Date:  Mon, 27 Oct 1997 09:07:00 -0600
From:  "Emerson, Jessie J" <jjemerso[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]INGR.COM>
Subject: Re: Blessings and other southern euphemisms

David A. Johns wrote:
> In my experience (pre-southern) expressions like "bless his heart"
> were used by old ladies when talking about a child who had done
> something good: "He brought me a flower from the garden, bless his
> heart." There was no question that the expression was positive.
>
I believe the expression as used above contains a note of pathos. It's
almost always directed at either a young person, an old person (who may
have some sort of health problem), or a sick person. The intention is
positive, but with pity, and it's not the same as "isn't that sweet."

> "That student really blessed me out over the grade I gave her."
>
"Bless me out" has been around quite a long time and is not as new (I
don't think) as the "damn his bones" meaning of "bless his heart" (which
I've never heard).

Jessie Emerson