It’s time for this month’s Appalachian Vocabulary Test.
I’m sharing a few videos to let you hear the words and phrases. To start the videos click on them.
1. Gaddy around: to go or wander about idly or without serious aim. “No I didn’t have to work I’ve just been gaddying around all day.”
2. Gob: a large amount. “We had a gob of tommy-toes this year. I swear it’s the most we ever growed!”
3. Goodest: best. “When you get a bunch gathered up to work you can have the goodest time ever even though you’re a laboring.”
4. Good’un: a fine specimen of something. “I’m a telling you he’s a good’un! Always willing to help out when you need him and boy he’s a stout as an ox.”
5. Grave vine: common periwinkle (vinca); also called graveyard grass. “I have grave vine growing around my house and have seen it in many a graveyard over the years.”
I’ve never heard anyone say gaddy around and I’ve never heard grave vine either. Other than those two the rest are common in my area of Appalachia.
Hope you’ll leave a comment and let me know how you did on the test.
Last night’s video: What’s For Supper? Butter Beans with Peas, Cornbread, Streaked Meat Potatoes, Kraut, & Green Onions.
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Hi Tipper,
I have heard of Grave Vine. We also call it Periwinkle. I have also used gob to describe a large amount…or if something was done incorrectly it was a gobbed up mess. My family has also referred to someone being a good-un if they were thought highly of. Like they’re a good-un. I haven’t heard gad, but we did go galavanting or piddling.
YOU are so darling! I’ve NEVER said this to a woman before- even to my past girlfriends and ex-wife – because it sounds too “girlie.” I’m just ‘enchanted’ (this word, too) because you are, in my book, just a ‘normal soul’ unlike the other Northerners that I live among. MY roots are from Oklahoma but STILL, I like the ‘southern way,’ mostly, and continue to relate to them better whenever I meet them.
Do other Northerners see your special nature and bring our original language to the forefront? I am thoroughly enjoying your website and Youtube channel and can’t get enough of you’ll. After listening to some of your videos, I can ASSURE you that as a Northerner, I have been speaking Appalachian not knowing it- since I was a kid, still, until I recognized your vocabulary in my lexicon only recently! Yes, that’s right! Go figure….and I’m 71 years old.
YOU are special (sorry, I’m not flirting- but I’m serious). Can’t say enough about you, now, but I will in the future return to add MORE email observations and comments. I’m going to download EVERY VIDEO YOU HAVE, including, your terrific music videos and – SPREAD THE WORD!
YOU make my day!
(sh-h-h-h…don’t tell your husband. I don’t want to get beat-up!)
Hello: I was raised in northwest Ohio and moved to southern New Jersey in 1994, but my dad’s mother was raised in Tennessee, just north of Alabama. She used a few expressions that some of these pages refer to as Appalachian. Frankly, some of the expressions I hear on some of these pages/sites are fairly well-known; such as “tote,” “poke,” and “yonder.” Although I don’t hear them being used regularly, I’m not sure people would be confused by them. People I grew up with used “gob,” and I understood the expression “gad about” from the context. The term “airish” is rather new to me. I don’t know if it’s proper to introduce new words or topics here, but I recall my grandmother, when the young doctor asked how she was feeling, she answered that she was feeling “muley.” When he asked about her symptoms she told he, “I guess I have a little of the creepin’ crud.” These things were never covered in medical school. I also remember her telling my mother about a teenage girl who had a baby, and she said, “I probably shouldn’t be saying this in front of Becky (my sister who was closer to 18 at the time), “but that girl sprung a melon.” I don’t know if my sister even remembers, but I never forgot that.
I’ve never heard tell of grave vine. We use gad about, but never heard gadding around. Rest are very familiar.
My junior year the English teacher told me I was hanging with someone who spoke a lot of slang. My momma took a little offense to that. Back then southerners were kind of looked down on because of their language. I’m so grateful we now “Celebrate Appalachia”. Once in a while we still run upon someone who makes a hillbilly comment and I tell them the true meaning of “hillbilly”.
I can’t imagine life any other way!!! I’m so grateful for my Appalachian roots!!
My family used the word Galavanting rather than Gaddy. Goodest, we didn’t use. Good Un and Gob very familiar with. Not knowledgeable about Grave Vine, but the Vinca plant I have has a flower that comes in multiple colors. The old Vinca we would see growing wild would have lavender flowers. Where I live they thrive in dry conditions for a period of time.
I’m like you Tipper, I’ve never heard grave vine or Gaddy around. If I’m just aimlessly wandering around I would just say I was piddlin around. Gob is something I’m familiar with. of course if you want to kick it up another notch you can always say a goo gob. Thats what I usually say. And then if you want to go a notch above that, you say a whole goo gob. You’ve got to love our language.
How about great green gobs? Of greasy grimy gopher guts,
mutilated monkey meat, Birdie’s little dirty feet?
Like most everyone else, I have heard most of these, with the exception of grave vine. My eldest daughter began competative Irish step dancing at five, so we often heard “gob” used in reference (slang) to your mouth as well: “She sassed me and got smacked in her gob!” Been MIA because I’ve busy here up on the WV mountain with my dear MIL’s doctor appts, but I’ve been lifting Granny up, Tipper. Our Abba is a good, GOOD Father!
Good’ un and gob are very familiar. I use gob a lot because I overdo everything. Dissatisfied with a mere slice of butter, so I use a gob. We have become accustomed to saying, ‘Don’t go in the kitchen gommin’ and messin’.” Just joshin’, because the last thing I would ever do is make anybody feel uncomfortable in my kitchen. They can gom and mess “til the cows come home.”
Tipper.
I think maybe number 1 is much akin to “Galavanting Around” with two slightly different meanings?
Sanford-I think so 🙂
Haven’t heard gaddy around or grave vine but however, I do think grave vine is what mama use to call vinca which you mentioned, and I have seen it before. Thanks for sharing. Continued prayers for Granny and the family.
Thank you, Tipper, for today’s vocabulary test. With the exception of “grave vine,” I recognized each word/phrase as those used by my mother and her mother. Thank you for the sweet reminder of the women who loved me, and for continuing to enrich my life with glimpses into Appalachia.
P.S. How is Granny today? And how are you?
Lesley-I’m doing good. Granny’s hanging in there but isn’t feeling well today.
We say gad about, good’un on you and a gob of that or this, but never heard grave vine.
Heared them all except graveyard vine. Makes sense though, because it is a very hard plant once you get it started. I also remember country folk adding an “ed” to words. Remember well Johnny Cash singing about his “long tailde’d” coat. Thanks to Tipper and family and blessings to that noble Granny lady. She’s an inspiration to all.
I’m like you Tipper, I use them all except gaddy around and grave vine. When I was young I heard a few people refer to a man as a gad about meaning he was constantly going from one girlfriend to another.
This place is a gomm..(mess)
Have heard good’un and used gob. I have heard gad about but that is way back in my memory.
Tipper, your supper video with butterbeans looked sooo good. It sure nuff made me hungry for the best meals I have ever had when my Mama fixed those and served with cornbread.
I missed the twins’ birthday celebration so I wanted to be sure and say “Happy Birthday to Corie and Katie!!!!
I’ve never heard gaddy around or grave vine either, but have heard the others used here in Athens, TN.
Love this! I had never heard gaddy around but I was familiar with the other words. I just loved it when my grandmother used to come visit us when I was a teenager. She was born and raised in Corbin KY. She had some of the best expressions and Appalachian vocabulary. Thank you for all of the hard work that you and your family do. I appreciate y’all sharing your life with us!!
All the words are familiar to me except graveyard grass. I’ve got a gob of it growing around my house and it’s as stout as a rope. There’s no way to pull it by hand, especially if it gets started growing in the rose bushes.
my family has always used a gob of butter, gaddy about, and vinca vine!
have a great summer weekend tipper and matt!
Most of the vocabulary words I do use and the funniest thing is when I travel to see my daughter in Boulder, CO folks are rather confused, but enchanted, by my speak! Her friends want to go to supper with us just to hear my language. I’ve never tried to disguise it, however, if I’m laughed at, well I just put it on real thick and leave them bemused! Blessings Allison
I’ve not heard “gaddy” but I have heard just “gad”, referring to wandering aimlessly. Gad about or gad around.
I use “gob” referring to more than a lot of something. Butter, depending a viscous substance can be a gob and a glob simultaneous.
“Goodest” is a stepdown from bestest. I use both words.
I use “good’un” although I would have spelled it good’en. You know like Sally spells it.
“Grave vine” I have not heard. I know only graveyard flowers. I forget the common name for the moment.
“Phlox” is not an exotic brought here from faraway lands. It is native to Southern Appalachia. Phlox stolonifera “graveyard flowers” grow in a blanket and often cover disturbed soil such as gravesites. In bygone days graves were not as they are today, wherein the sod is removed and then replaced after the burial. Graves were mounded to accommodate the inevitable settling that occurs over time with a natural burial. Phlox would move in and cover that mound of bare soil as if it was tasked to be there.
I knew I would think of it!
Let’ see… gaddy, gob, goodest, good’un and grave vine. Never heard “gaddy”, always heard “gadding” instead and called those gadding “gadabouts” (not a compliment). Gob is as familiar as old shoes and applies especially to any shapeless lump. Never heard “goodest” but sometimes say “bestest” in fun cause it is not ‘proper’. ‘Good’un’ I know (but the computer doesn’t). There is no higher compliment to a guy that to say he is a “good’un”, especially when said by someone who is themselves a ” good’un”. I have heard little vinca called “graveyard vine” but that was after I was grown and on my own in a different state. I do not recall having heard a name for it before that.
Randy, sorry I missed your China berry story yesterday until too late to post. No China berry where I grew up but I recognize the country boys making use of what nature offers. (Your story also reminds me of how The Boy in “The Old Man and the Boy” by Robert Ruark got in serious trouble for shooting the mocking bird out of the China berry tree.)
I have heard “gad around.” My mother used to accuse me of going to town only because I wanted to gad around. The word always had a negative connotation; if you were gadding, you were wasting time. Bless all of you.
I have heard of good’un, but only use gob regularly. I like to put a big gob of jelly on my pb and j sandwich!
Tipper–As is more often than not the case, I’m generally familiar with all the offerings in this vocabulary test. However, I don’t recall ever having heard periwinkle described as grave vine. Instead, I’ve always heard it as graveyard ivy.
I’ve heard “gob” and “good’un” but the other vocabulary elude me in their usage. You guys crack me up using these hillbilly terms and you act them out the “goodest” one could ever do! I like the whole family getting a word too!!! Thanks for pure joy, fun and good times you give us every day!!! Tipper, Matt, girlies, you are all a real blessing not to mention hoot!!!I saw an 8 point Buck walking on my terrace last evening. He looked beautiful yet delish if you’re with me! Venison on the hoof just looking for elderberries or any garden bounty he could take out. Lol. You can get a permit in my town to drop a deer or several with a bow. I’m not a bow Hunter, I’m not a rifle Hunter either, although I’m considering it. Lol Many blessings to your whole clan and sweet you too!!!
Gob and good’un are the only two I remember hearing used growing up but do not hear anymore.
I know good un and gob, and gad about, but not the others.
I’m familiar with gadding about, but not gaddy. I can still hear my father-in-law saying good’un in my memory. You know how some words appeal to you and some just don’t? Gob is an unappealing word to me since it’s often used in conjunction with spit, and I can’t abide a spitter. I’ve never heard Vinca called grave vine but I find that very interesting. I wonder if it will be one of those things that I begin hearing or reading somewhere else now? Does that ever happen to you? Something gets your attention and then you find it here and there, having never noticed it before?
I’ve heard GAD ABOUT, never heard of Grave Vine, GOBSMACKED.
Blessings to all. By the way I have a wonderful fall garden coming along.
I have heard all the sayings you named. My mother always called the vine graveyard vine .. it’s very pretty and blooms all around our property. We are near Burnsville NC.
God bless you friends of Appalachia, God bless Granny with healing and health in Jesus name
wow, what a great bunch of words. I have also only heard and used gad around or about and grave vine is entirely new to me. love these vocabulary tests
Old ones, but good uns. I, like a lot of other followers, have not heard the grave vine. I do believe I have seen them, just didn’t know it by that name. Hope today is a good un for you guys and am looking forward to today’s read. Granny and you guys are in my prayers as we start looking toward our winter that God is planning for us.
I’ve heard “gad around”. I have to go back to my childhood in north Missouri to remember most of these vocabulary words. You may have covered this, but my dad’s aunt often said “yourn”, like this: “Is that child one of yourn?”
I’ve heard that in north Georgia, God bless you
Yep “yourn” is quite common in not just Appalachia, but the rural south in general. Especially among an older generation. I’ve always loved the word because it always makes me think of Gomer on Andy Griffith telling Andy “Hey to you and yourn”.
Donna-I’ve heard that here too 🙂
I have never heard grave vine but have heard the other four. I often say good’un and gob – usually to do with axle grease. I have heard gaddy about more often gaddy around.