There have been so many attempts to portray Appalachian speech that have fallen so dismally short that I thought that I would compile a collection of my own from my own experience. In all of my years of living in West Virginia, I have never used the work "thar" used for "there." That word is almost always used on these web sites because folks outside of West Virginia think that we use it. However we do have a language that we have preserved from early England that we have made our own and includes things that are both quaint and sometimes looked up as very poor English although these words were quite proper at one time in England. Often the use of these terms do not indicate a person who is ignorant but one who has been blessed as one who has been able to retain something that has been handed down of many many years. So many of our customs have been lost in this modern world and the old way of speaking is probably destined to be lost as well. Not all words we use were once proper, but are just a lazy way of speaking.
Hit: it Probably to the surprise of many, this was once a very proper English pronoun.
Hit's: It is. "Hit's just no use."
Them there:: Often used when we mean those. "Them there peppers are hot as far." Those peppers are very hot.
Pertneart: I cleanded this ol house all day and I jest pertnert plum worn out.
Plum: complete.
Lands Sakes: a mild expression not considered cussin of taking the Lord's name in vain.
Frazled: worn out.
Bum frazzled: completley confused or shocked. Perplexed
Shouten: Getting "happy" during church service. Outsiders call this emotionalism.
Bellin: Belling. A custom by which a marriage was celebrated.
Purely: Completly... "I purely love that hog liver on butcherin day."
Mad; angry "He was madder than a nest of hornets."
"Bud, if yuh don't shet up, I am going to set yer britches on far."
:"Who stole the door knob from thu nest?" An old fashioned white door knob was often used as a nest egg to intice a hen to lay her eggs in the nest instead of out in a corner somewhere.
Coon dog: usually a redbone or a bluetick hound.
Rabbt dog: a beagle or any other dog that would hunt rabbits.
Squirrl Dog: any dog that would hunt squirrles...usually a fiest or mongrel.
Grappelin: wading the creek and putting you hand in a snapping turtle hole in the creek bank looking for turtles.
Fetch: bring "Fetch me that ol "kivver" off of grandpaw's bed."
Kivver: cover. A quilt or a blanket.
Quilt: A homemade article of bed clothing.
Tote: carry. "Tote this bucket of slops out to the hogg pen and slop the hogs.
Sloppen the hogs: Feeding the hogs scrapps mixed with old milk.
Blue john: skim milk. What folks pay a high price for in the store because its lowfat. What poor farm kids had to eat when all the cream was skimmed of for butter and the market.
Poor farm kids supper: Blue John and cornbread.
Carry: take me someplace in you wagon or automobile (car). "Jed, I need for you to carry me tuh town."
Meeten: usually a rivival service or services that could last two weeks or more.
Gonin tuh meeting clothes: clothes reserved for church services, a funeral, or a wedding.
Buryin: The service at the cemetery.
Hoen: Hoeing. Cultivating with a hoe. "Son, I want for yer to finish hoen that bottom before hit gets dark. Cause I need you to start grubbin up behind the barr in the mornin."
Grubbin: digging up unwanted weeds and bushes. One usually uses a grubbing hoe.
Barlow: a popular brand of pocketknife. "This here ol barlow is so sharp I cud shave wither."
Wither: with her. Inanimate objects that a man is fond of are known as "her or she." "Hain't she a bute." Talking about one's favorite shotgun. Females as come in for the negative also such as "Now, hain't that a bitch." This is perhaps said afting breaking one's favorite fishing pole.
Hain't: ain't with about the same history as hit.
"She sure is a honey." One is talking about his neighbors new used car.
Dang old woman: usually , but not always, the mother in law...also often his wife or his best cronies wife.
His old woman's got religion.;; his wife's a Christian and won't let him drink or play poker any more.
Ol Fred don went and got religion at that meeting over at the Gap. Fred was converted at the revival service.
Boys, I done went and got religion. I was converted (received salvation). Meaning...."I won't be gong dancin, playing poker, drinkin, or nothing else with you fellers any more." "You all ought to be shamed of your selfs for carryin on like that anyways."
to be continued