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. Name: mention. “Harvey said everybody at the store said she was coming home next week, but she didn’t name it to me.”
2. Nary: not a one, none. “They said nary a person showed up at the workin. Made me feel plumb bad. I shoulda went.”
3. Natured: naturally inclined. “He was one of the most hateful natured people I ever did know.”
4. Nearabouts: more or less; close to. “Down there somewhere nearabouts Copperhill they said there’s a mighty good place to buy appliances.”
5. Nubbin: an underdeveloped ear of corn. “I try to eat the nubbins and let the others have the full ears of corn at supper.”
All of this month’s words are common in my area. Name is the one I hear the least. I once worked with a sweet lady that used it often.
Hope you’ll leave a comment and tell me how you did on the test.
Last night’s video: The Thread That Runs So True 17.
Tipper
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Not Appalachian, but New England speak:
It’s not a water fountain, it’s a bubbler (bubblah).
It’s not a liquor store, it’s a packy.
It’s not a roundabout or a circle, it’s a rotary.
We don’t make a U-turn, we bank a yooey.
It’s not a garbage bin, it’s a barrel.
It’s not a remote, it’s a clicker (clickah).
It’s not a turn signal, it’s a blinker (blinkah).
We’re not in the basement, we’re in the cellar (cellah).
I don’t wear blue jeans, I wear dungarees.
Of course, there are many, but these are the ones I use most frequently, though I’ve lived in Virginia for the last 40 years.
Love to all of you.
Heard all these..nary is still used a lot here in East Tennessee!
Pray for Israel and our country.
We always called a scrawny ear of corn a “nubbin” …
I’ve heard them all at one time or another, but have only used natured and nearabouts. I guess I’ve gotten away from saying them because I get corrected when I do use them. That’s what happens when your child grows up to be an English teacher and your grandchild is exactly like her. Needless to say I get corrected a lot!
All are familiar to me, but “name it” I haven’t heard in so long I had forgotten about it.
All used or heard here except “name it”. Have a great Saturday everyone!
I speak ‘Appalachian’ but I don’t think I’ve ever heard “name it” used around eastern Ky, WV, southeastern Oh, or anywhere. The other 4 idioms are very common to me.
Related to “nary” and pronounced like it, is “ary” (or maybe “airy”) “Ary one of them could have done it” and “Not ary one of them showed up”.
The words are all as common as an old shoe around my house. Nary is a word used daily around here and name it second in line. Nubbins are good for making pickled corn on the cob especially if you use a gallon jug.
I’ve heard or used all those words except name it. Nothing to do with this post, but I was blessed to go with my Sunday School friends to Chambersburg University,PA., yesterday evening to hear gospel quartets. I’m old so I know more of the old quartets; such as, the Black Wood Brothers, Hovie Lester and the Statesmens, and the Statlers, just to name a few. Last night it was a lot from Texas, the only one I knew was Mark Lowery, comedian, and song writer with a beautiful voice; and I must say if you get a chance to see him go. I don’t know when I’ve laughed so much and ya all, it’s good for you to laugh. God bless and have a wonderful weekend!
I use them all but name it. I’ve always call the small kernels of corn on the ends of the ears nubbins. I have a corn shelter that has a nubber on to take these small kernels off, then you shell the large kernels for seed.
Only nary and nubbin.
all common here in East Tennessee.
Nearabouts reminded me of another one ” Neardowell “
Heard all of these!
My grandmother used name it, but I don’t think I ever have. All the others are pretty common. I use nubbin for many stubby things, not just corn.
Richard
Familiar with all these sayings except name it which is used where I live more like as an example “ that place has all sorts of stuff! You NAME IT they got it!” I think your actors acting the sayings out are the cutest things I’ve seen today besides a rooster with socks on!!! Y’all have a dandy day and don’t let NARY a worry bother you about my finger NUBBIN-it’s all that’s left of what once was after a chopping accident… Lol just kidding but we use nubbin to describe missing body parts up here like a knee nubbin etc… god bless you and have a great day!!! Those daughters of yours are actually PRETTIER if that’s possible every time I see them! Having a baby just made them prettier than ever!!!! Flawless skin and sweet eyes and smiles!!!
I passed the test, missing one, Name, which I had never heard. Glad to have it in my vocabulary! These word were used by my father, West Virginia roots, and reminded me that he also said neer do well to describe people he thought were lazy.
My corn didn’t do good at all this year and all I got was smut and nubbins.
I have never heard “name it” used this way. I am very familiar with all the rest of the words, even though I don’t say them all. I can hear my mama and dad talking about the corn at the end of growing season saying, “ we had some nubbins for supper last evening”.
Tipper–All are common as pig tracks in my vernacular, although, like you, name is the least commonplace. My definition of nubbin would be a bit different. Rather than being an undeveloped ear, it is sort of a midget ear of corn where the kernels develop but the ear is a runt (not normal length).
I think of a nubbin as a fully developed ear of corn after you break off the damage.
All of these are used by my family from eastern KY.
My grandpa uses “nearabouts” often. I used “natured” the most and never realized nary was an Appalachian word. I also have always used nubbin to mean something stubby- my mom’s boxer justa wags that nubbin of a tail- but I never realized it was from corn!
I’ll say 4 1/2 I am very familiar with. The 1/2 is “name it”. I know I’ve heard it sparingly growing up but it ‘feels’ uncommon to me. I must now have heard it in many years. I really like the word “natured” as pinning down one’s personality. There is a fella in the bible described as being “a quiet prince” which – to me – is a description of his ‘nature’. I wouldn’t date describe my own, too close to the subject to be objective. There is a story about Abe Lincoln using the word “nubbin”. Abe met Alexander Stephens (secretary of Confederate treasury and a small, somewhat frail man) who was wearing a great big, long fur coat. When he took it off, Abe remarked to one of his group, ” Did you ever see such a little nubbin come out of such a great big shuck?”
I say 4½. alt-0189 = ½
I do not hear “nary” or “name it” except from members of one church denomination. The others I not only say, but hear others say too. I read the older post from 2017 about saying completely, I say all of the words Tipper mention and many of the words or expressions others mention in the comments. I don’t remember seeing this one mention but I often say “flat out” meaning fast, such as when someone is running fast as they can.
I thank everyone that prayed for my sister, she improved some yesterday.
Nary, natured and nearabouts I’m familiar with but not the other two. Natured is probably the one I’ve heard and used the most.
God bless my Granny Wilson, she looked great during her question and answer video, praise God for Granny Wilson
Bame UT is the only one I don’t actually use. I have heard it used since a small child, but never actually used myself
These are very common to my people. I love when you share these. It really gets my noggin a crankin.
I planted a few things by the signs you shared, but we need rain. It’s supposed to cool off here in the next day, or two. Whew doggy, it’s been a scorcher for a couple of weeks now. Thanks for sharing the signs. I use to be able to get a detailed calendar with signs, but didn’t find one this year.
Can anyone tell me when the signs are right for making kraut? Or maybe they don’t use that anymore. I haven’t made any in a long time and I would like to try Granny’s recipe. Thank you so much!
Tipper sells calendars with the signs on them Debbie!