It’s test time again-take this month’s Appalachian Vocabulary Test and see how you do. It’s all about the ‘lay’.
- Lay by
- Lay off
- Layway
- Lay out
- Lay down
- Lay by-to put something away for another time; when tending the crops is finished till harvest. “Mother said for me to just lay by my money if I wanted that dress. She said I’d have to get it my ownself.”
- Lay off-plow rows in a garden; to plan or intend to do something. “Pap’s going to lay off the cornfield Saturday week.”
- Layway-to ambush. “I knew she was mad at me but I didn’t know she’s going to layway me down the road. She sure give me what for.”
- Lay out-to miss work or school; to knock down or kill. “They found out what happened to all that mail. That sorry mailman was a laying out of work and just throwing the mail in the river.” (true story)
- Lay down-to give up or surrender; to go to bed for the night. “Once she laid down gambling she never went back to it as far as I know.”
So how did you do? I’m familiar with all this month’s words-and use them on a regular basis. I’m curious to see what you think about #4. Surely everyone says ‘lay out’ to talk about a kid skipping school or someone laying out of work or even someone staying out all night. I just can’t fathom that the use of ‘lay out’ in this manner is relegated to Appalachia.
Tipper
my great grandma and granny were both “granny women” who delivered babies , took care of sick people, and would ” lay out” the deceased for burial.
The girls did a great job on this, Tipper. What nice voices they have.
Well I didn’t know them when taking the test, but when I read the answers it came back to me. Ahh I pray I am not loosing my heritage.
Strangely, I’ve only used a couple of those words. Number 4 I’ve used a lot!
Use all of them except we say “waylay”. (Layaway is to have merchandise saved for you as you make payments — our Kmarts still do “layaway or laybuy.” So….I know parents who put their children’s Christmas gifts in “layaway” at Kmart in Sept/Oct and make payments on it until Dec. at Kmart.
Okay — the girls did an OUTSTANDING job — their talent is just getting stronger daily. I know your dad has to be so pleased to hear them. I told Donna on fb that I had that song on my ipod and I thought it was from Emmy but the more I think it may be Alison. Anyway, love that song and it’s not the easiest one to “hit” those notes and the girls just did GREAT.
Thanks for another great one, Tipper! I am familiar with most of them, but as so often happens, a couple of them are used a bit differently up here. When we use lay off, we mean stop it; “If you don’t lay off teasing your brother, I’ll blister your behind!” (I heard that one many times in my youth!). When we’re talking about an ambush, we say waylay rather than layway. I wish we knew how these differences came about, that’d probably make for an interesting tale or two!
haha, i was stuck by #3. i knew the term in opposite: waylay = ambush, now i see it works both ways.
tom
I’m Back from my 3 days off and the girls are looking gorgeous as usual. i knew all of them except layoff the rows for planting. have not heard that one before.
Tipper, I use these on a daily basis as does my family guess we just take them for granted and think everybody knows what we are talking about when we use them.
The girls singing was music to my ears, they are GREAT!!!!!
That is like learning a whole brand new language! I would not have been able to guess at any of the lays.
The girls get better every time I hear them, you and your family, are great. Keep up the good work. Kay
Good morning, Tipper.
I’ve spent some time this morning catching up on your blog posts and listening to some fine music.
On Heaven’s Bright Shore was one of Mom’s favorite songs. She would have loved listening to your family sing it.
I’ve heard and used all of the words this time, but, as others have said, I’d be more inclined to say “way lay” rather than “lay way.”
I also use #2 in the same way you state for #5.
I’m gonna lay off playing my banjo ’til my hand quits hurting. (But, I have no intention of laying down my banjo! Not for long, anyway.)
Always love your Appalachian Vocabulary Tests.
I’d say waylay, not layway. And all the others I first heard when I moved to the mountains. In Florida, in my youth, people skipped school rather than laying out of school.
In Ultimate Frisby, ‘laying out’ is stretching out almost horizontally to make a catch.
I didn’t take the test! I’d have failed anyway!!! But I thoroughly enjoyed reading your list of phrasal verbs with lay and their unusual meanings! I do use a lot lay off meaning stop employing a worker or stop doing or using something ~ “Harry was laid off for six months during the recession.” Great post!
I’m back to tell you I’ve been strumming along to all the songs you’ve put on Youtube. Wow, it’s just like I’m there with all of you all. Thanks for giving me what I needed most: someone to strum along with.
We use all these terms Tipper! The girls singing just melted my heart; it was so pretty!
Tipper, you waylayed me with lay way;)
I think you’re right about lay out (in the context of avoiding something) is not limited to the mountains. There are several other uses of lay out that definitely aren’t mountain-only, such as to lay out a plan (how to attack a problem) or lay out a drawing (spread out a large size engineering diagram).
But there’s another use of lay out that may – or may not – be limited to the mountains. That is when a body is “laid out” in preparation for burial.
On Heaven’s Bright Shore is also a favorite of mine. I’d suggest a slight word change in your description of Pap’s reaction – I think I’d have said he was filled with joy – as in “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
Blessings on you and all the Blind Pig crew.
While lay out is definitely shirking, the first thing that came to my mind was the viewing of the deceased. “Where’s he gonna lay out?” or “Didn’t they lay him out nice.”
My mother often used lay out to remind us to get ready. “Y’all be sure to lay out what you’re gonna wear to school tomorrow.”
I’ve used all of the words, ecept layway. We always said waylay.
Also lay off would be used as wanting or needing to do something. “I’m gonna lay off to clean that parlor soon as I get a second wind.”
Another “L” that I always heard was-“When she caught up to them kids, she LIT them up real good.”
Also instead of hugs and kisses, we used to be asked to give some one a “likey.” “Go give Aunt Opal a likey now, afore we leave.”
Tipper,
Knew all them words, but its fun.
I know the feeling Pap gets listening to those beautiful girls
singing. Makes cold chills run up
and down my neck. Since Paul don’t
show his expressions as much, I bet his toes are all curled up when they sing. My youngest daughter has beautiful twins and
they’re the same age as Chitter
and Chatter. Yours are super cloggers. Ken
Listening to the girls sing, accompanied by their uncle and grandpap, IS indeed Heaven’s bright shore! Thank you for sharing it with us, Tipper. 🙂
My father used the term laid by, as when the crops are laid by this fall. I’ve also heard “waylay” as ambushing someone.And we were brought up on “layaway” as paying on a purchase for a period of months before we could take it home.
I love your vocabulary words.
And loved hearing the girls singing.
I’ve not heard of #1 or #2, but the rest I’m familiar with.
Kind of a similar, and true, story from my area … the mailman did lay out of work but he kept all the mail stacked up in his garage!
Hi Tipper, I have used or heard all but lay off in the manner you stated. I too would have used lay out that way as well.
we also use layabout for a lazy person or one who won’t work.
Good quiz!
sheryl
Those girls of yours can sing up a happy storm…
Yes, I’ve heard and used most of the lay…ones..LOL
For instance..#4..He laid out in the laurel hells until late in the evening, fairly thinking he was safe…It was then the “snake of a man” slipped in behind him. He swung and with the butt of his “smoker” laid him out. In one hour he was colder than a cucumber in June…
Great!
Fun to read how phrases are used in other areas.
🙂
Yes, I’ve heard all of them used. Just been a long time for some of them. You must be very proud of your family. So much talent. Brings back good memories from my childhood, when we sat on the porch and sang.
I have not heard/used layout or layway. I have also heard waylay.
The only one I use is lay by.
I too, use waylay rather layway.
Lay off – leave alone.
Lay low – stay out of sight
Love coming by here!
I haven’t heard that, but then again, sometimes I’ll say or write something and wonder where it came from – things I’ve forgotten, or just heard in passing, etc!
Lay out is the only one I missed this month. Lay out to me would be to knock someone out. “Casper’s so jealous that he’s going to lay out the gravel guy” LOL
Love it!!
That is one proud Granddad! It’s written all over his face.
Is one of them learning mandolin?
The talent in your family never ceases to amaze me.
“Lay by” is the only one I knew. I LOVE that song; it isn’t one that’s familiar to me, but it’s so singable that I think I’ll learn it so I can strum my guitar and sing it.
I had never heard layway. I have heard waylay used to mean the same thing. For me “lay out” would be used for the purpose you have and also for the same meaning as your meaning of “lay off”. The others I knew.
Tipper , a lot of times I layawake at night , does that work for a new one , also loved hearing the girls sing , sent the clip to brother Jim in Tenn. thanks .Malcolm and Ciejay in Thailand
i’ve never heard “lay out” used as in #4 before, but i do know that in england, young men not in school and not employed are called “lay abouts”, so, given the connections in our heritage, this must be related! i’d always thought it just meant more like “couch potatoes!”