I mean to shout

***WARNING*** THIS SECTION IS NOT DEALING WITH SOUTHERNISMS BUT SOUTHWESTISMS OF DONALD BLACK

"I mean to shout is unquestionably the parent of the ubiquitiuos Southern I mean." It means "emphatic agreement". He goes to say that it is not as emphatic as You can't beat that with a hickory switch and the superlative is If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'. Those last two phrases comes across in the Southern dialect as You can't beat that with a stick and If I'm lyin' I'm a dyin'. There may even be some variation in these. If so, what have you heard?