodeon, diamonica, melodyhorn, wind piano, keyboard harmonica, pianica, cassotto. My sister is always learning to play new instruments, so I'm sure she will enjoy this part of my discovery.
I think Bobby is correct, hooter can mean anything, even if Merriam-Webster is rather limited in it's definition.
The Hooters - 500 miles
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In England a hooter is a very large nose. A punch on the nose could be a smack on the hooter. Also it can be used for a car horn, as in "to bib your hooter": to blow your horn. I like the South Carolina use of it though. I might even find a way of slipping it into conversation one day.
I love hearing the ways we use words differently than the British! I hope someone from SC will comment. I haven't met anyone else--even in Bobby's circle of friends--that uses hooter the way he does though.
It is not a South Carolina thing; just a Bobby thing. However, you will run across a few around Orangeburge and Bluffton that have picked it up from Bobby. I don't know where he got it from. I've known him for 8 years and he has always said Hooter and most women his age or younger are "Chickie Babies". This used to drive some of my friends crazy. They found it offensive but just like the hooters, you get used to it.
The band, The Hooters, were great for one album at least. Memories of the mid 80s are ringing true.
I thought you were the only Chickie Babe, Deborah!
The Hooter-Miester says, "Tah, Tah:) "
Tell the Hooter-Miester thanks for reading!
Very interesting. I like the concept of using hooter for whatchmacallits.
Thanks, Veronica! I like the idea too, even if I can't seem to work it into my own converstaions :)
More from My Life
- Talk about Last Minute Excitement!
From the Ribs on the Roanoke planners, just minutes ago: "BREAKING NEWS ALERT!!!!!!!! just added to this years event will be an appearance from Lizard Lick Towing's Bobby Brantley, his wife Anita and Big Juicy. Be sure to drop by their tent for pictures autographs and t-shirts." Be sure to see my last post for more info about the event!
- Plymouth to Go Hog Wild with Ribs on the Roanoke
{I've been a bad blogger again...and this really doesn't count for "catching up" but since I've been working on this press release, I thought I might as well post it here as a starting point for getting the word out. At least it follows nicely my last post about things to do around here!} Ribs on the Roanoke will feature a Car Show, live music, a horse shoe tournament, costume contest, and various other activities Saturday, October 29 in historic downtown Plymouth. The event is hosted by the Plymouth Downtown Development Association and sponsored by Tyson Automotive, The Soundside Group, and Feyer Ford. Ribs, bar-b-que, and combination plates will start selling at 11 a.m. “We are planning 150 rib plates,” explained DDA President Cheryl Byrum, and she emphasized “It’s first come, first served as long as they last.” Hot dogs will also be available from Plymouth Cub Scouts, and starting early, the Blue & Gold Stompers Relay for Life will sell baked goods and coffee. Registration for the Car Show starts at 8 a.m. First and second place trophies will be awarded in over 50 classes, as will specialty awards for Best Paint, Best Engine, Best Interior, Mayor’s Choice, Longest Distance, Best in Show, and Most Club Participation. The first 50 registered receive dash plaques and the first 25 t-shirts. In addition to door prizes, $350 worth of gas will be raffled. Live music begins at 9 a.m. with “Whoever Shows Up,” a local bluegrass-style, gospel band that performs in area nursing homes, rehab centers, churches and for the occasional birthday party. “Moonshine”, a band from the Bertie Hertford county area that plays country, southern rock, rock and “anything that will keep you on your feet” will perform from 10 a.m. until noon. “One Man Blues Band” featuring Eddie Lilley of Farm Life is scheduled from noon until 2. Eddie says, “Blues just keeps me grounded,” but he also enjoys playing Rock, Country, Bluegrass, R&B and Soul. Elvis-lover Dick Feyer of Roper will round out the musical entertainment from 2-3 p.m. The festivities will feature a horse shoe tournament. Warm up and registration is scheduled for noon with the tournament starting at 1 pm. Prizes include gift certificates from Mama’s Pizza and Rack ‘em Billiards, and there is no entry fee. Other activities planned include a demonstration from Plymouth’s Fire Department, a costume contest, the Askew Farms “cow train”, a children’s bouncy house, and arts and crafts vendors. Winners will be announced for a coloring contest underway in the Washington County elementary schools of the “Go Hog Wild with Ribs on the Roanoke” logo. Pre-registration for the car show is $15 or participants can register the day of the show for $20. For more information about the car show, contact Shane Tyson at 252-217-4759. Vendor applications are still being accepted. Contact Pat Sawyer at 252-202-5492 for vendor information. For all other questions, contact Cheryl Byrum at 252-945-5504.
- What is there to do 'round here?
Since we moved to Plymouth, NC a little over a year ago, I've been whining - just like I did in high school - that there's nothing to do 'round here. Well, I have to admit, I've just been lazy. Eastern NC is rich in historical attractions, outdoor activities, and adventure opportunities. I realized it was time for some of the spring activities to kick into gear - things we attended last year like Mackeys CrabBash, the Civil War Reinactment, and various outdoor music events in downtown Plymouth. I started looking online for scheduling details and stumbled upon the new website for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Before we moved to Plymouth, I took advantage of various networking groups. Meetup.com was a great tool for finding all kinds of groups, from business networking to bowling to book clubs. I've browsed meetup since we've been "back home," but there are just a handful of Greenville groups that remotely interest me, and I'm looking for actvities closer to Plymouth. I don't know why I didn't think about the Chamber earlier, but just as I checked out the membership application and made up my mind to join, I noticed an event on the calender - "Hospitality Training". The description read, "Be a tourist for a day in your home county. Learn about hospitality and how it affects your business and your area." Now, I've been saying for ages that I'm going to start writing more travel articles focused on eastern NC, so how perfect was this? And it was free! I hustled to the chamber office to turn in my membership application, pay the dues, and to register for the training. Jennifer Arnold, Director, explained that the morning would include classroom-type sessions, and the afternoon would consist of visits to the downtown museums (how many small towns have THREE museums on a beautiful downtown waterfront?), a boat tour on the Roanoke River, and an optional airplane tour. Did I mention this was free? The event is co-sponsored by the Chamber, the Washinton County NC Cooperative Extension, Washington County Travel & Tourism, and the Plymouth Downtown Development Assocation (search "Plymouth DDA" on facebook). Washington County Extension Director Rebecca Liverman and Hyde County Extension director Mac Gibbs co-hosted the morning sessions with a mission to "Foster economic development by improving customer service, enhancing North Carolina Pride and strengthing communities." I wasn't surprised to learn that NC is the 6th most visited state of the US. I was surprised, however, to learn that toursim in Washington County generated $12.01 million in 2009. Thanks to our struggling economy in general, this number was actually down by almost 10% from 2008. After the morning training sessions and lunch, Jennifer escorted us to the downtown Plymouth museums. We started at the Maritime Museum, and then crossed the street to climb to the top of the Roanoke River Lighthouse. Next stop was God's Creation Wildlife Museum, and we finished up at the Port O'Plymouth Museum. Jennifer gave us a nice introduction to each museum but left plenty for us to explore on our own at a later date. Next we enjoyed a boat ride provided by Tom Harrison, Director of Washington County Travel & Tourism. Not only was our tour guide informative, he turned out to be a hero. Our tour was interrupted when the boat's motor sputtered to a stop. With the wind fortunately in the right direction, Tom guided us gently back to the dock. While the tour might have been shortened a bit, we finished the day with a little excitement! Speaking of the wind, it turned out to be a bit too rough for our plane ride, but the day was a success. We finished up with ice cream at Norm's and shared suggestions with Rebecca for the next event. I'm still shaking my head that this training experience is available, right here in Plymouth, and at no charge! The event that I attended was the second hosted, and at least two more are planned. I hope more local businesses take advantage of this valuable resource. As for me, I have confirmed a long list of writing topics about something to do 'round here.
DonnaCSmith Level 1 Commenter 3 years ago
Does anyone else in SC say, "Hooter it up?" I have wondered.