“Eat” in The Southern Idioms: Didactic through Food Consumption

Abstract

The word “eat” appears in Southern dialect. Southern people use this word with other words to teach members in community to understand and behave themselves along the public decency. The teachings aim to teach about eating habits and proper behaviors including dining etiquette, earning a living, cooking, paying respect to the elderly and gratitude. These teachings reflect that eating is not only an essential factor in life but also is rules and regulations established by the Southern people which members in the society should apply.