...that's an interesting observation you made. Putting in my two cents worth, I would say that the phrase "to tell you the truth" or some variation of it was probably used because it is a relatively common southern expression. I find myself using it quite often. Ironically enough, it is often followed by something which is a bit hyperbolic or perhaps comical rather than an important truth which was what followed when Jesus used the phrase (which I'm assuming is translated as "verily I say unto thee" in the King James Version). At least the couple of times I remember off the top of my head that Andy used it, it was followed by a rather humorous observation, such as when he was talking about the hole in his fishing boat and he said "I'll tell you the truth, right now I wouldn't take a dollar and a quarter for it" or after Barney told his Vickie Harmes snowcone story when he said "Barn, I'll tell you the truth, if I'm Vickie Harmes and a 35 year old man walked up to my door..." I think the phrase "I declare" is also somewhat interchangeable with "I'll tell you the truth" in the South. I remember Andy used that one when he said "I declare, that boy goes through britches like he was wearing sandpaper underwear". Interesting... Doug Johnson "Barney, I tell you the truth, you are a bird in this world." _________________________________________________________________ Bing™ brings you maps, menus, and reviews organized in one place. Try it now. http://www.bing.com/search?q=restaurants&form=MLOGEN&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MLOGEN_Core_tagline_local_1x1 _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
