Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

[maineman]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

Being born and raised in North Alabama, along the Tennessee River, all those items of speach I heard "pert near" every day.

Have always had my "Yankee" wife remark on how I'm always "fixin'" to do something or making a "mess" of grits. If it's not in plain sight, it's always "Over Yonder ways" or if Im about done, I'm "purt near" done.

Was once told "Y'all" is singular, "You All" is plural, amd " All Y'all" is plural posessive

[rebinnj]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

Greetings,

Yep, I still encounter this occasionally here in Indiana. Of course, that's not so surprising given that southern Indiana was initially populated by folks from Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

I am from southern Indiana, around the Bean Blossom area and my gandmother always pronounced the word oil as "earl" (Grab me a jug of that cooking earl). Just wondering if anyone else has heard it pronounced this way.

[Resaca]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

I remember my grandparents and even my parents saying "rurnt" as in ruined or spoiled. "This milk smells rurnt". My grandfather was originally from North Carolina and my grandmother from north Georgia.

Best Regards,
Tony Patton
Blue Ridge Mess

[arthurlee]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

Being born in Virginia, to parents raised in Georgia, now raising children of my own in East Texas, I might have a little worth while input to this post. One thing I have noticed for most of these post, is the loss of the more formal spoken english of "my people". While it is fun to see the words they used in the old days, there is much of it around today that fits any proper Confed's Kit.

We do have our share of 'Simple Hill Folks in the family, and I love to hear them talk, I have a sister that always ask when the last time I ET' (had eaten) was. But we had an array of more refined speakers in the family, even some of the more common farm folks, spoke an eloquent language that is slowly being lost to time.

Pronunciation is a big factor - ice tea where the I is long and slightly drawn out, unlike the northern quick "iee" sound.

Because the "sound" is so unique, it is well worth a trip to Rome Georgia, Wise Lake in Alabama, or anywhere among the foothills where the roads turn to dirt. Listening to and speaking this dialect has become an art form which I attempt to practice as much and as often as possible. this wonderfull little part of our American charcter may soon be lost. One thing which all good Southerners ( and those prtraying such) should remember is not to be in a hurry to finish a sentance or thought. Take your time, they did'nt have to pay for minutes in those days and words were a plenty.

Much Regard,
Arthur Lee Maxwell
Shepherd Texas

[arthurlee]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

I hit the post button again, sorry about that

[FarbNoMore]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

HAHA. We still say "Rurnt" in my household. My son just said it this morning. When I joined the Army, my speech changed. I haven't said "y'all" in a very long time. It seems to be "you guys" these days. It's funny how a small amount of time can change someone so much.

[reddcorp]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

My mother and my grandmother, both from south Georgia, often use the phrase "Well, I'll swan" when amazed by something or another.

My paternal greatgrandfather (a Smyrna Georgia native) was called "Grandsir" by all of the grandkids, and everyone else for that matter. I've not heard that used anywhere else.

Andy Redd

[nrandolph]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

One very common expression I heard when I first started teaching in Pendleton County in West Virginia, an extremely rural area, was, for an expression of amazement, "El, Deed and double!" Never have heard that one anywhere but there and an easy way to tell where in the state they live.

Neil Randolph
1st WV

[Bluegoose]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

My wife and I are south Georgiaians, too and we've heard practically all of the above, including,...

fly flap=fly swatter
oh flitter=darn it
better'n snuff=awfully good
padder's=face powder
chigger bite=a chip as on a cup rim
'shaw=really?
I swannee-I declare
hit'll do=it will do
a fur piece=a far distance

[Chuck A Luck]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

Having been born & raised in upper East Tennessee, this thread has brought back many fond memories. I lived "down 'ere" for over 25 years, before relocating to the edge of Dixieland in the early 80's. One term ("appylachian conjunction"?) I used to hear a lot (and still use, if I want to turn on my old Tennessee accent) is "Yont," (for "Do you want"), as in...

"Yont to fetch me 'at hickory switch, cuz you'n gotta whuppin comin'!"

[C.R. Henderson]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

In reading this whole thread one term that hasn't come up is "dun" as in "Y'all dun did that boy wrong." Another one that I use almost daily is a reply to the question "How you doin'?" which is "Fair to partly cloudy." Which could also be said "Aahight". I come from a long line of Georgians- part from down 'round Laurens County (Dublin/McRae) and the other half from around Hall county (Gainesville/Floowery Branch)[that side actually helped settle Hall county in 1811 between the Chattahoochee and the Chestatee Rivers.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

That just reminded me, I've not heard the "Fair to partly cloudy" reply, but "fair to middlin'" was common in my family.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[58th C]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

A number of years ago I came across a series of children's books written in regional dialects. The series was written in the 1940's. Lois Lenski is best known for her Newbery Medal winning "Strawberry Girl" which takes place in rural Florida around 1900. Her research for "Blue Ridge Billy " was done in Ashe Co. , N.C. She chose to write this way so the reader could get a feel for the ways people in various parts of the country spoke. She did note that what some may have considered "poor English" was , in fact, Old English. You-uns with children might enjoy this as a read-aloud.

Lauren Kaye

[sumter_guard]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

There was talk a page or so back of movies that do a good job utilizing this accent (for lack of a better word . . . is dialect better?). I wanted to mention the Audie Murphy "Red Badge of Courage." Rob Hodge and I talked about it one time and I remember us both agreeing that the soldiers must have sounded very similar to those portrayals. Just for the dialogue alone that is a great film.

"A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, the more you beat 'em the better they be."

Andrew

[rebelyell62]

Re: Appalachian Speech: By Craig Hadley

Nearly all of my people hail from S.C. Kentucky (Lincoln County)

My grandma still call bacon middlen meat ( the meat from the middle of the hog)

Everyone still says" I reckon" to mean in agreement.

"Over yonder" Over there

Pee Pyyyy ,peek a boo.

One particular moment comes to mind when I was a small boy.

My dear mother was shopping at Sears for Christmas gifts (mid 70's) She ask the lady where she might find the "civil war sets" ( toy soldiers, cannon,etc, boxed as a set)
The lady pointed her to the houseware section of the store, thinking mom was saying silver ware sets.

I still fondly smile when I think of that.