Appalachian Influence
Being raised in East Tennessee, there are phrases that I
heard growing up that are unique to the area.
I have recently been reminded of several. For example, “lick and a promise” is a phrase
I heard all of my childhood. Recently,
my son called me and asked me what it means.
His mother-in-law had used it, and he had never heard of it. I explained it to him that it means to give a
half-hearted effort. I asked him if he
had ever heard of “granny beads” and he had not. When playing or working outside, getting
sweaty and dirty, you can develop a dirty ring in the crease of your neck. These were referred to as granny beads when I
was a child and when taking a bath, we were instructed to make sure and wash
them off!
Lately, I have encountered an Instagram account called appalachian_bluebird
which made me aware that most of the dialect and words I heard as a child were
of Appalachian origin. Also, a fellow
popped up on my feed called Appalachian Sam (YouTube). He shares words from his Eastern Kentucky
background. Most of the words he
presents are very familiar to me as well.
A list of words/sayings (with definitions) said by my
parents and grandparents when I was growing up in East Tennessee:
“poke”: a paper bag *
“dope”: a soda * “commode”: toilet *
“like it or lump it”: deal with it
* “root hog or die”: rely on
yourself * “mad as an old wet hen” or “fit to be
tied”: angry “tough as a pine
knot”: durable * “a
coon’s age”: a very long time * “that dog won’t hunt”: that idea won’t work * “knee high to a
grasshopper”: short * “right
smart”: a large amount or a good
distance * “all tore up”:
very upset * “sorry”:
something of no value * “tighter than Dick’s hatband”: very stingy * “diddly-squat”
or “aught”: nothing, zero
“crooked as a dog’s hind leg”: dishonest or physically not straight * “they
lawwww”: an exclamation of excitement * “I swanny”:
I declare * “twiddling your thumbs”:
wasting time * “right quick”: fast
* “too big for your britches”: arrogant
* “shindig”: party * “between me, you
and the fencepost”: a secret not to be
repeated * “plum/plumb”: totally or
completely * “reckon”: think, suppose
“buggy”: a shopping
cart * “earbobs”: earrings * “pocketbook”: purse * “holler”: hollow, valley * “fixin’ to”:
preparing * “no count”- worthless, lazy * “directly”: later on *
“Coke”: any carbonated drink * “yonder”: over there * “stob”: a stick protruding from
the ground * “bloomers” or “drawers”: underwear * “cattywampus” or “catty-corner”
or “sigogglin’”: askew, diagonally * “ill”-
bad temperament, not sick * “puny”: sick
* “light bread”- white sandwich bread * “play
pretties”: toys * “nary”: none * “y-uns”: y’all * “spell”: a while * “for the birds” or “hill of beans”: something useless * “pert-near”: almost
“mash”: to press or
push * “quare”: strange or odd * “tickled”: happy * “hot as blue blazes”: high temperature * “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed”: ready * “fair to middlin’”: okay *
“study on it”: think * “high on the hog”: fancy * “I’ve got bigger fish to fry”: more important things to do * “high cotton”: prosperity * “jerk a knot in your tail” or “tan
your hide”: discipline * “sugar”: kisses * “icebox”: freezer * “stinks to high heaven”: smells really bad * “get off your high horse”: stop being so self-righteous * “I’ll be John Brown”: disbelief * “kindly”: kind of
* “devonette”: couch * “darkened the door”: appear at someone’s residence
Tammy Harvey
4/18/2026
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