I have a few pronunciation pet peeves. My language grievances may sound sanctimonious, especially to some folks who view Appalachian English as everything “un” – uncouth, unsophisticated, and uncivilized. Nevertheless, I cringe every time I hear: “I axed a question,” or, “He excaped through the window.” I’ll add to these
Check out the following answers for Appalachian English Quiz 3. Appalachia Bare works to provide the best available answers, with the understanding that some words are said or meant differently in various Appalachian regions. Let us know in the comments if other meanings for these words exist. The following dictionaries
Below are the answers to our Appalachian English Quiz 2. A bit of information about each word is given, using the following dictionaries: Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) Dictionary of Smoky Mountain and Southern Appalachian English Other resources are linked within the definitions and information.
Appalachian English is a mixture of old languages, and, as such, certain colloquialisms have often been used to illustrate that a distinct saying, a particular phrase, or a specific word derived from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, or Germany. How so? As most of us know, mountain geography keeps people
We’ve compiled some tidbits of information on these Appalachian English words. Some information is extensive, telling the first usage and a little etymology. Other information is sparse. Still other information is somewhat entertaining. 1. Coal oil: b.) kerosene From “How is Lamp Oil Made?” by Alex Burke on
He was a pariah among his own people, having been born with a club foot. His formal education ended early because boys at school taunted him. Maybe that was fate’s way of ensuring the child, who later became Sequoyah, aka Edward Guess, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, discovered in his