appalachian vocabulary test
Time for this month’s Appalachian Vocabulary Test-take it and see how you do:

  1. Laid up
  2. Law
  3. Let on
  4. Lit into
  5. Limber-jack

 

  1. Laid up: sick, hurt, bedridden. “Down to Clay’s I heard Tony was laid up with his back again. Theys planning a pounding for him and his family over at the church.”
  2. Law: expression of exasperation; officer of the law. “She got caught in that road block the law set up on the county bridge. I told her and told her-her conniving ways would catch up with her someday and she’d be sorry. And now it’s finally happened.”
  3. Let on: pretend. “When her Daddy come home from work me and her sister let on we didn’t know where she was. We told him she never come from school. Then as soon as he got to worrying she jumped out from behind the door. He liked to have beat us all for making him worry.”
  4. Lit into: to attack verbally or physically. “Before I could stop her she lit into him. Screaming and a hollering and all the while she beat him in the chest with her car keys. It took 4 of us to get her to stop.”
  5. Limber-jack: person with flexible legs and arms. “After a few pulls of liquor he always jumps around like a limber-jack. Makes me mad as a hornet to see him act like such a fool.”

I use-and hear all but number 5 on a regular basis. The one person I’ve heard use ‘limber-jack’ is Pap.

Leave me a comment and tell me how you did on the test.

Tipper

 

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44 Comments

  1. I suppose I’m with the majority of Blind Pig followers on this one in not having heard “limber jack.” I have heard “law” used in a different context. Upon seeing someone for the first time in a while, we might say, “They law, look at you, all growed up and a woman already!”

  2. I got all of them save number five. I think I may have heard it before but surely don’t use it. I still find it hard to believe that many Appalachian words and phrases are unique to us because I hear and use them so much. I guess that I take for granted many of the things that make us special.

  3. Just found your blog today and love it…really love the music.
    I knew the first four of these and guessed the fifth.
    Gonna look around your blog some more…any more pics of the pretty Monte Carlo here?

  4. I got them all. The ‘let on’ in my family was used as “don’t let on” meaning keep your mouth shut. Lit into was common like ‘whupped up on’. Here in Portland OR they’d bat 0. When I first came here I was having a conversation with another grad student when she put her hand up and said, “I don’t understand half of what you’re saying.” Sad, for them.

  5. Law, I tell ya. He let on like he’d been laid up down there for a week, ‘s reason he hadnt’ come to do the work I’d paid’im already to do. I went down there and lit in to him, I laid the law down to him and he jumped up, acting like a limberjack, jumping around, swinging his arms like they wern’t a thang wrong with him. I’ll never ask’im to do another thang.

  6. Tipper , This is our common vernacular here in Carter Co.Tn except limber-jack. As Jim Casada noted ” to law someone” is to ” take them to court” . I certainly enjoy your site.
    Larry Proffitt

  7. Hi Topper,
    I use them all except limber-jack. That one I’ve never heard. We also used sick a bed for laid up off and on, laid up usually referred to an injury and sack a bed an illness.
    Law I was told was what people said to avoid taking the Lord’s name in vain.
    I want to say I really enjoyed meeting you in Young Harris and really enjoyed your show and your daughter’s dancing. I am sorry I missed the festival in Murphy.
    Sheryl

  8. Only 3 out of 5 for me, this time.
    limber-jack is a new one, and I thought ‘let-on’ was to carry on.
    A drawled out “LAAAW!” in E. TN can mean anything from, My Lord! ; Are you kiddin’?; or, You don’t mean it!
    As in, “Law, I cain’t beLIEVE it!”
    Charline

  9. Except for limberjack, these are all common as dirt here in the foothills. When we use “let on” though, it means play stupid or don’t say anything; “I’m not supposed to know this, so don’t let on, but…” or “If he knows you can do it he’ll stop doing it for you, so don’t let on!” Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how the meaning got switched around? Thanks for another very enjoyable test!

  10. hey Tipper,
    Have’nt heard limber-jack since I was a kid…I think I remember my grandmother calling the little wooden toy that you squeeze and the little man’s arms and legs jump around….a limberjack…the others are common here…
    Oh law, they lit into ‘Jes’ after he let on he knowed that limberjack, now he’ll be laid up for a month…Such fun! lol

  11. I have heard all of them. I have used all but limberjack.
    Other “L’s” that I like are “Lands a gorshen” and “laws a mercy.” Same meaning as “goodness sake” or “fer pity’s sake.”

  12. #2 Law I always heard lawsy… as in lawsy that child is gonna be the death of me…
    Limber jack is not one I’m familiar with but it makes total sense. The rest I’ve heard and have used… a lot. I get teased about them sometimes…

  13. I knew all but number 5. As a motorhead, though, I am interested in what looks like a 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo. My Dad had one in a light metallic green. They were pretty cars.

  14. Tipper,
    I’ve heard all these but only the
    other day did I pay any attention
    to the last one. My little friend
    (94) had supper with me last week.
    I ask him how he was feeling and he said “if I can remember to take
    my prendesone, I’m just as feisty
    as a limber-jack.”
    Everyone enjoys these word games,
    me too…Ken

  15. limber jack i did not know. i have ben LIT INTO by my dad when i was younger, let me tell you. not that i deserved it. I am laid up with my back today. that means it hurts to move. keep the words coming

  16. Tipper: Hello and Howdy from up the hollar! Got a hundred on this test. All are common in our family except for limberjack. Always enjoy your comments and column. Hope this finds you and your’s well. A big howdy and thanks to Pap and Paul.
    God’s love and care till we all get Home!
    Uncle Dave from Richmond.

  17. Tipper I do use most of these words on a daily basis except number 5 I have heard it but its been awhile, escpecially when we were youngins’ and my grandmother use to tell us that we were limber jacks jumping around the way we did, Law I have heard that more times than 1. Tipper Have a Great Weekend,

  18. Tipper–All of this test are familiar to me and form part of my speaking vocabulary. I would add that law is sometimes used in two other contexts. First, as a verb–I’m going to law you–i. e., sue or sic the law on someone. Second, as an expression of mild amazement such as “law me, and you believe what Tipper went and done this time.”
    Jim Casada
    www. jimcasadaoutdoors.com

  19. Know them all except limber-jack.
    I’ve heard of jack-in-the-box, jack be nimble,jack-o-lantern, and jumping-jack, now limber-jack……makes me wonder who jack is. lol!

  20. Tipper, I know and use all of these except the last one. I haven’t heard that one.
    People here use Law as an expression: “Law, I’ve never seen such big potatoes”.
    I always love these tests! Wanda in NoAla

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