Translation Tuesday: Dixie

Today’s translation of the day: Dixie.

As in the land of Dixie. This was the nickname that was given to the Southern states during the Civil War. It comes from the Mason-Dixon line (Dixon….Dixie), which was the line that was established in the mid-1800s to determine which states would be allowed to have slaves and which would not. The Dixon part comes from the last name of one of the people who surveyed the land and established that line (I am assuming the other part of that team was someone named Mason).

Dixie pops up in a number of songs, statements, books, stores, roads…. Lots of things with Dixie in the name to make that connection to the South. There is also the famous song “Dixie” but the actual title is “ I wish I was in Dixieland.” The first lyrics go like this:

“I wish I was in the land of cotton,

Old times they are not forgotten;

Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land.

In Dixie Land where I was born,

Early on one frosty mornin,

Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land.”